Roseanne: Kansas City, Here We Come

Roseanne: Kansas City, Here We Come
ABC
December 3, 1991
Sitcom
DVD
B

This is the first of four Roseanne episodes written by David Forbes, covering a span of about four years, here co-writing with staff writer Amy Sherman.  It is willing to be both morally ambiguous and realistically unresolved.  It turns out that Roseanne's father has been having an affair for twenty years, not two.  Jackie invites her on a road trip to KC to meet the "other woman," Joan Crinshaw (Kay Arnold, who would return in the role).  Joan turns out to be much nicer than they expect, and Jackie in particular isn't sure how to feel about this.

Meanwhile, Becky has a new job as a supermarket cashier, and her boss (offscreen) demotes her and calls her a horrible word.  (Note that DJ asks Darlene if Becky was called "the L-word," and Darlene asks, "What's the L-word?", pretty ironic in retrospect.)  Dan goes down to the store to talk to the boss and finds out that Mark already punched him in the stomach, so now Becky will get her job back, and an apology.  Dan isn't sure how to feel about this, especially since he wanted the option of punching the boss himself.  Roseanne thinks it's cool when she hears, and she wonders if Mark is "the guy" for Becky.  He is, but not yet, as Becky is understandably angry about Mark not letting her fight her own battles.