All of the Hot-Button Issues the ‘Roseanne’ Revival Has Addressed So Far

John Goodman and Roseanne Barr
ABC/Adam Rose

Even in its original form, Roseanne was never afraid to go there, addressing many of the hotly-debated issues of its time. So it’s no surprise that the revival is continuing in that same tradition.

Of course, in the reboot, the most buzzed-about topic had to be the ABC series’ handling of the current political climate. That’s not the only discussion-worthy subject matter discussed, as the show weighs in on everything from surrogacy to gender norms.

Read on for our roundup of all of the hot-button issues touched upon so far:

Gender Norms

Darlene’s (Sara Gilbert) son Mark (Ames McNamara) likes to wear “girls clothes,” and she doesn’t discourage him. Though Roseanne (Barr) and Dan (John Goodman) have a difficult time understanding his choice to dress in such garments, they eventually come around and accept Mark for who he is.

Health Care Costs

In the premiere, Dan and Roseanne struggle to afford the required prescription medications needed for their “older age” ailments—an issue Jackie (Laurie Metcalf) brings up later on in the premiere.

Political Differences

Easily the most talked about topic since Roseanne‘s return, fans were both saddened and entertained by seeing sisters Jackie and Roseanne at odds over politics. Yet, in spite of their respective liberal and conservative leanings, they made up while agreeing to disagree—something many families around the country are doing these days.

Unemployment

One of the main storylines in the revival is Darlene’s return home, to “care for her parents,” when she’s actually struggling herself. Unemployed, she’s on a mission to find a way to make a living so she can support her kids.

Guns

When Jackie visits the Conner residence for the first time in a year, she brings up guns in one of her pointed remarks as Roseanne. That mention reminds Dan that he doesn’t know where their gun has ended up. “I just realized—we got kids in the house and I can’t remember where we hid our gun,” he says aloud.

Surrogacy

Momentous as it was to see the two Beckys meet, the reason Becky (Lecy Goranson) and Andrea (Sarah Chalke) got together was groundbreaking in itself. In order to pay off debts, Becky hopes to serve as Andrea’s surrogate, which causes a variety of reactions in the Conner home.

Roseanne, Tuesdays, 8/7c, ABC