What I’m Watching: Roseanne

Roseanne: Season 10, Episode 6 “No Country for Old Women” (B)

I had the chance to see Oscar winner Estelle Parsons, who is now ninety years old, briefly at a screening of “Diane,” in which she has a small role, at Tribeca a few years ago. It’s great to see her still getting great parts like this, reminiscent of Cloris Leachman, who is a year older than her. Sure, the role is incredibly exaggerated, namely with all of the sex she’s supposed to be having at inappropriate moments, but she’s evidently having fun. I loved the quick cameo from Christopher Lloyd, who himself is nearly eighty years old, as her boyfriend Lou who said he could mistake Beverly for Roseanne and Jackie’s sister and then did his best to make it down the stairs. Roseanne and Jackie enjoyed some competition over who wanted to host their mother the least, and Becky was dumb enough to volunteer to take pity on her poor grandmother only to nearly go insane as soon as she was left with her for a little bit. Jackie did manage to achieve a small moment of kinship with her mother that was over almost before it began. As usual, this show’s approach to LGBT content is unique, with Roseanne insisting that being with a woman must be easier than being with a man. Mark also managed to express himself with a secret design on the inside of the birdhouse that he had to make to the specifications Dan insisted upon, showing a lesson in doing a job without necessarily leaving your imprint on it.