There’s a running joke in sitcoms, particularly with B-list characters, where a kid breaks into their house and finds a closet full of the same identical outfit over and over again.
More true for cartoons than sitcoms. Rosanne actually fought with the producers on her show to have her characters reuse outfits. She hated how supposedly working class characters on TV somehow never wore the same outfit twice. She even had some pieces of clothing get handed down to the younger actors when the older ones outgrew them. It’s a shame she became a right-wing loon, because she was one of the few people to make a realistic sitcom about working class people (only other one I can think of is Malcolm in the Middle).
It’s really hard to overstate how different Rosanne was when it first aired. They had money problems, they’d yell at their kids sometimes, they weren’t perfect. They were a “normal” family on TV that people could relate to.
Not only did they have money problems, but they absolutely affected the family. There wasn’t the “money isn’t really important” message at the end of the episodes so many shows go with. Money’s extremely important - especially when you don’t have it.
Being working-class was hard, and it had an impact in every aspect of their lives.
because she was one of the few people to make a realistic sitcom about working class people (only other one I can think of is Malcolm in the Middle).
in the middle also did a fantastic job at this and i think better in some respects compared to malcom in the middle.
i also grieved when roseanne’s lunacy caused the show to end the 2nd time; i had identified with the show in it’s earlier run because the characters were expecting their electricity to be cut at the same time we expected it growing up in my own home and it felt like my tv home since then. i’m glad the connor’s are a thing.
And played on it in later seasons. I almost cried laughing at the bit where they had a 20 year time jump and Charlie was still wearing the exact same outfit, and they called him on it.
More true for cartoons than sitcoms. Rosanne actually fought with the producers on her show to have her characters reuse outfits. She hated how supposedly working class characters on TV somehow never wore the same outfit twice. She even had some pieces of clothing get handed down to the younger actors when the older ones outgrew them. It’s a shame she became a right-wing loon, because she was one of the few people to make a realistic sitcom about working class people (only other one I can think of is Malcolm in the Middle).
It’s really hard to overstate how different Rosanne was when it first aired. They had money problems, they’d yell at their kids sometimes, they weren’t perfect. They were a “normal” family on TV that people could relate to.
Not only did they have money problems, but they absolutely affected the family. There wasn’t the “money isn’t really important” message at the end of the episodes so many shows go with. Money’s extremely important - especially when you don’t have it.
Being working-class was hard, and it had an impact in every aspect of their lives.
This, if money isn’t important, it simply means you’ve never been broke.
Or you’re young, dumb and in love.
It’s also really hard to explain that Roseanne used to be what appeared to be a sane and reasonable person with good ideas.
in the middle also did a fantastic job at this and i think better in some respects compared to malcom in the middle.
i also grieved when roseanne’s lunacy caused the show to end the 2nd time; i had identified with the show in it’s earlier run because the characters were expecting their electricity to be cut at the same time we expected it growing up in my own home and it felt like my tv home since then. i’m glad the connor’s are a thing.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia was really careful about this in their earlier seasons.
And played on it in later seasons. I almost cried laughing at the bit where they had a 20 year time jump and Charlie was still wearing the exact same outfit, and they called him on it.
Wasn’t most of the wardrobe early on just their own clothing as well?
Some of it definitely was especially in Season 1.