A Darlene Spinoff of Roseanne Could Happen – Today’s News: Our Take

The show may go on?

After Roseanne Barr‘s racist tweet about a former Obama Administration official led ABC Entertainment to cancel its hit revival of Roseanne, the network is reportedly now considering a spin-off series centered on someone other than the series’ title matriarch: Darlene.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, ABC has set a meeting to discuss the possibility of giving the sharp-witted middle Conner child the lead, with actress Sara Gilbert proposing a “rebrand” of the character. The network is said to be open to that and other ideas, so long as Barr is denied any financial gain or involvement in said production.

There’s some serious support for the idea of a Darlene show on social media — to the point that some fans have even started cooking up very specific plot points to make it happen.

Give talented @THEsaragilbert a spin-off sitcom called DARLENE. It’s about her life after Roseanne died in the hospital following surgery. The spin-off can rehire the other actors who played members of the Conners Family. That’s my idea. #RoseanneCanceled

— Bobby Rivers (@BobbyRiversTV) May 29, 2018

Please @abcnews @ABCNetwork , make a spin-off show with @THEsaragilbert called “Darlene.” Put #Roseanne through Rehab for her meds so she doesn’t have to be on the show and that explains it all. PLEASE! Darlene is the best character on the show, anyway. Funniest for sure!

— intro. (@Just_Intro) May 30, 2018

PS: I can have a story bible for DARLENE, a post-Roseanne’s death spin-off where she becomes a freelance writer and her kids get arrested for shoplifting peanut butter and glitter by EOD tomorrow.

— Nick Ban Nazis Mamatas (@NMamatas) May 29, 2018

Scenario: Roseanne passes away due to overdose of opioid painkillers. The show goes on as a spin-off called “Darlene”. Everybody wins. Let’s do this!! @ABCNetwork @THEsaragilbert #Roseanne #saragilbert #DarleneIsMyFavorite 😌 pic.twitter.com/ud8qltElid

— Mommy715 (@akachi98) June 1, 2018

Meanwhile, some are leaning more towards a “sisters are doin’ it for themselves” type of program, with Darlene and Becky (both Beckys?) teaming up to tackle the world.

The cast made that show. Not roseanne. Maybe a spin-off with Darlene and Becky?

— Amanda Cates (@MrsAmandaCates) May 30, 2018

Becky and Darlene spin-off show?? Please??

— jennifer Robbin (@jennc820) May 29, 2018

I’d be fine with a Darlene/Becky-centric “Roseanne” spin-off. They were the most interesting part of the reboot. Roseanne was the least.

— David Onda (@David_Onda) June 1, 2018

Sorry #Roseanne you can’t say whatever you want without consequences! Can @ABCNetwork make a spin-off with just Darlene and Becky? They were the best part of the reboot anyway! #Roseanne by herself #notfunnyanymore

— SaraIrene (@sara41184) May 29, 2018

Either way, there are a lot of people who think the show could and should survive without Barr, while leaving everyone else in place (yes even, dead-but-not-really-ha Dan) …

@ABCNetwork @THEsaragilbert Please please please do a Darlene spin-off for us! We want to see more of Darlene, David, the kids, Becky, DJ, Dan and Aunt Jackie! You have so much material to work with!

— HonestBuddha (@SurrndrDorothy) June 3, 2018

… even if it means he and/or Aunt Jackie just pop up once in a while, Fuller House style.

@ABCNetwork can we PLEEEEASE get a ‘Darlene & kids’ spin-off show, naturally staring the brilliant @THEsaragilbert and the talented young actors playing her kids in ‘Roseanne’. That would allow other characters to appear occasionally too, like Becky, DJ, Jackie, etc.

— Mark Turner (@Melchett) May 29, 2018

You could carry this show. Now that it’s cancelled, pitch a spin-off without @RoseanneOnABC – Darlene and her kids move in with Aunt Jackie after Rosie and Dan lose the house. Dan can make guest appearances. Other cast members keep their jobs. #Please

— Barb Janicek (@bigbadlibrarian) May 29, 2018

So, even if it sounds premature, since it’s been less than a week since Roseanne‘s cancellation, don’t discount the idea of a Darlene show just yet.