Steve Johnson: In working with Roseanne, ABC played with fire, got burned
In getting into business with Roseanne Barr for the reboot this spring of her classic sitcom, ABC had to know it was running alongside an electrified fence.
Yet while the show aired over the last two months, things mostly went well. The 2018 "Roseanne" defied the odds for sitcom remakes and was a smash hit, earning an almost immediate renewal for next season.
It was able to tackle contemporary issues from income inequality to overt racism and earn mostly praise from critics. And until Tuesday Barr, the volatile star whose blue-collar comedy gave the series its tone, managed to keep her presence somewhat in check on Twitter, where her recent history had shown a fondness for
