There have been "preliminary discussions " about bringing back Roseanne - without Roseanne
The show's producers are reportedly set to stage talks with ABC over an unorthodox revival
Roseanne (the show) is not going down without a fight – against all odds, there have been early talks about bringing the show back without its lead, Roseanne Barr.
US network ABC cancelled the show on Tuesday after the star posted a tweet comparing Valerie Jarrett, a former aide to President Obama, to an ape.
But Variety reports that "extremely preliminary" discussions have begun among key players – including Sara Gilbert, an executive producer on the show who also plays Roseanne's daughter Darlene, and showrunner Bruce Helford – to keep the ensemble cast together without its lead. Gilbert, Helford and executive producer Tom Werner are set to meet with ABC executives as soon as Friday to discuss the future of the series.
The Hollywood insider site added, with a pinch of salt, that the trio are well aware that the odds are stacked against them. They are likely to face major challenges to keep all of the cast on board and to persuade ABC or any other network that the show can survive without its eponymous star.
However, the fact that the cast and crew were already signed up to a 13-episode second season, apparently means ABC will have to fork out the majority of the money regardless, which could make the prospect of forging into the great unknown without Barr a little more appealing.
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It sounds like a long shot, but, we'll keep an eye on this situation as it progresses.
