SpoilerTV`s Weekly Round Table: 39th Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to another WRT! A less busy week for us but we`ve still got enough juicy stories to discuss with you. This week I`m (MK) joined by SpoilerTV writers: Abi (AB), Jaz (JZ), Yon (SJ), Lisa (LM), Jessica (JN), Laura B (DL), Gina (GK), Beth (BW), Claire (CS), Katherine (KM) and Rachel (RW). As always feel free to join the discussion in the comment section down below

1. Roseanne`s one hour premiere delivered surprisingly high numbers. Even a 3,1 in the 18-34 group. What do you think is the reason for it?

AB: I honestly have no idea how Roseanne did so well in the demo. When the revival was announced I'd never heard of it, probably because it went off the air when I was a toddler.so I thought it would just resonate with the older generation but I guess not. Isn't Roseanne more on the right-wing side as well? I guess their promotional strategy and Roseanne Barr getting her name out there in the run-up to the premiere/general word of mouth must have just worked incredibly well in their favor.

JZ: From what I have heard about the series, I think the reason why it's been successful is that it's playing on the nostalgia factor. While most revivals try and fit into modern times, Roseanne has refused to do so which is kinda genius in the current political and social climate we live in. It's catering to the older and often forgotten demographic who just want the "golden age" of television back for better or for worse. It's refusal to change makes it feel like you're watching the exact same show which is something I think most revivals have struggled with achieving.
The backlash from doing so by younger and liberal audiences only helps the show after all "all press is good press"

SJ: I think having A LOT of promotion from ABC has helped, plus it was back in the 90's one of the highest rated shows on TV. Having said that Will & Grace premiered quite high and now its numbers have fallen dramatically, so if the show is still breaking records in a few weeks time, that's when we all marvel.

LM: Nostalgia and the right wing combined for high numbers - and maybe Russian hacking. Well, no doubt conspiracy-nutcase Barr would agree anyway! However, I think that the Trumpists definitely played a role in inflating the numbers. But then, Will & Grace had huge numbers and so did One Day at a Time - so likely the nostalgia factor was the bigger draw. While many of the actors haven't gone on to have huge careers, most of them do have fan followings and that never hurts either.

DL: I think about the moment nostalgia is probably the biggest factor, more than the political aspects. I think it will be interesting to see if those numbers really hold, especially if the show more deeply embraces its side of politics rather than focusing on a revival factor alone.

GK: The original Roseanne show was really good, it tackled topics not seen on tv before and the actors were great. That is why I tuned in to watch it. And I wasn't disappointed at all. Controversy has always been a staple of this show from day one. No surprise there. Nostalgia will get me to watch maybe the first episode but It won't push me to come back. Quality will. I'm in the minority. I don't care about the drama, not on the screen. If the show is good I'll watch it the end of the story for me.

BW: I think like others have said it is nostalgia. The sitcoms back then were appointment television for a lot of people, so I think people wanted to see if whatever magic they felt when they were watching was still there.

CS: I think it’s mainly nostalgia plus the terrific writers and the original cast. The show is good and people were curious. The only thing that could sink this reboot is Roseanne Barr. If she can ‘keep her mouth shut’ and just do the work, the show will have a chance. Because the show was so important to me as a young adult, I thought I could separate Roseanne Barr from Roseanne Conner, but now I know that I can’t.

RW: Honestly, I feel like it's because it's all the nostalgia and "childhood memories" that it brings back. A lot of people grew up watching sitcoms (like Full House) so I'm definitely not surprised that Roseanne would premiere with such high ratings...

2. Do Roseanne`s high numbers motivate you to seek it out? Do general strong (premiere) numbers motivate you to check out a show?

AB: Nope. I have zero interest in watching Roseanne ever. Sometimes strong numbers and general buzz do make me more likely to check out a show but only if other people have recommended it to me.

JZ: While I find the critic and social discussions about why the show is successful intriguing, it doesn't make me want to watch the show. Roseanne is just not a show I'm interested in and the original series was way before my time.

SJ: Absolutely not. In most cases when I am watching something I try to put aside any actors in question personal beliefs etc, but in the case of Roseanne? Where she's a proud supporter of Trump and that's something that has been added to her character on the show? When I come across her twitter every now & then and see the stuff she retweets and tweets? Sorry but I just can't support that. Speaking more generally though, if trailers, the premise & ratings don't attract my curiosity, then buzz is likely to. Take Netflix' new series On My Block. The trailer looked terrible, the premise wasn't really that interesting & Netflix don't release numbers obviously, so seeing someone on my feed talking about the show persuaded me to watch & I love it.

LM: I may watch the premiere out of curiosity, but I am so opposed to the political slant of this show that I won't watch. Nothing is funny about normalizing this agenda.

LN: While I haven’t watched Roseanne – and don’t plan on it – high numbers don’t really motivate me to seek new shows out. What will get me to try new shows if I’m unfamiliar with the concept, creators and actors, is mostly word of mouth. If a lot of people are recommending a specific show, then I’ll usually watch a couple of episodes before making a decision. Some of my favorite shows have been found that way.

DL: I have never been a fan of the show because it never really was my cup of tea and now as an adult, have major disagreements with the show's star. With that being said the numbers don't change my mind about how I feel about it. That's not to say that I wish it ill or anything, after all, I've grown to become a really big fan of Robert and Michelle King.-- I believe in creative freedom & freedom free speech! She has a right to be there and express herself through her art and I have a right to take it or leave it accordingly. I'm leaving it!

GK: Hype, great numbers and the like won't get me to watch a show or movie or read a book. Great story, characters, acting will. Word of mouth with get me watch the first 15 minutes but it's the show's quality or lack of that dictates if I keep watching.

BW: I watched the premiere and won't be returning. I normally do not let an actor's personal views impede on how I enjoy a show, but Roseanne's appearances on talk shows and tweets I have seen from her makes me not want to support any project she is involved in.

CS: No numbers never dictate what I watch.

RW: Nah, numbers don't really have an influence on what I watch. If I like what the show is about, I'll watch it. If I don't, I'll pass. In this case, "Roseanne" is a pass.

3. April is already knocking on our small screens and while Broadcast`s official season is entering its final stage, Cable & Streaming are throwing new seasons at us? Which cable shows are you looking forward to and do you prefer them over your Broadcast shows?

AB: Legion, Westworld, Imposters, Famous In Love and Archer are back in April! I'm so looking forward to the return of Westworld, finally. I think for the most part cable shows are on a completely different level quality-wise than broadcast shows. Most of the time the writing and budget just cannot compete and there are more shows of a higher caliber on cable/streaming networks than broadcast. Westworld is one of my favorite shows of all time from one of my favorite creators (Jonah Nolan) of all time.

JZ: I love cable shows! They typically have smaller episode count so there are no filler episodes and the content is typically more mature than broadcast shows which have to worry out "political correctness" and television conduct standards.

I'm loving Suits return at the moment and I'm excited about the returns of 12 Monkeys, Preacher, The Bold Type, and Queen of the South later this year.

SJ: I started to watch The Bold Type when I was at Uni, so I'm hoping to finish the first season in time for the 2nd. Queen of the South is a show I've long been interested in but just never had the time to watch, and I will admit the new Westworld promo has me intrigued enough to maybe give the show a watch. My most anticipated show without any question though is a newbie starring Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer called 'Killing Eve'. I am beyond thrilled that Jodie has finally landed a fairly sizeable show & I really hope it leads her to get more roles in the US.

LM: Cable is always going to impress because they have bigger budgets and they have shorter season runs which allow for tighter storylines (in general). I'm really looking forward to the return of The Handmaid's Tale!

LN: I’m really looking forward to the return of Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale, HBO’s Westworld and Bravo’s Imposters on cable but also the return of the CW’s The Originals and The 100 in April. For the longest time, I was a diehard broadcast fan, but cable and streaming have been putting out some very strong programming over the past several years whereas broadcast has plateaued with captivating series. Part of what helps cable is the limited episode number per season, but some broadcast shows have started following that formula, so that definitely helps. For me, it’s really more about the show itself than whatever network it airs on.

DL: Like others have mentioned, Cable just has so much more to give. Great budgets, tighter writing, and usually more nuanced stories. I think there are only about 3 shows I'll be watching on the network from now until next fall and two of them are new so I can't say with any certainty, I'll be sticking with them. As for Cable and Streaming Services, 'm looking forward to so many things! In the next two months alone there is The Americans, Legion, Bosch, Into the Badlands, & Westworld. Netflix is also introducing the revival of Lost in Space!! In the summer there is [hopefully] 12 Monkeys, Ray Donovan, Better Call Saul, Ozark, and The Affair! Let alone where Man in the High Castle will be placed!!

GK: I'm looking forward to Killjoys, Stranger Things, Lost in Space... and The Originals. I've noticed I've liked recently Network tv shows than cable.

BW: April is going to be bananas!!! I am looking forward to Imposters on cable. As for if I prefer them more, I just like what I like no matter where they air. If it gets me engaged, I am all for it.

CS: I definitely prefer anything over broadcast. There are only a couple of shows I still watch on broadcast and I prefer to watch them on Hulu or DVR with NO commercials. I can’t wait for Westworld and Handmaid’s Tale, Veep and Room 104.

KM: Surprisingly, I'm really looking forward to primarily Sci-Fi shows overall. Veep, The Expanse, 12 Monkeys if it ever shows up, I'm sure there are more, but the cable tv universe is so vast I may never see everything I'd like.

Hope you've enjoyed this edition and join the discussion in the comment section. Till next week. . .