‘Roseanne’ Might Return Without Her Husband
ABC Entertainment President Ted Harbert is negotiating with Carsey-Werner to bring “Roseanne” back this fall, even if bedrock co-star John Goodman makes good on plans to leave after eight seasons.
Harbert said that he and the sitcom’s frequently tempestuous star are “very excited about the stories we could do with Roseanne and (her sister) Jackie as single parents,” though he didn’t say how Goodman’s husband character would exit the scene. “The amount of screen time he gets isn’t such that you could call him the driving force behind the show,” Harbert continued.
Hmmm. Fans could read that as a slap at Goodman’s solid, albeit quiet work as the star’s frequent foil and constant comrade - a constancy everyone might well realize was indeed a key component of the show’s success once it isn’t around anymore.
Seinfeld confirms return
Claiming it’s just too fun to quit, Jerry Seinfeld confirmed Monday that he and his crazy crew will return next fall for an eighth season of “Seinfeld.”
Though riding high through a season in which many critics have noted a creative resurgence, Seinfeld admitted to reporters that he and co-stars Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Michael Richards once thought this probably would be their last year on NBC.
The bottom line for Seinfeld is that “the core experience of the four (main) cast members performing the show has remained enjoyable. To enjoy the people you’re doing a show with this much - that’s rare. So we want to stay together.”
And, it’s likely Seinfeld would like to earn some more good money. He reportedly earns an annual salary of $20 million.
The announcement of “Seinfeld’s” return comes on the heels of CBS’ decision to renew “Murphy Brown” for a ninth season next fall.
ABC gets ‘Politically Incorrect’
Will Bill Maher become a network star? ABC Entertainment President Ted Harbert hopes so, since ABC is bringing Maher’s Comedy Central current-events half-hour “Politically Incorrect” over to the network’s post-“Nightline” program period lock, stock and title in ‘97.
The slot’s been empty for virtually forever (well, there was that Rick Dees attempt), but Maher’s topical comedy talkfest seems a snug Ted Koppel lead-out. Maher will probably tape the show same-day for timeliness, and Harbert boasts that with current late-night talkers so predictable, “there’s the potential for each night to have some magical stuff happen.”
This innovation will be news to Jay Leno and David Letterman, who must be just, well, quaking.
Mr. Rogers to appear on ‘Quinn’
“Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman” may be looking at some beautiful ratings, thanks to the guest star who’s visiting her neighborhood next month.
Fred Rogers, star of the long-running PBS kids show, “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood,” has agreed to appear on the popular Saturday night family drama, “Dr. Quinn” star Jane Seymour confirmed Saturday.
Rogers, Seymour said, will appear as a mentor to the Rev. Timothy Johnson, who gets into a jam after mortgaging the town church.