*loving Roseanne*
I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy today, having once again seen the Roseanne episode in which David and Darlene get married. *happy sigh*
It reminded me once again why I love the show. People in it are more snarky to one another than in any other family sitcom I've seen, and yet through all that you know that they love each other. And it's not the 7th Heaven smarmy kind of love. This is the real stuff. Even the characters who can't stand each other love each other.
Take David and Mark, the brothers who are dating/marrying the Conner sisters. David's a sensitive, artistic guy who brings "chick with dick" to such levels that even his girlfriend makes fun of him. Mark is a mechanic with a simple sense of humour and a brain like a colander. Mark pokes fun at David for being a wuss, and David looks down on Mark for being an idiot. Roseanne likes David and despises Mark, while Dan has occasionally been known to take Mark's side against David. Just like a real family. *g*
And that's what makes moments like this so touching. (The quotes are from memory and probably wildly inaccurate - it's not very easy to google for quotes when the show is called Roseanne and the episode The Wedding.) David has just asked Dan for help to tie his bow tie, and Dan has claimed not to know how, hurrying off somewhere. Mark enters:
Mark: Why is your tie still undone?
David: Mr. Conner doesn't know how to do it.
Mark: Give it to me. (Starts tying David's bow tie.)
David: I know you don't want to talk about this... but it feels really weird that mom and dad aren't here today.
Mark: What did they ever do for us? They kicked me out of the house when I was sixteen, and treated you like a dog. Mr. and Mrs. Conner are your parents now. You and me both.
David: Yeah, but mom and dad gave us life. A bit unevenly, but...
Mark: The Conners gave you a *home*.
David: Mark...
Mark (angrily): I don't want to hear it!
David: ...you're choking me...
Mark: Oh. (Loosens the bow tie a little and straightens it.) There.
David (touches the tie): Where did you learn to do that?
Mark: Dad taught me. (David looks at him, surprised.) It was the only thing he ever taught me. The only thing he could have done for you today. So there's no reason for you to miss him.
David: Okay. (Pause) Thanks, Mark.
On a show that didn't have the characters making snappy comments at each other most of the time, this scene would have been insufferably maudlin. Here, it melts my heart.
It reminded me once again why I love the show. People in it are more snarky to one another than in any other family sitcom I've seen, and yet through all that you know that they love each other. And it's not the 7th Heaven smarmy kind of love. This is the real stuff. Even the characters who can't stand each other love each other.
Take David and Mark, the brothers who are dating/marrying the Conner sisters. David's a sensitive, artistic guy who brings "chick with dick" to such levels that even his girlfriend makes fun of him. Mark is a mechanic with a simple sense of humour and a brain like a colander. Mark pokes fun at David for being a wuss, and David looks down on Mark for being an idiot. Roseanne likes David and despises Mark, while Dan has occasionally been known to take Mark's side against David. Just like a real family. *g*
And that's what makes moments like this so touching. (The quotes are from memory and probably wildly inaccurate - it's not very easy to google for quotes when the show is called Roseanne and the episode The Wedding.) David has just asked Dan for help to tie his bow tie, and Dan has claimed not to know how, hurrying off somewhere. Mark enters:
Mark: Why is your tie still undone?
David: Mr. Conner doesn't know how to do it.
Mark: Give it to me. (Starts tying David's bow tie.)
David: I know you don't want to talk about this... but it feels really weird that mom and dad aren't here today.
Mark: What did they ever do for us? They kicked me out of the house when I was sixteen, and treated you like a dog. Mr. and Mrs. Conner are your parents now. You and me both.
David: Yeah, but mom and dad gave us life. A bit unevenly, but...
Mark: The Conners gave you a *home*.
David: Mark...
Mark (angrily): I don't want to hear it!
David: ...you're choking me...
Mark: Oh. (Loosens the bow tie a little and straightens it.) There.
David (touches the tie): Where did you learn to do that?
Mark: Dad taught me. (David looks at him, surprised.) It was the only thing he ever taught me. The only thing he could have done for you today. So there's no reason for you to miss him.
David: Okay. (Pause) Thanks, Mark.
On a show that didn't have the characters making snappy comments at each other most of the time, this scene would have been insufferably maudlin. Here, it melts my heart.