The massive success of ABC's Roseanne revival comes as other revivals are currently on the airwaves. The revival of NBC's Will and Grace is finishing its freshman run amid Roseanne's return. The two series have been running a bit parallel to each other. NBC has already renewed Will and Grace for a second and third season. In a similar move, ABC has given the go-ahead to Roseanne for a second season. But if you think there is a rivalry brewing between the two shows, there is not. Will and Grace co-creator Max Mutchnick had this to say:
There's not one part of us that's jealous of anyone else's success. And the more that sitcoms do better on network television, the better for us. That's about as much of a line as we can draw to meeting our own needs. We love the idea that sitcoms are being made and that they do well. That's only a good thing.
That's the positive message Will and Grace's co-creator Max Mutchnick shared with The Wrap regarding Roseanne's success. There is certainly enough room on TV for more than one successful sitcom. Just a few years ago, the existence of multi-camera sitcoms seemed in doubt, as the format lost ground to reality shows and hour-long procedurals. In the meantime, long-running CBS sitcoms The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother helped keep the medium alive. Then Netflix gave the green light to a Full House revival, and the floodgates opened.
Revisiting old movies has been in vogue for a while, with television running a little further behind. It took even longer for revival fever to reach multi-camera sitcoms, which is shocking when you consider they have been one of the most popular formats in television history. They are among the most successful series to ever air. Will and Grace's creators alluded to why they think audiences are ready to re-embrace the sitcom. Co-creator David Kohan explained:
The more important thing is the reason. Why are people more comfortable now going to things that were? To me, it seems like it brings you back to calmer, happier, less chaotic times. Let's put it that way.
Sitcoms do tend to hit that sweet spot. In between the edgy darkness of reigning TV titans Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead, television has been enveloped in a bit of dreariness. It is comforting to think that you will have the familiar laughs from shows like Will and Grace and Roseanne to go to when Game of Thrones has its inevitably bloody final season. With the success of the Fuller House, Will and Grace, and Roseanne revivals, you have to wonder which show is next.
The key to these revivals seems to be the original cast remaining close and being willing to reprise the roles that made them household names. Those guidelines sort of help narrow down the list. When all of it comes together, it is a highly enjoyable thing for the audience and such a refreshing way to spend half an hour. With Roseanne and Will and Grace confirmed to continue, fans can rest easy knowing this isn't a passing network phase.
The finale of the first season of the Will and Grace revival airs April 5 at 9 p.m. ET. The next episode of the Roseanne revival airs April 10 at 8 p.m. ET. To find out when other TV shows, both sitcoms and not, return check out our guide to television's midseason and summer premieres.
