Roseanne Review: Roseanne Gets the Chair (Season 10 Episode 3)

The struggles between mothers and their daughters have survived the test of time. For Roseanne Season 10 Episode 3, “Roseanne Gets the Chair,” that struggle is out there in the open.

More importantly, the focus is also on the laid back tactic of raising children vs. the strict, conservative tactic. The older generation versus the younger. It is the thing about Roseanne that we’ve loved for years.

Even in the 90s, this show was all about the understanding between generations. Back then, Roseanne fought with Darlene about her tactics. Now Darlene fights with her daughter for the same reason. It’s really cool to see that come full circle.

Roseanne: Kids don’t need slack. They need boundaries. The happiest kids are raised in a cage.

While Roseanne’s view on child rearing is a bit outdated and conservative, she does raise some important and interesting points. I don’t fully agree with her tactics on dealing with Harris, but, I know where she is coming from.

Harris is being utterly disrespectful. She and Darlene talk to each other by their first names, which personally, I feel crosses a boundary between parent and child that should never be crossed.

The actress who plays Harris is really good at playing awful, spoiled, selfish teenagers. Emma Kenney’s role on Shameless is one that grates on the nerves and makes you wonder when she will grow up or go away. Harris is no different.

This is what had me cheering for Roseanne as she exerted her authority over Harris. Now, I don’t ever condone physical action taken against a child, but you gotta admit Harris’ head getting soaked in the sink was justifying.

This episode has us looking at how the younger generation is perceived by the older, more seasoned generation. Both generations grew up in a completely different environment. Even if the two generations live in the same home/town they experienced different things.

Honestly, this episode really opens eyes to how and why there is a generation gap. It informs, respectfully without getting preachy, on why it’s so hard to see eye to eye with our elders sometimes.

Roseanne: You think you’re better than everybody else in this house, don’t you?

Harris: Do you really want me to answer that?

Roseanne: No. I’ll answer it for you, You’re NOT!

“Roseanne Gets the Chair” shows how sometimes being raised as strictly as Darlene was causes the children to rebel in a way once they become parents. The really great thing about this episode is that it shows us the thought process behind that.

Darlene and Roseanne are sometimes at odds about parenting, because Darlene wants to be an easy-going parent and Roseanne knows that doesn’t work when raising children.

But Darlene is doing the whole parenting thing alone and she is making a few things up as she goes. She will definitely make mistakes, but she is strong and ultimately a great mom.

You can see it in how she cares for her children’s well-being. You see it first when she is defending Mark’s right to wear the clothes that he wants to and then again when she yells at her mom for dunking Harris’ head in the sink.

Darlene is good at being a mom, she just lacks the confidence to consistently believe in herself and take charge of situations. When she does, she is a fire you can’t put out.

Darlene: No matter what you think of those crazy, old, stupid hillbillies, they will get in a pick up truck and they will pull you out of any well that you fall into.

I only hope that as the season progresses, Darlene’s stay with Roseanne will help her to develop that confidence she really needs. After all, Roseanne is a strong spit-fire of a mom too.

While Darlene gets mad at her mother for trying to handle the situation herself, she agrees with her mom’s view. This unifying understanding of each other is what I believe will continue to carry the show.

The two women may have different ways of approaching child-rearing, but they both share the same beliefs about children.

In the end, we realize that Darlene really is just a younger version of Roseanne. That thought alone blows my mind because to me Darlene will always be a snarky teen mad at the world.

I guess it’s true what they say. We really do end up becoming our parents.

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What did you think of this episode of Roseanne? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Be sure to catch up on our review of Roseanne Season 10 Episodes 1 and 2, “Twenty Years to Life/Dress to Impress” right here.

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Roseanne airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on ABC.

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