WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for The Conners season 5, episode 20.Most family sitcoms can’t take on the subject of unemployment, but The Conners kept Roseanne’s theme alive by offering an unsparing take on the topic. At the time of its release, Roseanne was unique among American family sitcoms. After the ‘80s offered a string of shows about upper-middle-class families from Full House to The Cosby Show, Roseanne provided a working-class alternative to this idealized image of Americana. A huge influence on later hits like Malcolm in the Middle, Roseanne was funny but unsparing in its depiction of the working-class struggle and its impact on families.

https://screenrant.com/conners-season-5-darlene-work-struggles-roseanne-theme/