‘Roseanne’ and 10 Other TV Shows and Movies That Retroactively Changed Their Continuity (Photos)
Sometimes shows and movies write themselves into a corner — hard. That’s not a problem if the series or franchise is pulling the plug for good. But with so many revivals and sequels happening today (not to mention programs that get picked up for an additional season after airing a “fauxnale”) it’s becoming more common to totally retcon plot points to make things work. Here are some famous examples of writers turning back the clock, calling it “all a dream” and just literally pretending like nothing happened.
Check out a random sample below; click through our gallery for all 11.
“Roseanne” – First Dan (John Goodman) survived a heart attack in the final season, then it was revealed in the series finale that was only in a book the titular character wrote. Now, with the revival set for this spring (and the announcement it’s including Goodman) we know they are going to need to retcon their retcon. Did that make sense?
“Will & Grace” – The 2006 series finale didn’t leave a ton of room for a revival, what with Will (Eric McCormakc) and Grace (Debra Messing) having grown apart over a couple decades, gotten married and only reuniting in the final moments while dropping their children off at college. So, when NBC decided to bring the beloved sitcom back this fall, it was clear that ending would need to go. And it did within a matter of minutes in the premiere when Karen (Megan Mullally) explains away all that drama as a dream she had. The kids never existed, the partners were out (due to divorces) and everything was back to the status quo. Classic.
“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” – Joss Whedon wants to pretend his first attempt to bring Buffy to life never happened — and so do most fans. When Whedon got the chance to execute his vision properly with the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” series after bailing on the movie of the same name (based on his screenplay), he basically ignored any part of the film he hadn’t agreed with. Good call.
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ABC's 'Roseanne' Reboot Sets Spring Premiere Date
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Johnny Galecki Still Without 'Roseanne' Deal as Revival Increases Episode Count
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