Stay Connected
Atlanta Black Star/Entertainment
EntertainmentTelevisionTV

‘Roseanne’ Sees Dip In Viewership As ‘Black-ish’ Ratings Rise After Apparent Diss

Posted byBy Kiersten Willis | Published on: CommentsComments (0)
roseanne black-ish

“Roseanne” airs ahead of “Black-ish” on ABC. (ABC)

Weeks following a dig “Roseanne” took at fellow ABC sitcom “Black-ish,” the reboot has taken a hit in the ratings while the Kenya Barris-created series’ viewership is on the rise.

Compared to the 5.2 rating in the key adults 18-49 demographic “Roseanne” posted at the reboot’s premiere, the show dipped to a 2.5 rating for its Tuesday, May 1 episode. And although it had 10.3 million viewers, it was down 23 percent in total viewers and 26 percent in the key demo, according to Shadow and Act. Those numbers give “Roseanne” its first huge decrease since setting a record 18.2 million viewers at the premiere.

On the other hand, “Black-ish” saw an increase in total viewers: 4.6 million viewers up from 4.0 million the week before. It also had a 1.2 rating in the key demographic.

The switcheroo follows viewers blasting “Roseanne” for a diss many deemed unnecessary to take at ABC’s more diverse sitcoms.

On an episode that aired Tuesday, April 3, Roseanne and Dan Connor wake up to discover they’ve slept the day away and have this exchange.

“What time is it?” Dan asked his wife. “Did I miss dinner?”

“It’s 11,” Roseanne replied. “We slept from ‘Wheel’ to ‘Kimmel.’”

“We missed all the shows about Black and Asian families,” Dan said.

“They’re just like us,” Roseanne said back. “There, now you’re all caught up.”

In response to the rating news, several Twitter users responded in kind while others pointed out the difference in percentages versus total viewership numbers.

“Let me just say this: ‘Black-ish’ is funnier than ‘Roseanne,'” one person said. “The acting in ‘Black-ish’ is better than the acting in ‘Roseanne.’ ‘Black-ish’ has had more impactful and relatable moments than ‘Roseanne.’ Overall, ‘Black-ish’ will always be better than ‘Roseanne.'”

“Meanwhile ABC still not airing the [Colin] Kapernick episode,” said another, referring to the network’s decision to pull a “Black-ish” episode where Dre and his son, Junior, get into a debate over kneeling during the national anthem.

“‘Roseanne’ still had double the viewers of ‘Black-ish’ so this stat doesn’t even matter,” someone else pointed out.

Democracy needs journalism it can trust.

This election season, the stakes are higher than usual — and so is the pressure on newsrooms to soften their coverage, stay quiet, or just disappear. Independent reporting, the kind that answers to readers instead of advertisers or political pressure, matters more in a moment like this, not less.

For over 14 years, Atlanta Black Star has stayed independent and reader-funded. We have no corporate owner and no shareholders telling us what to cover or how to cover it. That independence is also our biggest vulnerability: nothing protects it except readers choosing to fund it directly.

Newspaper ad revenue has fallen more than 80% since 2005, and local newsrooms are closing at a rate of roughly two a week nationwide. When outlets go under in a moment like this, it's rarely the independent, reader-funded ones that get to stick around.

We know a request for support isn't why you came here. But without readers choosing to fund this work directly, the depth of reporting we can do at home and abroad shrinks along with everyone else's. If you're not in a position to give, that doesn't change how much we value you as a reader.

If you are able to, a recurring contribution does more for us than a single one-time gift, because it lets us plan the next investigation instead of just the next invoice. It takes about 30 seconds, no long form, no account. Thank you for continuing to support independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Give once Give monthly Support another way

Related Stories

Back to top