Could a Roseanne spin-off really be ready for the fall?

If there are two words to describe the state of ABC at the moment, it would be, without a doubt, “crisis mode.” This is a network still reeling from the firing of Roseanne Barr two days ago, and while they made the right move, it does cause many dilemmas from a programming standpoint.

The biggest one is quite simple: How do you replace the show on Tuesday nights? Roseanne not only was a ratings dynamo, but it also served as a mighty lead-in to many of the other shows on the network. We saw shows like The Middle and black-ish deliver some of their best ratings in quite some time thanks to airing after the sitcom and obviously, ABC wants to still capitalize on some of that performance.

This is probably where the talk about the Roseanne spin-off starring Sara Gilbert as Darlene is coming from. Reports out there suggest that there are serious talks happening about turning this show into reality, but for now, it still feels far from a sure thing. There are possible legal hurdles to jump over regarding Roseanne’s ownership of the character and beyond that, you have to find a way to get the other actors on board. There’s also the threat of a Roseanne boycott, which could mean a ton of negative energy surrounding the show from the start.

From a logistical standpoint, there’s also this: Is there really a way to get this show together for the fall schedule? There is no official idea as of yet about how the series would work and beyond just that, there are scripts that need to be written and a cast to be assembled. Maybe if you can get everything together within the next couple of weeks (a tough task), there’s a small chance it could be back for fall. The writers room for Roseanne was starting up at the time of Barr’s racist outburst so if they work overtime, maybe you can get a new show together so there are at least a handful of episodes ready. Another option is that you just wait until the new year so that you give the show the ample time it needs.

No matter what, we feel like the aftermath of all the Roseanne drama will lead to huge ratings for at least the first episode — much like the first episode of Two and a Half Men without Charlie Sheen, there is a desire to see where things go from here.

Once there’s more news, we will be sure to let you know — for now, though, we welcome your thoughts below and suggest that you like CarterMatt on Facebook to secure some further updates on all things Roseanne the moment we know more. (Photo: ABC.)