'Roseanne' Recap: Sister Act Saves An Otherwise Bland Episode

For the remaining episodes of its 10th season, Patch will give weekly recaps for "Roseanne," the revival of the popular sitcom. And we're posting these recaps on Elgin Patch because that's the nearest community to the Conner family's fictional Illinois home of Lanford.

Before you read about the episode that aired Tuesday, April 10, check out Patch's previous "Roseanne" Recap for Episode 3, "Roseanne Gets the Chair."

Caught up? Good. Here's a breakdown of the highlights — and lowlights — from the latest episode.

"Roseanne" (Season 10, Episode 4): "Eggs Over, Not Easy"

What Worked: Back in the days before the term "Peak TV" was coined — when a Mike Post-written theme song and the phrase "taped before a live studio audience" were common things to hear before a show airing in primetime — the chemistry between two stars in a sitcom could be enough to make up for an episode with only middling jokes and a meandering plot. In fact, a ceratin level of charm was required from Arnold and Willis when they needed to pad out a 20-plus episode season of "Diff'rent Strokes" with a gossamer-thin show premise involving a locked basement and more flashbacks than a 1969 UC Berkeley graduate.

RELATED: 'Roseanne' Recap: Generational Rifts Take Over For Political Ones

That's the kind of chemistry Sara Gilbert and Lecy Goranson deliver as Darlene and Becky, respectively, in Tuesday's otherwise lackluster episode. Both actresses clearly enjoy playing their characters, and they enjoy sharing screentime with one another. Yes, there's something goofy and a bit dorky when a drunk Becky insists the still-too-cool-for-school Darlene take a cat-faced selfie. But it's the kind of goofy and dorky that's endearing — and excusable — in close friends and sisters.

Now that the series is returning for an 11th season, the showrunners shouldn't just consider passing the torch from Roseanne and Jackie to Becky and Darlene. They need to make that happen.

What Didn't: Just about everything else. The episode, which revolves around Becky's continued attempts at becoming a surrogate mom for Andrea (played by Sarah Chalke, Second Becky in the original series), feels more interested in tying up plot threads instead of being entertaining. It's as if the writers found a way to include the talented Chalke in the revivial, but became bored with her storyline before they became bored with the actress.

Also, no way is Jackie a dog person. She's definitely a loving cat lady who treats her felines — yes, felines, plural — with the respect they demand.

That's So 1990s, Part 1: John Goodman's Dan wears a 2016 Cubs World Series hoodie during Tuesday's episode. While it's not a '90s artifact, the pullover is a quaint reminder that in the same year the original "Roseanne" series ended, Chicago posted a 68-94 record that season — dead last in the National League Central. A year later, however, the Cubs would make it to the NL Division Series.

That's So 1990s, Part 2: During Tuesday's broadcast, M&Ms aired a commercial promoting new flavors, including espresso. Like the hoodie, these M&Ms weren't from the decade, but they were a reminder of how snack food companies were obsessed with forcing unusual flavors and looks on the public. That's right, we're looking at you Zima and Crystal Pepsi.

What Was Missing: Tuesday's episode was dedicated to Glenn Quinn, the late actor who played Becky's husband, Mark, in the original series. Quinn died of an accidental heroin overdose in 2002 — after the series had ended — and the episode marks the actor's real-life passing, as well as deals with the character's absence from the show. Goranson pulls off the always-tricky tightrope act of balancing heart-felt emotion with broad comedy.

Best Line: "She's at work. She told me what happened, and according to the text, she's wasted as 'duck'." — Darlene (Sara Gilbert) talking about an apparently auto-corrected text from an intoxicated Becky (Lecy Goranson).

"Roseanne" airs at 7 p.m. Tuesdays on ABC.

Lecy Goranson (left) and Sara Gilbert remind viewers that Roseanne and Jackie aren't the only sisters worth watching during the "Roseanne" revival. (Photo via ABC)