Could ‘Roseanne’ Continue Without Roseanne Barr?

ABC has pulled the plug on Roseanne after its star and creator’s controversial behavior became too much to ignore, but what about the cast and crew members who didn’t post racist tweets? Is there any chance that they could remain employed, in a Roseanne-less version of Roseanne?

The enthusiasm for such an idea is definitely there. Take for instance Jim Parsons‘ Instagram post of a fan-made mock poster, which suggests that the new lead character be Roseanne’s sister Jackie, as portrayed by Laurie Metcalf (who also recurs as Parsons’ mom on The Big Bang Theory).

There was also Jimmy Kimmel‘s proposal that the focus shift to the Conner patriarch, allowing the always well-liked John Goodman to take center stage:

When asked about the possibility of a resurrection, a source told CNN that it is “too soon” to talk about it but that “there will be a time to sit down and look at all the options.”

Ultimately, the power to retool or reboot likely rests in the hands of production company Carsey-Werner. In a typical broadcast deal, the production company retains the rights to a show and licenses it to the network. It all depends on if the contracts allow Carsey-Werner to shop around a re-worked version to networks, and at this time it has not been fully disclosed exactly what is allowed.

ABC, for its part, is also leaving the door open somewhat, as Disney-ABC TV Group chief Ben Sherwood sent an email to staff Wednesday in which he praised Roseanne‘s team and noted that he hoped “to find another way to work together down the road.”

Roseanne minus Roseanne would certainly be a risk, as so much of the show’s identity is tied up in its star. But big creative rewards in television often require big risks, so it would certainly be worth checking out the result if it did come to pass.