Roseanne and Dan plan a romantic dinner date out, and run into an old friend that they were unaware had been divorced. When they learn that her divorce was because her husband refused to allow her to follow a dream, that Roseanne inspired, Dan wonders if Roseanne will grow to feel the same way. When Jackie is late for baby-sitting, Becky is allowed to cover, much to the delight of the kids.
Original airdate, November 1, 1988.
Tropes
- Contrived Coincidence: The happily married Roseanne and Dan running into the recently divorced Patsy.
- Everybody Has Standards: Dan jokes that he hates Jackie but not enough to leave her custody of his and Roseanne's three kids.
- Frothy Mugs of Water: Roseanne asks the waiter for "something with an umbrella in it." He returns with a drink in a faux coconut shell with a plastic palm tree but no umbrella.
- Foreshadowing: Roseanne's career as a successful writer. Patsy refers to Roseanne talking about how she wanted to be a successful author during a summer barbecue. This is the first time we discover that Roseanne has always dreamed of being a writer.
- I Surrender, Suckers: Jackie tells the kids she's leaving the front door since she's not allowed in and Becky, Darlene and DJ wait by the laundry room to sneak up on her and spook her. Only for Jackie to waltz in the front door and scare them for fun.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: When Jackie scares the kids in the laundry room, you can see the living room wall in the background with a large painting on it. This is the "4th wall" normally out of view for the audience.
- Mistaken for Cheating: Dan and Roseanne see Patsy on a date with someone other than her husband Bob and believed she was having an affair. Turns out Patsy was divorced and dining with her new boyfriend.
- Really Gets Around: Alluded to. When Roseanne asks Jackie why she is returning a blouse; she only wore it once. Jackie tells her, "I only need it once".
- Shout-Out:
- Jackie is reading a gossip magazine (also known as a tabloid or gossip rag) and laughs with Roseanne about the headline "Utah Housewife Stabs Husband 37 Times". The name of the fake tabloid she is reading from is "Bunk!" which literally means nonsense. The front page story "Hubby Glues Gabby Wife's Mouth Shut" is also the same article that is tacked up on the refrigerator door. You can clearly see it when Dan grabs a beer from the fridge and when Roseanne hands Dan the coupon for dinner at the Landford Inn.
- Jackie calls Becky, Darlene and DJ "the three little pigs".
- Stay in the Kitchen: Why Patsy divorced her husband, as he didn't want her to go to college and pursue her dreams.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Roseanne talking about pursuing her dream of becoming a successful writer someday inspired Patsy to divorce her unsupportive husband and go after her own career dreams. Roseanne asks Patsy not to blame her divorce on her.
