'Roseanne' returning to ABC with Barr as star

NEW YORK (AP) — "Roseanne," one of TV's rare working-class comedies, will return to ABC two decades after it wrapped its hit run and with star Roseanne Barr and the rest of the cast intact, the network said today in announcing its 2017-18 season plans.

"The Conners' joys and struggles are as relevant – and hilarious – today as they were then, and there's really no one better to comment on our modern America than Roseanne," ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey said in a statement. The original series wrapped its nine-season run in 1997.

Besides Barr as the Conner family matriarch, the eight-episode reboot airing in 2018 will feature John Goodman as her husband, Dan, along with former co-stars Sara Gilbert, Laurie Metcalf, Michael Fishman and Lecy Goranson. Sarah Chalke, who played Goranson's character, Becky, in later seasons, will appear in another role, ABC said.

ABC is bringing eight new shows to its schedule next fall and moving several returning series around, including hit comedy "black-ish." The series that had been paired with "Modern Family" on Wednesday is strong enough to shift to 9 p.m. Eastern Tuesday to help launch a new comedy, "The Mayor," Dungey said. The freshman show stars Brandon Micheal Hall as a young rapper who unexpectedly wins a mayoral election in his California hometown.

Another new comedy, "Alex Inc.," is set for the 2017-18 season but with a debut date yet to be announced. Zach Braff stars as a radio journalist and family man who decides to turn entrepreneur.