A Bitter Pill to Swallow

"A Bitter Pill to Swallow"
Season 4: Episode 1(73 / 231 episodes)
Network	ABC-TV
Air date	September 17, 1991
Written by	Amy Sherman & Jennifer Heath
Directed by	Andrew D. Weyman
Episode Guide
Previous	The Pied Piper of Lanford (Finale)
Next	Take My Bike ... Please!

A Bitter Pill to Swallow was the opening episode of Season 4 of Roseanne, also the 73rd overall series episode. Written by Amy Sherman and Jennifer Heath, the episode was directed by Andrew D. Weyman. It originally aired on ABC-TV on September 17, 1991.

Summary

While the Conners plan to open their own bike shop, Becky comes to Jackie and Roseanne for advice on birth control and reveals that she has already slept with Mark.

Cast

Starring

• Roseanne Arnold as Roseanne Conner
• John Goodman as Dan Conner
• Laurie Metcalf as Jackie Harris
• Michael Fishman as D.J. Conner
• Sara Gilbert as Darlene Conner
• Lecy Goranson as Becky Conner
• Natalie West as Crystal Anderson

Guests

• Glenn Quinn as Mark Healy
• Deborah G. D'Alton as Nurse
• Sheila & Stephanie Harding as Ed Conner Jr.

Trivia

• Ed Conner Jr. makes his first appearance. It is presumed Crystal gave birth to him off-screen sometime between the end of Season 3 and this episode. Ed Jr. would later play a big role 29 years later in two episodes ("Brothers, Babies and Breakdowns" and "Bad Dads and Grads") in Season 2 of The Conners
• This episode marks the first time Roseanne Barr is credited as Roseanne Arnold
• Dan tells Roseanne that Becky is only 17. However in the Season 5 episode "Terms of Estrangement, Part 1" (which aired about a year later) Becky is still 17 and won't be 18 for another couple months.
• When Becky and Roseanne talk in the kitchen, after Roseanne tells Becky, "Not if you don't want me to." When Becky walks over to her, you can see a microphone at the top of the screen moving over Becky's head quickly moving out of frame.

Quotes

Crystal (about to little Ed): Why won't he sleep? I've tried everything! Even the washing machine.

Darlene: You put him in the washing machine?

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Roseanne (to Dan): Becky wants me to take her to get some birth control.

(Dan silently walks away)

Roseanne: Where you going?

Dan: Oh, I'm gonna kill Mark.

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Jackie (after discussing Becky going on the pill): Roseanne, maybe you need to sit down.

Roseanne: No, I need to lie down... in a big pine box.

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