The Driver's Seat

"The Driver's Seat"
Season 6: Episode 11(133 / 231 episodes)
Network	ABC-TV
Air date	November 30, 1993
Written by	James Berg & Stan Zimmerman
Directed by	Phillip Charles MacKenzie
Episode Guide
Previous	Thanksgiving '93
Next	White Trash Christmas

The Driver's Seat was the 11th episode of Season 6 of Roseanne, also the 133rd overall series episode. It was written by James Berg and Stan Zimmerman and was directed by Phillip Charles MacKenzie. It originally aired on ABC-TV on November 30, 1993.

Synopsis

Roseanne's suspicions that Leon is trying to usurp her position as head of the Lunch Box are cast aside by others but ultimately prove to be true. D.J. steals Roseanne's car, and her violent response has her questioning whether she is repeating her pattern of childhood abuse onto her kids.

Plot summary

Leon manipulates Nancy and Jackie into voting to serve breakfast at the diner, among other changes, without consulting Roseanne. Starved for attention, D.J. steals and wrecks the family car while joy-riding (after his friend dares him), causing a stressed-out Roseanne to lash out in a violent way that she immediately regrets. That echoes the abuse that Jackie and Roseanne (who takes her emotions out on her and Dan) suffered at the hands of their own father. The power-play between Leon and Roseanne escalates, prompting Dan to have a talk with Leon about backing off. When Dan realizes that Roseanne is not just being paranoid where Leon is concerned, he steps aside, leaving Leon to Roseanne's mercy.

Cast

Starring

• Roseanne Arnold as Roseanne Conner
• John Goodman as Dan Conner
• Laurie Metcalf as Jackie Harris
• Sara Gilbert as Darlene Conner (credit only)
• Sarah Chalke as Becky Conner (credit only)
• Michael Fishman as D.J. Conner

Also Starring

• Sandra Bernhard as Nancy Bartlett

Guests

• Martin Mull as Leon Carp
• Joe Minjares as Cop #1
• Alex Cole as Male customer
• Victoria Edwards as Female customer
• John Farley as Male customer
• 'Wild' Bill Bauer as Male customer
• Ben Thomas as Cop #2 (uncredited)
• Yvonne Zima as Female customer (uncredited)

Trivia

• Ben Thomas (Cop #2) would later appear as a cop again in the Season 8 episode "The Getaway, Almost", weather he is the same character is unclear.
• Despite being credited, Sara Gilbert (Darlene Conner) and Sarah Chalke (Becky Conner) do not appear.
• This is the only episode where D.J. got spanked by his mother, Roseanne.
• A sketch at the end is a Parody of a FOX reality show called Cops.
• Roseanne calling D.J. a slave boy is a spoof on a cleaning product called "Chore Boy".