I don't think quality always determines success in terms of reruns. Hill Street Blues and St Elsewhere were fantastic programs in terms of acting and writing but never stuck on a schedule in terms of reruns. I won't put Growing Pains on a pedestal but it lacked pizazz to draw people back time and time again. To me it seemed quite bland and Kirk was not a hook to pull people in. 80's family comedies have cooled in general and you don't even see shows like Family Ties around in reruns anymore. Could be that the background in terms of nice homes and clothes was not the reality most remember and that Roseanne best measured the pulse of America at the time.
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