Johnny Galecki made his debut on the iconic sitcom “Roseanne” during its fourth season, portraying the character David. This role, which he continued until the show’s original conclusion, was revived once again for the 2018 reboot. Galecki’s first appearance as David aired in January 1992. Interestingly, this was not the first time he collaborated with Roseanne Barr. Just two months earlier, they both appeared in the ABC television movie “Backfield in Motion,” marking their initial on-screen partnership.
In “Backfield in Motion,” Roseanne Barr stars as Nancy Seavers, a newly widowed single mother who relocates to a new town with her son, Tim, played by Galecki. The community’s identity revolves around its high school football team. Not content with merely being a bystander, Nancy pushes for a mother-son football game to complement the town’s traditional father-son matchup. Tom Arnold, Barr’s husband at the time, takes on the role of the school’s vice principal.
Many might not realize that Johnny Galecki had a significant presence in film before becoming a household name through television. While best known for his roles on “Roseanne” and “The Big Bang Theory,” Galecki had already portrayed Rusty Griswold in the beloved holiday film “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” Meanwhile, Roseanne Barr was already making waves on television before trying her hand at movies. She starred alongside Meryl Streep in the black comedy “She Devil,” despite its lackluster reception, and lent her voice to the character Julie in “Look Who’s Talking Too.”
“Backfield in Motion” received a somewhat favorable review from The New York Times, which noted that while it wasn’t a cinematic masterpiece, the film offered an “unusual and, in many ways, extraordinary performer with a serviceable showcase.” For a 1991 made-for-TV sports comedy featuring Roseanne Barr, “serviceable” might have been the best outcome one could anticipate.
Backfield in Motion was a ‘serviceable’ made-for-TV football comedy
People sometimes forget that Johnny Galecki had already made his mark in movies before becoming a sitcom legend. While the actor is most commonly associated with his roles on “Roseanne” and “The Big Bang Theory,” Galecki had previously landed the role as the third Rusty Griswold in the holiday classic “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” Meanwhile, Roseanne Barr’s groundbreaking sitcom was already going before she took her own first swings at being a movie star. Barr initially starred opposite Meryl Streep in the black comedy flop “She Devil” — a role Streep should have said no to — followed by Barr voicing Julie in “Look Who’s Talking Too.”
As for “Backfield in Motion,” The New York Times review at the time was actually somewhat kind to the movie. “Not a cinema classic, to be sure, but ‘Backfield in Motion’ provides an unusual and, in many ways, an extraordinary performer with a serviceable showcase,” it reads. And really, could you expect anything better than “serviceable” for a 1991 made-for-TV sports comedy starring Roseanne Barr?