Darlene springs a prom-night surprise on David: she has rented a motel room. Meanwhile, Dan is reluctant to share with Roseanne his plans for a new business.
The show portrayed a working-class family struggling to get by on a limited income in the fictional town of Lanford, Illinois. Many critics considered the show notable as one of the first sitcoms to portray an American family in which economics necessitated two parents working jobs outside the home.