Ep 25. The Pied Piper of Lanford

The episode "The Pied Piper of Lanford" is the twenty-fifth episode of the third season of Roseanne. Set in the fictional town of Lanford, Illinois, the episode revolves around the Conner family and their everyday struggles.

The episode begins with Becky, the eldest daughter of the Conner family, being grounded for sneaking out of the house. To make up for her mistake, she is assigned to take care of a neighbor's toddler. Meanwhile, Dan, her father, is struggling to come up with a solution to the rat infestation in the basement. His attempts to catch the rats have been unsuccessful, leaving him frustrated and exhausted.

As the day progresses, Becky takes to the task of babysitting the toddler, but her efforts are in vain as the toddler is always crying and unable to be pacified. This leads Becky to enlist the help of her younger siblings, Darlene and DJ, who have other plans for the day. Darlene is trying to raise money for a class trip, while DJ is studying for an upcoming exam.

Meanwhile, Dan is at a loss as to what to do about the rats. His attempts to trap them using cheese and other food have failed, leaving him with no other option but to call a professional. However, this proves to be an expensive option, and Dan is hesitant to spend the money.

As the day wears on, Becky becomes more and more frustrated with the toddler, who seems to be getting more difficult to handle with each passing minute. Darlene and DJ aren't much help, as they are focused on their own agenda. This leads Becky to come up with a plan to get rid of the toddler by attracting the rats in the basement upstairs using cheese.

Dan eventually agrees to call the professional rat catcher, but he is still worried about the expense. To make matters worse, Roseanne, his wife, has spent their grocery money on a new jacket for herself. This leads to a heated argument between the couple, with Roseanne accusing Dan of being cheap and Dan getting defensive.

In the end, Becky's plan to get rid of the toddler backfires as the rats invade the house, causing chaos and panic among the Conner family. Dan is finally forced to call the professional, and the rat catcher is able to successfully rid the basement of the rats. The episode ends with the family sitting down to dinner, with Roseanne apologizing for spending the grocery money and Dan making his peace by acknowledging that he needs to spend money on important things like rat control.

Overall, "The Pied Piper of Lanford" is a classic episode of Roseanne, showcasing the everyday struggles of a working-class family. Through humor and relatable situations, the episode touches on themes of family, responsibility, and the importance of working together to solve problems.