How was season 9 perceived while it was on air?

I have the DVDs and I’m on the final season of my rewatch and it’s sad how bad it is. After the first like 8 episodes it gets a little better, the Thanksgiving episode felt like the old show but by the end, it’s just like watching a totally different show.

I’m curious, for those of you that watched it all while it was actually new and on air, how was the public’s and overall media reaction to them winning the lottery?

Also, was it always part of the plan to have it all be a part of Roseanne’s book or was that added in last minute to make up for the lottery plot?

I was watch the show in the 2000s on Nick @ Nite as a child so I was always watching reruns. I didn’t get to experience it while it was actually on air.