Summary
WhileThe Connersseason 7 has a chance to wrap up the family sitcom’s story perfectly, one awkward issue works against theRoseannespinoff.The Connershas a large cast of characters, most of whom the show shares with its predecessor,Roseanne. This means the family sitcom has historically struggled to give all of its protagonists sufficient screen time and story focus, an issue that worsened after the off-screen death of the show’s former title character. For better or worse, Roseanne was the main character ofRoseanne. Since her death,The Connershas been without a primary protagonist.
John Goodman’s Dan, Sara Gilbert’s Darlene, and even Laurie Metcalf’s Jackie could arguably be called the protagonists of the series, butThe Connersdoesn’t generally center one character over another. This is an admirable way to ensure everyone gets a storyline of their own, but it could prove a problem inThe Connersseason 7. This upcoming outing will be theRoseannespinoff’s final season, bringing to an end a sitcom franchise that has lasted 35 years. As such, there will be a lot of pressure onThe Connersseason 7, and this won’t be helped by one strange behind-the-scenes decision.
10 Harsh Realities of Watching Roseanne 35 Years Later
Roseanne’s 35th anniversary makes this the perfect time to look back on the family sitcom, but The Conners predecessor had some uncomfortable issues.
The Conners Season 7 Will Be Short
The Final Season May Be The Show’s Shortest Ever
Much like its first and sixth seasons,The Connersseason 7 will be a lot shorter than normal. While announcing the spinoff’s season 7 renewal,The Hollywood Reportermentioned that the outing will have “An episode count likely in the single digits.” This comes as something of a surprise after the 13-episode season 6 was already shortened by 2023’s industry strikes, but it fits with a larger trend in network sitcoms.Young Sheldon,New Girl, andBrooklyn Nine-Ninehad similarly short final seasons, dropping their typical 22-episode seasons down to 14, 8, and 10 episodes in their final outings, respectively.
It will be tough forThe Connersto give every character a satisfying send-off.
While this approach gives the cast the freedom to pursue other opportunities, it causesan ending problem forThe Connersseason 7. The spinoff’s lack of a lead character means thatThe Connerstypically follows a handful of interconnected storylines throughout each season. As a result, there are a lot of lingering plots from season 6 that the show’s final outing will now need to clear up. With less than ten episodes, it will be tough forThe Connersto give every character a satisfying send-off while also simultaneously concluding all of their individual plots.
The Conners Season 7 Has A Lot Of Plots To Wrap Up
Roseanne’s Spinoff Must End An Array Of Storylines
After the show’s season 6 finale,The Connersseason 7 has at least six major storylines that the series needs to end in less than ten episodes. First and foremost, there is Mark’s email scam job. Mark took a shady job as part of an illegal operation in the season 6 finale due to his desperation to save for university. This will likely come back to bite him and may even result in legal troubles. This is the most dramatic of season 7’s storylines, butMark’sThe Connersseason 7 arcis only one of many pivotal plots.
It would be a surprise if the young, inexperienced Harris could turn the family’s restaurant around.
There is also Harris running the Lunchbox, Becky finishing her college course, the future of Becky and Tyler’s relationship, Ben running a magazine, and Darlene finding a new job. Since The Lunchbox ended up being, as Jackie pithily put it, “An albatross around the neck” of other Conner family members, it would be a surprise if the young, inexperienced Harris could turn the family’s restaurant around. Becky’s education has dragged on without any clear progress since season 3, meaning her future plans have been unclear for some time. Meanwhile, Ben’s decision to purchase a magazine could imperil his and Darlene’s newfound financial stability.
The Conners Season 7 Has Two Character Fates To Decide
Crystal And Bev Are Likely To Be Killed Off
Even if Ben, Mark, Harris, and Becky all receive fitting endings,Darlene’s employment remains a concern inThe Connersseason 7. Her job as a lunch lady frustrated her throughout season 6, but she remained in the role since the job paid Mark’s tuition. Now that this is no longer a relevant factor, Darlene should theoretically be free to pursue a new, more fitting job. She was already frustrated by her lack of prospects before she began working at Mark’s college, and the fact that she has experience in publishing and journalism means she could join Ben in revampingHardwareMagazine.
However, beforeThe Connersseason 7 can wrap up Darlene’s story, the show needs to decide the fate of twoRoseannealumni.The Connersseason 7 must bring back Crystalnow that season 6 of the spinoff revealed that Dan was paying her medical bills, and Bev’s fate also needs to be set in stone. It would make sense for either of these characters to die, asThe Connersforeshadowed this fate throughout season 6. Bev’s death would be more moving since Crystal has not played a major role in recent seasons but, either way, the spinoff must address both characters.
The Conners Season 7 Will Struggle To End Roseanne’s Story
Roseanne’s Spinoff Can Complete The Sitcom’s Story
It is possible forRoseanne’s spinoff to wrap upThe Connersseason 6’s many unfinished stories, but it will still be tough to bring together all these disparate strands as a compelling whole.The Connersseason 7 has a hard job and little time to pull it off, and the show’s prospects were not assisted by the overstuffed plotting of season 6. While season 6 might have included fewer episodes than usual, the outing was full of twists that changed the fate of the main characters. In the premiere alone, Harris took over The Lunchbox and Jackie retired.
The Conners season 7’s minuscule episode count could be a cause for concern.
Louise was elected to the school board, Becky and Tyler started dating, Ben’s store burned down, the insurance payout made him the owner of a magazine, and Mark quit one college to start saving for another. The family had a wild year and, whileThe Connersseason 6 wisely ended some storiesthat had outstayed their welcome, it still left season 7 with a lot of plots to wrap up. As a result, season 7’s minuscule episode count could be a cause for concern.The Connersseason 7 may have a hard time wrapping upRoseanne’s spinoff perfectly.
