ABC/Adam Rose
Former Roseanne cast members Sara Gilbert and John Goodman appeared on Good Morning America on the morning of the big premiere, to talk about the new path set for spinoff show The Conners. After Roseanne star and show head Roseanne Barr was eliminated from the cast and the original Roseanne revival was canceled, over an offensive comment that Barr made on Twitter, the show has been transformed into a new project – The Conners.
Gilbert and John Goodman sat down with GMA host Michael Strahan to discuss what The Conners would be about and how they deal with matriarch Roseanne’s absence. Gilbert then said that they had been a cast together for 30 years, but many families must move on without a matriarch and Gilbert feels they have tackled the subject well.
So, what happens to Roseanne? How does she disappear from the family? Before we get into the reports and more spoilers on The Conners, THIS IS YOUR SPOILER WARNING. Do NOT continue reading if you don’t want to know Roseanne Conner’s fate or what happens on the show.
It appears that character Roseanne Conner has died and that her death plays out on the premiere episode. Friends of the Conners from the original show return, as does Roseanne’s mother, Beverly, for episode 1. For those who remember Chuck and Crystal, they are seen in promotional photos for the premiere, which is titled “Keep On’ Truckin'”. As for how Roseanne dies, Roseanne Barr said that her character is killed off, as the result of an opiod overdose. According to ABC News, Barr revealed this on Brandon Straka’s YouTube show “Walk Away.”
When Roseanne Barr was a part of the cast, she was an open Trump supporter and politics was a part of the show. Now, showrunner and executive producer Bruce Helford says that character DJ’s wife, Geena, will come home from being away in the military and she will bring a conservative view to the family, as reported by ABC News.
Several of the upcoming episode descriptions have been released, so fans can have an idea as to what to expect. The official synopsis of episode 1 reads, “A sudden turn of events forces the Conners to face the daily struggles of life in Lanford in a way they never have before.” Episode 2 is called “The Separation of Church and Dan” and the plot description of the episode states, “When Geena learns that D.J. hasn’t been taking Mary to church while she’s been away, she insists they go as a family to uphold her traditional values. To make matters worse, Mary refuses to attend without her cousins Harris and Mark, leaving D.J. in the last situation he wants to be in – at the mercy of Darlene. Meanwhile, Mark’s attempt to conduct an unbiased survey on the upcoming election for his school project goes south when Jackie volunteers to help.”
The next episode is titled “There Won’t Be Blood” and the synopsis of the episode is, “It’s Halloween, the favorite time of year for the Conners, but an email from the school banning certain costumes, including Mark’s, sets off an argument between Dan and Darlene. Jackie introduces someone new to the family at the Halloween party and insists that Dan vet him, only to immediately wish that she hadn’t.”