ABC Renews 'The Conners' for Its Seventh and Last Season
Catch the final season of 'The Conners,' the beloved spinoff from 'Roseanne,' as it wraps up with its seventh season, marking over 100 episodes of heartwarming family entertainment.
The Connors Renewed for a 7th and Final Season by ABC
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The Conners is getting ready to say goodbye. ABC announced on Friday, May 10th, that the show has been renewed for a seventh season, which will also be its final one. The upcoming season will be shorter than usual, with only six episodes planned, as reported by Variety.
ABC did not provide any comments regarding the episode order for season 7.
ABC posted a trailer on YouTube on Friday, urging viewers who have been part of the family for years to be there to bid farewell after 6 seasons.
The sitcom premiered in October 2018 as a replacement for the Roseanne continuation that began that March. The show had to make changes after nine episodes when Roseanne Barr left the series due to criticism over her racially insensitive social media posts. Barr, who is 71 years old, later apologized for her controversial remarks about Valerie Jarrett.
After Barr's departure, The Conners shifted focus to the rest of the family navigating life after the matriarch's on-screen passing. The series features John Goodman as Dan Conner, Laurie Metcalf as Jackie Harris, Sara Gilbert as Darlene Conner, Lecy Goranson as Becky Conner-Healy, Emma Kenney as Harris Conner-Healy, Ames McNamara as Mark Conner-Healy, and Jay R. Ferguson as Ben Olinsky. The Conners was renewed for a second season in the spring of 2018.
We were disappointed with ABC's decision to cancel Roseanne by killing off the Roseanne Conner character. The choice to have her die from an opioid overdose added a dark and unnecessary element to the show, which was known for its light-hearted family dynamics.
In a statement made after the premiere in 2018, Barr and her rabbi, Shmuley Boteach, expressed their best wishes for the cast and crew of The Conners. They acknowledged the dedication of the team, who were not only skilled professionals but also Roseanne's beloved colleagues.
Despite the show continuing without her, Barr admitted in an interview with The Los Angeles Times in February 2023 that she cannot bring herself to watch. After six years since her departure, she still feels a strong emotional attachment to the show and prefers not to see it without her presence.
"When they wrote off my character, it felt like a direct message to me. It made me feel like they wanted me to harm myself because of my mental health struggles," she shared with the outlet. "They ended my character's storyline. And all of this was their way of saying thank you for bringing in 28 million viewers, a number they had never seen before and will probably never see again. Well, they can just kiss my butt."
On the other hand, the rest of the cast has frequently expressed their appreciation that the show has been able to carry on despite the conflicts.
Kenney, 24, expressed his excitement about returning to The Conners for a second season in an exclusive interview with Us. He mentioned that he didn't know what to expect when everyone came back together, but he was grateful for how things turned out. He is looking forward to the stories that will be told this season and was happy to reunite with the cast.
She also shared that the cast is made up of very professional and kind individuals who work well together. They all have similar motives and agendas, especially when it comes to the stories they want to tell this season. As they continue to portray the Conner family, she is excited to delve deeper into their lives and share more of their stories.
Season 6 of The Conners premiered in February, and the series recently celebrated its 100th episode. Showrunner Bruce Helman mentioned to Deadline that there are no long-term contracts for the show. The cast and crew take it season by season and see what happens next. He also shared that he is preparing the end of season 6 to potentially serve as a series finale if needed.
"We have a final episode that could go either way. We are very excited about it," he said. "One thing we can guarantee is that it will not be predictable, as we always strive to surprise our audience. It will be a mix of unexpected and emotional moments."
The Conners airs on ABC Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. ET.
Editor's P/S:
The decision to end "The Conners" after six seasons is bittersweet. The show has found success despite the controversy surrounding Roseanne Barr's departure, but it's clear that the cast and crew are ready to move on. The final season will be a chance for fans to say goodbye to the beloved characters and storylines that have kept them entertained for years.
While some may be disappointed to see the show end, it's important to remember that "The Conners" has had a great run. It has provided a platform for important discussions about family, loss, and addiction, and it has helped to break down barriers between different generations. The show will be missed, but its legacy will live on.
