Why Darlene Isn't Roseanne 2.0: The Evolution of The Conners

The Reshaping of The Conners

The Conners never tried to use Darlene as a replacement for Roseanne’s titular character, and the spinoff proved that this choice was justified back in season 3. When Roseanne Barr was fired from the Roseanne revival because of racist tweets, this radically reshaped the story of the sitcom. Throughout its original nine-season run and its season 10 revival, Roseanne focused on the perspective of Roseanne herself. A harried working-class mother, Roseanne was a sardonic presence whose sharp tongue belied a secret sweet side. It was unclear how The Conners could continue the story of its central blue-collar family, but one idea kicked around was reforming the show around the character of Darlene.

The Conner family pose together in a Roseanne promo picture

Six years later, The Conners season 6 has almost arrived, proving that the series found a way to work around this major change. Ultimately, the writers ended up focusing on the rest of the Conner family members in turn, with each character getting a story arc of their own after Roseanne’s death. While Becky, Darlene, DJ, Aunt Jackie, and Dan were always major players in the original series, Roseanne’s main star was unmistakably the title character. Thus, in The Conners, the whole family got more story focus, and this proved far smarter than turning Roseanne’s daughter Darlene into the show’s de facto lead.

A shocked Jackie shows Roseanne her phone in the Roseanne season 10 finale

Darlene's Attitude Sets Her Apart

It was reported in a few places at the time that the creators of The Conners considered making Darlene the show’s new main character after Roseanne’s death. Although both were straight-talking and sarcastic, Roseanne was down-to-earth whereas Darlene was more cerebral. This resulted in her co-workers at Wellman’s feeling like she was a snob compared to her mother, something that was illustrated in season 3, episode 3, 'Plastics, Trash Talk & Darlene Antoinette.' This outing proved that Darlene wasn’t a Roseanne replacement and didn’t benefit from being treated like one. Although The Conners brought back many Roseanne stars, the series still needed to change its formula to adapt after Roseanne’s abrupt exit.

Roseanne and Dan in Roseanne season 10 promo

Making Darlene into a thinly veiled facsimile of Roseanne would have been easy and convenient for the creators of The Conners. Both Roseanne and Darlene were hot-headed, honorable characters who stuck up for the little guy but often got in trouble thanks to their obstinate attitudes. However, Roseanne was a more laid-back character who loved to goof off while, in contrast, Darlene often felt the weight of the world was on her back. Even as a teenager, Darlene took herself seriously throughout Roseanne’s original run, while her mother embraced every opportunity to shirk responsibility and prioritize fun. This meant Darlene wouldn’t be a fitting Roseanne replacement, as her colleagues accurately noted.

Custom image of Roseanne laughing in Roseanne season 10 and Darlene scowling in The Conners

Darlene's Unique Personality Shaped The Spinoff

The Conners almost focused on Darlene instead of the whole family, but this plan was wisely scrapped. Splitting the focus between the Conner family was a better idea since it put less pressure on Darlene’s relatability and allowed her to remain as spiky as ever. While Darlene’s mean streak did initially make her daughter Harris a uniquely annoying Roseanne character, it also made Darlene feel distinct from Roseanne. Like Harris, Darlene could be a stick in the mud at times, and she was also known for being a killjoy. However, The Conners was better off honoring her imperfect personality than switching it overnight to make Darlene the new Roseanne.

Emma Kenney's Harris and Sara Gilbert's Darlene sit on a bed together talking in The Conners season 2

Much like Harris became more likable as viewers got to know her throughout The Conners, Darlene remained funny, unpredictable, and relatable precisely because episodes like 'Plastics, Trash Talk & Darlene Antoinette' refused to smooth off her rough edges. Darlene did look down on her colleagues and this was an unpleasant side of her, but it made her more interesting than a mere rehash of her late mother. Cutting Darlene’s arrogance from this episode would have been like taking Harris’s rash impulsivity out of her character arc. It would have made her easier to root for, but also less complex and engaging as a result.

Darlene and Roseanne in the season 10 revival