WhileThe Connersseason 7 might still somehow spawn a spinoff, the latest news fromRoseannefollow-up implies that it really is the end for the long-running sitcom.The Connershas an unusual history, even within the strange world of network sitcoms. The series began life in 1988 asRoseanne, a family sitcom about a blue-collar brood and their resilient, snarky eponymous matriarch.Roseannewas a critical and ratings success until its ninth and final season, wherein the working-class Conner family won the lottery and became millionaires overnight. This altered the show’s tone completely and was retconned by 2017’s season 10 revival.
The Conners Seasons 2 & 4 Featured The Show’s Two Weirdest Ever Experiments & It’s Good They Were Never Revisited
The Conners season 4 included one of the weirdest experimental episodes in recent sitcom history, despite the reputation of Roseanne’s spinoff.
WhileRoseanneseason 10 won back some critical acclaim, the show’s troubles weren’t over yet.Roseannesoon becameThe Connerswhen series star Roseanne Barr was fired for racist tweets.The Conners’ large cast of charactersmeant the show could get away with killing off its title character, but it still took the series some time to regain its old tone.The best seasons ofThe Connersfelt like a natural extension ofRoseannerather than an imitation, but nothing good can last forever.The Conners’ upcoming season 7will be the last outing for the long-running sitcom.
The Conners Season 7 Being An “Event” Makes A Spinoff Less Likely
The Conners Season 7 Finale Seems Set To Definitively End The Sitcom
While the series is a major ratings success,The Connersis unlikely to spawn any subsequent spinoffsafter season 7 ends. It is not impossible for the sitcom to come back after season 7’s ending, but ABC (viaTVLine) recently confirmed thatThe Connersseason 7 will be a six-episode “Farewell event” that will premiere in March 2025. Dubbing the final season a “Farewell Event” telegraphs a level of finality that a spinoff would unavoidably devalue. In contrast,Young Sheldon’s ending set up the events ofThe Big Bang Theoryand its own spinoff,Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage.
Roseanne’s original ending was a messy finale that retconned the events of the preceding season.
WhereYoung Sheldon’s finale was designed to feel like a stopgap between other entries in the growing sitcom franchise,The Connersseason 7’s “Farewell Event” is a more definitive ending. WhereverThe Connersseason 7’s main characters end upas the spinoff wraps up its six-episode event, this is likely to be the last time viewers see them. In contrast,Roseanne’s original ending was a messy finale that retconned the events of the preceding season, only for season 10’s revival to then retcon this finale.Roseanne’s original ending left a lot to be desired, justifying its reboot.
Why It’s Better If A Conners Spinoff Doesn’t Happen
The Conners Doesn’t Need Another Follow-up
In comparison,The Connersseason 7 can end the show right. There is no solid option for a spinoff, since the main characters have all been on the air for decades and the new lead characters, like Mark and Harris, don’t have character arcs that are sufficiently compelling to sustain a full-blown spinoff. Theharsh reality is thatThe Connersseason 7will end the franchise for good, and this is most likely a positive thing since the show has been around since 1988. 37 years afterRoseanneoriginally premiered,The Connersseason 7 bringing the series to a close is perfectly timed.
The Connersseason 7’s six-episode “Farewell Event” is expected to air in March 2025.
