AlthoughThe Connersseason 7 was a letdown,Roseanne’s spinoff did at least acknowledge one major problem with the show’s final outing.The Conners’ large cast of characterswas always a problem for the sitcom spinoff. The show started life asRoseanneback in 1988 and the popular family sitcom was revived in 2017, but series star Roseanne Barr was fired from the show thanks to racist tweets in 2018.RoseannebecameThe Conners, shifting its focus from the title character to the rest of her family.
This was a major issue for the series since, in a sprawling multi-generational clan like the Conners, Roseanne provided a focal point. She was central to the series as its title character and, although Barr’s heroine was arguably the least interesting character in the 2017 revival, she provided a focus for the show. AsThe Connerscontinued, it became clear that the show wasn’t sure whether Laurie Metcalf’s Jackie, Sara Gilbert’s Darlene, or John Goodman’s Dan should be Roseanne’s replacement. This resulted in a sitcom with no clear protagonist.
The Conners Season 7 Episode 3 Admitted No One Really Knows Neville
Becky and Darlene Were Both Stumped By Conversations With Jackie’s Husband
This wasn’t always a major problem and, on the contrary, allowed some episodes ofThe Connersto flesh out characters like Becky and Jackie more than ever before. However,The Connersseries finaleproved that the show never found a way to incorporate its entire massive cast into its storyline.The Connersseason 7 effectively forgot about Nat Faxon’s Neville, dropping Jackie’s likable husband in favor of new characters and pointless subplots.
Neville and Jackie hit it off precisely because of his timid demeanor, with Neville’s level head balancing out Jackie’s lovable lunacy.
After years of unhappy dating, Jackie was just about ready to throw in the towel when she first met Neville. A mild-mannered vet, Faxon’s character could not have been less similar to his outspoken sister, Dan’s musician wife Louise. However, he and Jackie soon hit it off precisely because of his timid demeanor, with Neville’s level head balancing out Jackie’s lovable lunacy. This balance worked well, but there was always some believable conflict between the pair.
Neville was frequently annoyed by the family’s financial reliance on Jackie and, by extension, him, while Jackie sometimes feared Neville’s quiet personality made him an easy target. However, both of these character details would have been more compelling if the Conner family at large had gotten to know Neville the way they embraced Louise after she and Dan began dating. In season 7, episode 3, “Applications, Accusations, and a Man-Bag,” both Darlene and Becky tried and failed to have a conversation with Neville, noting that they had never really spoken to him and didn’t know anything about him.
The Conners Season 7 Episode 3 Highlighted The Spinoff’s Ending Problem
Becky and Neville’s First Interaction Was Also Their Last
Neville and Darlene’s lone conversation in season 7 was underdeveloped and stunted what might have been a fun friendship. Of all the Conner children, the sardonic Darlene seems like a better match for Neville than Becky or DJ. However,The Connersseason 7’s brief runtimestopped the show from giving the pair anything to do beyond pointing out that they had rarely interacted. Similarly, the mid-credits stinger of “Applications, Accusations, and a Man-Bag” mistook observation for insight as Becky noted her and Neville’s lack of interaction, then proceeded to do nothing about it.
Ames McNamara
Mark Conner-Healy
Becky admitting that she knew nothing about Neville was a strange way to concede that he never got much characterization, particularly when the scene ended with Neville and Becky awkwardly avoiding any further conversation. Theoretically, Neville’s lack of depth wouldn’t really matter compared to the main family’s stories, since he was a side character. However, Jackie was one of the most important characters in season 7 and one of the show’s last living links to Roseanne, especially afterThe Connersseason 7 admitted her mother Beverlyhad gone missing without a trace.
Neville’s Lack of Characterization Hurt Jackie’s Season 7 Plot
Jackie’s Return To Her Roseanne Job Was Underwhelming
Thus,Neville’s lack of personality made Jackie’s storylines worse, since it wasn’t exactly clear where the conflict lay between them. In season 7, Jackie wanted to rejoin the police force, but Neville tried to talk her out of this as he was worried her advanced age would increase her risk of injury. The problem was that the entire family shared this worry, and they were much more vocal about it, since the Conners were louder and more boorish than Neville as a rule.
Thus, Neville’s misgivings barely made an impact, and his status as a pushover meant he was always going to concede to Jackie eventually anyway.The Connersseason 7’s Darlene plothad a similar issue, as she complained about Ben spending all his time at work, but never considered helping him set up the magazine that occupied all his time. As noted in a 2018VanityFairarticle, Darlene ostensibly always wanted to be a writer, so it would have made sense for her to try her hand at working with Ben instead of complaining about his absence.
Neville might have been more acutely worried about Jackie than the family was, but this wasn’t communicated in two subplots that felt rushed and perfunctory.
Both Darlene’s lack of interest in Ben’s magazine and Neville’s unclear objections to Jackie’s life plans felt unmoored, since viewers never got a chance to understand their perspectives. Darlene may have no longer wanted to work in writing and Neville might have been more acutely worried about Jackie than the family was, but this wasn’t communicated in two subplots that felt rushed and perfunctory.
Neville’s Most Promising The Conners Storyline Went Nowhere
Neville’s Recurring Feud With Dan Petered Out In Season 7
While Jackie rejoining the police was a fun nod toRoseanne’s original run, her season 7 finale fate felt underdeveloped thanks to Neville’s thin characterization. That said, this wasn’t the worst instance of the show short-changing Jackie’s love interest. Even thoughDan’s emotional goodbye to Roseanneworked, the show’s earlier Neville plot was a prime example of wasted potential.
In season 5, episode 21, “Dating, Drinking, and Grifter Logic,” Neville and Dan got into an argument after Neville accused the family of stealing money from Jackie through emotional manipulation. Dan took the fall for a DUI charge Neville got and Neville reconsidered his judgment of the family, setting up a redemptive storyline where he grew closer to the clan over the proceeding episodes. However, this redemption never happened, and Neville still felt like a stranger to most of the characters inThe Connersby the timeRoseanne’s spinoff wrapped up two years later.
