Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Conners season 7, episode 4, “Danny Boy, the Interview, the New Hire, and the Hanging Chad."
AlthoughThe Connersseries finale made one season 7 plot redundant, this was better than theRoseannespinoff taking the opposite approach. WhileThe Connersseries finalewasn’t perfect, it would be hard for anyRoseanneviewer to hate it. The ending of the original series was infamously bad, with Roseanne’s narration abruptly revealing that her love interest, John Goodman’s Dan, died at the beginning of season 9 and all the preceding season’s events were a fantasy she made up to distract herself.
It would have been hard forThe Connersseason 7’s ending to outdo this misjudged, maudlin moment, soDan’s emotional goodbye inThe Connersfinalewas a much more fitting end to the sitcom franchise. That said, thenew characters ofThe Connersseason 7still felt unnecessary as the series reached its conclusion. Jane Lynch’s heavy-drinking lawyer Jean wasn’t even present at Dan’s deposition after coaching him, and the family lost the case that they brought against the pharmaceutical manufacturers responsible for Roseanne’s overdose regardless.
The Conners Series Finale Saw Ben and Darlene Reconnect
Meanwhile, Zoe Perry’s cop who mocked Jackie’s attempts to rejoin the force never found out that Jackie passed the physical, meaning she never had to eat her words. WhileThe Connersheroine Becky’s season 7 fatewas fittingly upbeat, her sister Darlene’s story with a new character was perhaps the most pointless season 7 subplot of all. After Darlene spent weeks bitterly drinking and complaining about her husband, Ben, and Seth Green’s charming divorced barfly Chad, she realized this constituted an emotional affair and confronted Ben over spending too much time at work.
If nothing else, the series finale at least didn’t ruin Darlene & Ben’s marriage at the last moment.
They had their first conversation in weeks, Ben immediately understood Darlene’s grievance and admitted he’d taken her for granted, and the entire conflict was resolved instantly.Darlene’sThe Connersseason 7 arc was disappointing because it involved almost no conflict, with Ben going from an absent partner to a perfect one in an instant. UnlikeThe Connersseason 7’s missing characters David Healy, Beverly, or. DJ, the issue here wasn’t the show forgetting or sidelining Darlene. She was front and center, just embroiled in a pointless plot that didn’t go anywhere.
Darlene And Seth Green’s New Character Got A Surprising Amount Of Screen Time
If nothing else, the series finale at least didn’t ruin Darlene & Ben’s marriage at the last moment. That said, the episode did forget a much more fitting conclusion to her story. As noted in a 2018VanityFairarticle, Darlene wanted to work as a writer in the original series and the revival but never had the necessary financial stability due to supporting her children. As such, it was bizarre that she didn’t begin working with Ben at his magazine.
Admittedly,The Connersshort-changing Harriswas more noticeable than the shortcomings of Darlene’s subplot, since Darlene still gained plenty of season 7 screen time. However, Darlene transitioning to working with Ben could have reignited their romantic spark and given her the career she had dreamed of for decades. As such, it was a crushing disappointment to seeThe Connersseries finale ignore theRoseanneheroine’s potential perfect ending.
