The Conners Effectively Confirms Its Official Roseanne Replacement, And It Makes A Lot Of Sense

Roseanne’s official replacement in The Conners has been effectively confirmed. Over the years, ABC’s premier family sitcom has tried to move forward without Roseanne Barr. The Conners was born out of the Roseanne revival’s unexpected cancelation, but because it was so popular, the network had to find a way to continue it after it fired Roseanne Barr from it. In the end, Roseanne died of an opiod overdose in the narrative, leaving Dan, their kids, and the rest of their extended family grieving over her unexpected demise. Despite the tricky situation, the show made the most out of it.

The Conners family has moved forward from the unfathomable tragedy with the loss of Roseanne. Dan has remarried and is now retired, Jackie has relegated the reigns of The Lunch Box to Harris, while Darlene and Becky are doing okay, all things considered. Despite being written out of the hit sitcom, DJ is likely okay too. That being said, there has always been murmurs of who would step in and fill the void that Roseanne’s death left. The show in itself hasn’t explicitly announced a replacement, but ABC’s The Conners retrospective trailer effectively confirms this person.

The Conners Season 7 Retrospective Video Highlights Jackie As The Family’s Mother Figure

Jackie Steps Up As The Family’s New Maternal Figure

In an official The Conners trailer (via ABC) commemorating Roseanne’s legacy and how it’s tied to its spinoff’s upcoming end, Dan, Jackie, and Becky are featured in some of their most nostalgic moments over the years. This makes sense, considering that the offshoot has shifted its focus on Roseanne’s widower and their daughters. Initially, DJ was part of The Conners, but he was written out of the series ahead of season 5, so he isn’t highlighted in the retrospective clip. That said, instead of the moments with Roseanne, the clip surprisingly includes those with Jackie.

It’s a reminder of how big of an impact Laurie Metcalf’s character has had on the franchise. Technically, Jackie isn’t part of the actual Conner family, since she is Roseanne’s sister and Dan’s sister-in-law. So, when Roseanne rebranded to being The Conners, technically, she isn’t a member of the titular family. Oddly, Jackie’s role in the family comedy has grown significantly because of what happened to Barr. In any case, considering how involved she has been in the clan since the beginning of Roseanne, Jackie has made an immense contribution to raising the kids.

Why Jackie Is The Perfect Roseanne Replacement In The Conners

Jackie Is Very Much Like Her Sister

For the longest time, Jackie has been Becky, Darlene, and DJ’s second mom in the Roseanne franchise. That said, her role in the clan significantly got bigger when Roseanne unexpectedly died. The early seasons of The Conners not only dealt with Jackie’s grief over her sister’s death, but also how she stepped up to help Dan and his kids navigate an extremely difficult situation. In terms of storytelling, ABC positioning Metcalf to be Barr’s replacement in the offshoot also made sense. She’s arguably the most recognizable actor in the remaining The Conners cast after John Goodman.

It also helps that Jackie has some of the hallmarks of Roseanne. She’s intense and sarcastic, but she’s also loving and protective of the people she loves. Granted that she is more loose and careless compared to her older sister, but time and experience have taught her to be less impulsive and impatient. Somehow, ABC was able to transform Jackie to be a more maternal character, even though she doesn’t have her own children in the spinoff, without stripping her off of the characteristics that endeared her to viewers. Ultimately, The Conners couldn’t have picked a better replacement for Roseanne than Jackie.

The Conners’ Has Also Solidified Jackie’s Place As Dan’s Partner

Dan & Jackie’s Relationship Has Gotten Better & Stronger

Impressively, The Conners never really shied away from tackling Roseanne’s fate in the show. She has been referenced occasionally, with the family fondly remembering some of her best antics. That said, the show also didn’t allow the tragedy to bog down its storytelling. It had to eventually move on, as a reflection of how real life goes on after the most catastrophic of losses. Dan dating and eventually marrying Louise was a turning point in the Conner family history, however. It was the final step in the clan carrying on after Roseanne’s death.

Even in The Conners season 7, when the idea for the class-action lawsuit came about, the primary conversation about whether to partake happened between Dan and Jackie, which effectively highlights this point.

Although Dan has already re-married, The Conners has barely done anything to flesh out his marriage to Louise. Between this and Jackie’s prominence in the show, the patriarch’s partner when it comes to making big decisions about his clan, and sometimes, even his own life, is Metcalf’s character. This is a more underappreciated role for Jackie. Even in The Conners season 7, when the idea for the class-action lawsuit came about, the primary conversation about whether to partake happened between Dan and Jackie, which effectively highlights this point. The pair’s relationship has only gotten stronger since Roseanne passed away.

This isn’t a knock on Louise’s role in The Conners. However, even she understands that when it comes to family matters, it should be handled by people who have long been in the family. Louise herself mentioned this when the idea of the class-action lawsuit first came about. Considering how Dan and Jackie knew Roseanne the longest, they have the last say in the matter, alongside the Conner kids.

What Lies Ahead For Jackie In The Conners Season 7

Is Jackie Coming Back To The Force?

Jackie’s has been the biggest support system for The Conners when Roseanne died. Even though she was also struggling, she made sure that her late sister’s family felt taken cared of during arguably the darkest period of their lives. That being said, The Conners has also done a great job making sure that she has her own storylines. Since The Conners started, Jackie has married Neville and even retired from running The Lunch Box, handing over the business to Harris.

That being said, The Conners season 7 also poses some major plots for Jackie. Aside from the lawsuit, she has also been contemplating going back to the police force, after she has realized that being retired isn’t all that fun. Interestingly, ABC was able to cast Metcalf’s real-life daughter, Zoe Perry, as a young police officer who gives Roseanne’s sister a hard time about her plan. There’s also her ongoing relationship development with Beverly. While her mother isn’t making an appearance in The Conners season 7, expect some updates about her, which will likely come from Jackie.

Source: The Conners/YouTube