A brand new report reveals if a Roseanne legacy character who has seemingly left the hit ABC family comedy can still return in The Conners.
A new The Conners report reveals if a Roseanne legacy character, who has seemingly left the show, can still make a comeback. ABC’s hit comedy was born out of the unexpected cancellation of the Roseanne revival after Roseanne Barr was fired from the series. Since then, The Conners has worked its way to become a show with its own identity without losing its ties to its parent series. Despite the continued involvement of original cast members such as John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, and Sara Gilbert, it has also said goodbye to others.
Estelle Parsons may have already said goodbye as Bev in The Conners season 6, episode 3, “Moms and Rats,” after she left Chicago for an unknown location on her great adventure. Jackie and Roseanne’s mom has dementia and refuses to die in her apartment, hence her decision to embark on a personal journey. While this may seem like the Roseanne spinoff sequel’s way of writing out Parsons’ “a source tells TVLine that the door remains open for Parsons to return in future episodes of The Conners.”
Sara Gilbert as Darlene and Johnny Galecki as David in The Conners
The Conners season 6, episode 4 sees Darlene worry over Mark in college, indirectly forcing her to admit her long mistreatment of David.
Why The Conners Season 6 Had To Bid Bev Goodbye
But Leaves the Door Open
Admittedly, this was an unexpected turn for Bev’s storyline. There were theories that The Conners would actually tackle her deterioration moving forward, especially since her slow death has motivated her to share new details about her relationship with Jackie and Roseanne. It could have been a great way to explore her and Jackie’s complicated dynamic — something that is well-documented throughout the franchise’s run. Parsons and Metcalf’s chemistry remains fantastic, and it would have been great to see more of that.
While The Conners didn’t have to send off the character just yet, writing out Bev can be ABC’s way of playing it safe when it comes to ensuring she gets a proper farewell. It’s worth noting that Parsons is turning 97 in 2024, making it trickier to feature her regularly. Storytelling-wise, Bev’s seemingly last episode of The Conners gives Jackie the closure she needs with her mom, which is arguably one of the most important things to accomplish before the Harris matriarch meets her end.
Estelle Parsons as Bev with Ed and Dan Conner in The Conners
The Conners writes out Estelle Parsons’ Bev in season 6 while also setting up a horrible trend with how the Roseanne spinoff handles deaths.
Only time will tell if Bev can still return to the Roseanne franchise. In any case, The Conners season 7 is getting increasingly more likely despite previous assumptions that it’s about to end this May. For now, however, ABC has covered all their bases when it comes to the character since her last appearance is a fitting end to Parsons’ amazing stint as Bev.
Should The Conners Still Bring Back Bev?
Bev needs to remain relevant.
Conners Roseanne Jackie Beverly Rose
Ideally, this shouldn’t be the end of Bev. While The Conners season 6 came up with a special send-off to the character, it doesn’t mean that they should simply leave it at that, especially if there’s still a way for Parsons to be involved. The report mentions that the door is open for Bev to make another appearance, but instead of waiting for that possibility to come to fruition, The Conners should actively make sure that Jackie and Roseanne’s mother stays relevant.
Bev can call her family from time to time to update them about how her great adventure is shaping up.
There are a few ways to do this, but consistently referencing the character is the easiest route. Incorporating her into the storytelling shouldn’t be an issue, since Jackie is left to take care of her remaining affairs in Lanford. Perhaps The Conners can devote an episode where the family deals with the empty apartment that Bev has left. Offering regular updates would also be easy to do since Jackie confirmed that she is tracking her mother’s cell phone. Otherwise, Bev can call her family to update them about how her great adventure is shaping up.
Bev’s impending death is a worse tragedy than Roseanne’s because of the way dementia slowly robs her of her life. The Conners can get away with not exploring the more heartbreaking aspects of her condition by writing her out of the show. However, if the Roseanne franchise can, it’s best to see her back on the screen again so she can properly say goodbye to the rest of the family and not just Jackie.
SEE MORE: The Conners Season 6’s Mark Story Brings Back A Vital Part Of Roseanne
