‘The Conners’ Has Officially Gotten Renewed for Season 2 Without Roseanne Barr
For Roseanne Barr’s fictional family, perhaps the third time is the charm. The Conners has been renewed for a second season by ABC, following two reboots of the original, Roseanne.
There were some who doubted whether or not the show would be successful without Barr’s presence, but it turned out things fared well for the spinoff. Last fall, the first episode premiered on ABC and beat out fan favorite This Is Us for the evening.
Although ratings haven’t been as high as the Roseanne reboot, they still are nothing to scoff at. The show averaged around 9.5 million viewers each week. According to reports, ABC expected to see some decline in viewership following the controversy surrounding Barr.
After Roseanne Barr faced backlash for sending out a racist tweet, the network fired her from the show and canceled the revival of Roseanne. Fans were clearly divided over ABC’s decision, with some people urging them to reconsider the cancellation, and others vowing to boycott.
Still, many wanted to see the Conner family move on without its title character, so when rumors of a spinoff were confirmed, anticipation rose. But would it sink or float?
Even without Roseanne, the show’s theme centers around the Conner family dealing with everyday issues like parenting, grief, bills, and divorce. The first episode saw Roseanne’s character written off with a death by opioid overdose. Barr was not happy about that treatment, but it seems the audience has adjusted to the new setup.
So far, returning cast members for season two include John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Lecy Goranson, Sara Gilbert, and Ames McNamara. More will be announced, but in the meantime, storylines are being created.
In a press release, the president of ABC Entertainment, Karey Burke, stated this:
“We are proud to be continuing the story of the iconic Conner family. This team is fearless in their willingness to tackle contemporary issues with humor and heart, and I have no doubt they will continue to outdo themselves.”
The freshman season saw a number of familiar faces thanks to guest appearances from actors like Matthew Broderick, Katey Sagal, and Juliette Lewis. Episodes aired from October through January for season one, but it is unclear if the new one will be longer or shorter. Deadline estimates that season two will consist of 13 episodes.
What you may not know is the The Conners earned the top spot as the network’s number one new comedy. The 30-minute sitcom has a strong fanbase, giving ABC an incentive to keep the party going.
According to Deadline, three top cast members have already inked new contracts which will see them making about $375,000 on average, per episode. Sounds like things are good in Lanford, Illinois.
The new season is scheduled to air this fall in its same 8:00 pm time slot.
Did you watch the first season and will you be on board for season 2? What do you think of the show without Roseanne? Do you think ABC made a wise decision?
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