Following Roseanne Barr’s infamous racist tweet and a series of other questionable posts even though we already knew that she was problematic AF before this fiasco, ABC finally canceled the reboot of Roseanne last month. However, the network recently announced that it will debut a Roseanne spinoff series this fall, just without Roseanne (obviously). But who will the spinoff focus on? What will the series be called? And WTF does all of this mean? Don’t worry, we have (mostly) all of the answers to your questions.
very excited. The Conner family represents acceptance. I feel so blessed to be able to show that this fall on @ABCNetwork #TheConners https://t.co/QR36NqAcn4
— Emma Kenney (@EmmaRoseKenney) June 22, 2018
So what’s the title of the spinoff?
ABC announced the series will tentatively be called The Conners. While it’s still a working title and could change as the scripts transform, the series will obviously focus on the Conners as they navigate the daily stresses of being a family unit and just existing.
The adapted version of the former Roseanne series will feature 10, 30-minute episodes, which are set to air this fall on Tuesday evenings. Though the title of the series is subject to some healthy changes before we see the first episode on an ambiguous, fall Tuesday, ABC is pretty clear that Barr won’t have any involvement in the impending series.
“Roseanne Barr will have no financial or creative involvement in the new series,” ABC said in a statement.
So, what will happen to Roseanne Conner if the series focuses on the Conner family sans her?
According to E! News, the spinoff will still feature the other members of the Conner family, just as Dan (John Goodman), Jackie (Laurie Metcalf) and Darlene (Sara Gilbert). However, the entire Twitterverse is contemplating how the Conner family saga will continue without one of the Conners.
From theories that The Conners will metaphorically kill off Roseanne Conner to theories that it will literally kill Mrs. Conner off-screen (of course), US Weekly reports that Twitter is trickling with fan theories on how The Conners will explain Roseanne Conner’s sudden absence from the family.
Nevertheless, The Conners probably won’t have an actual cameo where they figuratively kill of Roseanne Conner’s character. ABC notes that apart from normal family qualms, the Conner family will also experience “a sudden turn of events” in the impending series, which hints that something will happen to Roseanne the character and, come sometime this fall, we’ll transport to the Conner’s family life story arc after those vague events have already taken place.
After all, The Conners can always Two and a Half Men Roseanne Conner’s absence in the series (i.e., explain her disappearance without actually giving Roseanne Barr a cameo).
Either way, Roseanne voluntarily gave up any rights she had to her titular series and any spinoffs that it spawned. “I agreed to the settlement in order that 200 jobs of beloved cast and crew could be saved, and I wish the best for everyone involved,” Barr told CNN.
CNN notes that some people are apparently upset that Roseanne won’t have a role in the impending The Conners sitcom—however, this spinoff could show viewers that we can continue shows that previously starred problematic people in a healthy way, and the easiest way to do that is to remove the toxic people from the production.