The Conners has promoted Jay R. Ferguson to series regular ahead of its season 3. Emerging from the ashes of the hit Roseanne reboot - which was canceled because of a storm of controversy around Roseanne Barr herself, The Conners premiered on ABC in October 2018 to profuse viewership. In the spinoff series, the original show's matriarch Roseanne Conner (Barr) passed away, leaving behind a mourning family (John Goodman, Sara Gilbert, Laurie Metcalf, and Lecy Goranson) to figure out a new life without her. The Conners season 3 is currently in production, and it has advanced a key character to its main cast.
Ferguson, who has previously headlined sitcoms like Living Biblically and The Real O'Neals, first appeared in The Conners season 1 as Ben, Darlene's (Gilbert) boss from the “Lock ‘Em Up” magazine (the Lanford mugshot publication). Ferguson's Ben helps Darlene deal with a sleazy customer at her casino job, which sets off a fervent chemistry between them. Ben and Darlene's proliferating romance was the main highlight of The Conners season 2. The couple had even planned on moving in together. But at the end of season 2, they bin off their plans to get their own place and decide instead to remain in the long-standing Conner household in order to support a penniless Dan (Goodman) through his financial struggles.
TV Line confirmed that The Conners has promoted Ferguson to a full-fledged main role for its upcoming season 3. While no subsequent details were announced, the source did note that Ferguson's Ben will feature as a new addition in Dan Conner's crowded household. Previously, Darlene put Ben through the wringer. She cheated on him and she also gave him a hard time when he asked her to build a family with him. But now that they are living under the same roof, it is expected that their love will blossom as they support each other through hard times. Ben and Darlene, along with the rest of the Conners, will be hard hit by the Covid-19 induced economic strife, a major plotline that was earlier confirmed to be the main focus of The Conners season 3.
Earlier, after the conclusion of The Conners season 2, the series' EPs Bruce Helford, Dave Caplan, and Bruce Rasmussen weighed in on fans' demands for promoting Ferguson to series regular. Helford stated that the time to upgrade Ferguson hadn't "come up yet" mostly because the show already had a lot of series regulars. But he added that the actor would be around in the show "for a long time." The Conners' makers hadn't intended on retaining Ferguson for the show. But witnessing his character's fierce chemistry with Gilbert's Darlene, they changed their minds. According to Helford, Ben and Darlene's equation occurs naturally because the actors have been buddies for a long time, and their camaraderie reflects on-screen in their relationship. "They’re two alphas going at it. And there’s a genuine affection between them in real-life."
The news about Ferguson's advancement up The Conners' cast will definitely elate Ben's fans who empathize with him for his sufferings in love. Ferguson's promotion also answers a pressing question from The Conners season 2 finale. Ferguson's Ben has been revealed to live Conner household in season 3, which, therefore, indicates that Dan hasn't lost his iconic residence. At the end of season 2, Dan refuses Ben and Darlene's help with the mortgage payments, putting the fate of his house in limbo. But now that Ben and Darlene will be living in Dan's house in season 3, it confirms that the old fellow has managed to save his home.
Next: The Conners Teases Darlene & David Will Get Back Together
Source: TV Line