It was seemingly inevitable that The Conners season 4 would reunite Ben and Darlene eventually, but the sitcom set up their potential future reconciliation in a much more fitting way than how the show handled their messy breakup. The Conners has never been kind to Ben and Darlene, but season 4 of the sitcom has taken this issue to new heights. Where season 3 ended on a cliffhanger as Darlene proposed to Ben, The Conners season 4 gave the duo the land of their lives when this proposal resulted in a bitter fight and eventually a brutal break-up.
Since then, The Conners has wasted Ben and Darlene’s potential by having the pair spend their season 4 screen time on petty fights, inconsistently working together, and never addressing their chemistry outside of occasional plots like Darlene becoming jealous of Ben’s new beau. The former couple has remained civil, but The Conners has failed to explain why Ben has helped Darlene with Mark’s ADHD medication addiction, for example, but steered clear of her conflict with Harris. Ben’s status in the life of his former girlfriend remains messy and ill-defined, with the character often arriving into scenes unannounced but not being a boyfriend or (in theory) even any form of potential love interest to Darlene.
Since the duo’s dynamic has been thrown off by much of season 4, their recent reunion felt effective, unforced, and fitting for both characters. In “Sex, Lies and House Hunting” (season 4, episode 13), when Darlene’s money woes led her to ask Dan to pretend to be her husband because she needs to be in a couple to make an offer on a house, the plot felt believable and attuned to the personalities of both characters. Having Ben and Darlene reunite not because of anything to do with their over-dramatic love life, but because of a practical problem they needed to solve together holds to Darlene’s practical character, The Conners’ focus on working-class issues, and the roots of their relationship. Although the high-drama quotient of Ben and Darlene’s recent years makes it hard to recall, when the pair first got together, they were a force to be reckoned with, and they are at their best when working toward a shared goal as the house plot proved.
Ben and Darlene’s Plan Explained
After Darlene and Harris reunited once again to check out an open house, Darlene was delighted by the property and amazed to find it was within her price range thanks to the area undergoing gentrification. However, once the estate agent made it clear that a single woman had no chance of acquiring the place from its current owners, Darlene had to hatch a plan. She brought Ben to the open house to give herself a better shot at getting her offer approved, but balked when he seriously suggested co-signing the lease (even as a platonic gesture). Although she was willing to keep up the charade for the real estate agent, Darlene couldn’t bring herself to actually rely on her former partner financially — a wise move that brings her closer to her old, independent, pre-Ben self. Since Ben has been helping out and even intervening in Darlene and Mark’s fights, Darlene’s decision to draw this line was a healthy one that ironically proves the couple is more ready than ever to give love another shot.
Why Ben and Darlene’s Reunion Worked For The Conners
Ben and Darlene’s reunion was rooted in a real, believable issue — that all of Darlene’s good credit meant nothing to a seller who discriminated against single buyers. The frustration that Darlene felt about following all the correct steps and still being dismissed based on something she had no say in was realistic, particularly when compared to her other recent conflicts in the series. Harris and Darlene's season 4 feud on The Conners, for example, feels less rooted in their respective characters than this plot did, and Darlene’s decision to call in a questionably legal favor from Ben also rang true to her good-natured but rebellious old self.
Meanwhile, Ben and Darlene’s brief time together as a fake couple in the episode was sweet. As the duo imagined a life wherein they stayed together and bought a house like the one Darlene was considering, it was a touching image of how Ben and Darlene’s relationship might have worked out had he accepted her proposal. However, this scene worked because it was based on solving a practical problem (getting Darlene a loan), rather than any of the more dramatic, soap-operatic conflicts that Ben and Darlene have recently been through.
Where Ben and Darlene’s Conners Story Can Go Now
Despite claiming that Ben always made his intentions clear, Jackie was wrong about Ben and Darlene in The Conners season 4. Darlene’s former partner has never been clear about whether he is interested in her or not. Much like her finding an apartment of her own led him to grow more interested in her, Darlene looking for a house to buy and proving more than competent in this endeavor was enough for Ben to offer to co-sign her lease with her. While Darlene sensibly opted not to take him up on the generous gesture, there are a million reasons for them to get back together despite this. Ben even outlined all the problems (mold, radon, cracked foundations, and more) that the house Darlene eventually buys could have, and Darlene's insistence on going it alone when acquiring a house would make her more comfortable with taking Ben’s help in restoring the place after that momentous step is achieved.
With every episode that Ben and Darlene spend apart in The Conners season 4, Darlene spends her time house searching, fixing her relationship with Harris, and improving her rapport with Mark. As she does, the character grows more and more self-sufficient and capable, and Ben paradoxically grows more and more interested in her anew. As a result, Ben and Darlene’s eventual reunion on The Conners will seem far better grounded by the time he finally decides to make a move again. Like Darlene’s dream home, the couple needs solid foundations to avoid repeating the mess they ended up in during earlier seasons of The Conners, and season 4 is slowly but surely building up that base for them.