ABC's The Conners inches closer to a season 4 renewal as the main cast inks new deals with the network. The Conners was born from the 2018 revival of Roseanne, which, despite being a major hit with audiences, was cancelled after star Roseanne Barr made racist remarks on social media. Eager to continue on with the working class sitcom, ABC greenlit The Conners, which focuses on the same family from Roseanne following the death of Barr's matriarch. The series is in the midst of its third season and is expected to wrap up in May.
For season 3, The Conners has continued its trend of dealing with real world issues. In addition to addressing the coronavirus pandemic right from the get-go, The Conners had an episode focusing on the 2020 election. Most recently, it introduced a storyline where recovered alcoholic Becky (Lecy Goranson) suffered a relapse. Though a comedy, the series is not adverse to getting serious when necessary. The Conners also finally touched upon what happened to Becky's late husband Mark (Glenn Quinn, who passed away in 2002).
It's that time of year when networks are looking to either renew or cancel their current shows, and all signs point to The Conners being safe. Per Deadline, the show's four principal cast members - John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Sara Gilbert, and Goranson - have all signed new contracts for a potential fourth season. This would be for 20 episodes. Since The Conners is technically a spin-off of a revival, the cast members must resign contracts after every season, which appears to be the only reason why ABC hasn't yet renewed it. However, it's expected that the sitcom will receive a renewal fairly soon, especially once production company Werner Entertainment closes its own deal.
The Conners is ABC's most watched comedy, so it isn't much of a surprise that a renewal is likely forthcoming. Roseanne hiccups aside, audiences have shown they still hold affection for the titular clan, and in telling the stories of a blue collar family in America, it has proven itself to be keenly relevant these days. The Conners has endured many obstacles recently, including the on-set passing of a crew member. A renewal would likely be very welcome news.
Most ABC shows are still waiting to hear if they will be returning for another season, including The Goldbergs and Grey's Anatomy. Still, with seasons starting to wrap up their runs in the coming weeks, decisions should be arriving soon. Though some shows remain major question marks, The Conners should see nothing but smooth sailing from here on out. Expect them back on your screens later this year.
The Conners season 3 continues on May 12 on ABC.
Source: Deadline