[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for The Conners Season 7 Episode 1, “It’s Gonna Be A Great Day.”]
The Conners are back and at odds as Dan (John Goodman) and Jackie (Laurie Metcalf) can’t see eye-to-eye when the chance to sue big pharma for Roseanne’s (Roseanne Barr) death comes around in the Season 7 premiere, “It’s Gonna Be A Great Day,” and that’s just one of the various plotlines introduced in the installment.
As fans know, this seventh and final season will deliver a more concentrated story with six episodes, which executive producer Bruce Helford says “are like a miniseries.” He notes that “these story arcs will be the run through [the season],” adding that “other things will come up that will also raise heads along the way.”
The premiere episode sees Jackie inform the family that a new court ruling gives them the option of pursuing a lawsuit for Roseanne’s death, but Dan is not eager to open that can of worms. Either way, the introduction of the plot point certainly brings things full circle as The Conners debuted in 2018 with the death of Roseanne.
Disney / Christopher Willard
“It was very natural and gave us a way to honor the memory of the matriarch of the family,” Helford adds, noting that the Supreme Court’s ruling that opioid companies would have to face individual lawsuits was part of what inspired the storyline this season. “Despite the things that went on, [Roseanne] was beloved by her family, by viewers, and we really wanted to make sure that there was an appropriate inclusion.”
“It also just fed into the themes that we love to write about, which are the big guys versus the little guys,” executive producer Dave Caplan adds. “And the Connors are little guys, and they get what rolls downhill, but not much makes it to the bottom of the hill. And so another opportunity to explore that was kind of irresistible to us.”
As mentioned above, Dan is reluctant to go down that road after barely recovering from the loss of Roseanne. “Going through the experience for Dan is a real roller coaster for him. And we’re definitely going to see some emotional fireworks,” Caplan teases.
While Jackie may be pushing the lawsuit on Dan, she’s also exploring the idea of rejoining the police force, “Have you ever seen Jackie make a good decision? No,” Helford says jokingly.
Disney / Christopher Willard
“But also, you get to a certain point in your life and you want to close some loops and check off some boxes. And the way she left the police department has been bugging her ever since,” Caplan points out. A run-in with a local officer played by Metcalf’s real-life daughter and Young Sheldon vet Zoe Perry isn’t so convinced Jackie’s up for the task of rejoining the force.
“It was so much fun to watch them play off of each other,” Caplan gushes. “I actually think they might be different kinds of actors, but there’s such innate chemistry there that those scenes could have gone on forever, and we would’ve been happy. They were really funny together.” The conversation between Jackie and the officer gets a little physical when they engage in an arm-wrestling match, which isn’t really a fair fight as Jackie loses immediately.
“They cracked each other up,” Helford notes.
Caplan adds, “The two of them together, that’s probably a series.”
Meanwhile, the premiere episode also checked in on the various couples at the heart of the show, with Darlene (Sara Gilbert) finding frustration over Ben’s (Jay R. Ferguson) lack of availability as he settles his magazine in Lanford. “Ben has unfinished business with figuring out what his legacy is going to be and what’s going to be fulfilling to him. And so he’s definitely on a journey,” teases Caplan. “And when your partner’s on a journey that you’re not necessarily on, it can pose some challenges.”
When it comes to Darelene’s sister Becky (Lecy Goranson), the issues are sort of the opposite as she and Tyler (Sean Astin) try and show their affection for one another through grand gestures like baking quiches. However, as Becky tries to finish her degree, she needs to dedicate some of her time elsewhere besides fawning over Tyler. “The most interesting part of the relationship to write about is that part right after the honeymoon. So coming off of the fantasy and into the reality of what a long-term relationship’s going to be, it’s got its peaks and valleys to it. So we have to see how they navigate having a more mature relationship going forward,” Caplan shares.
But more interestingly, Dan is facing his own conundrum in his relationship with Louise (Katey Sagal), who supports his feelings about the potential Roseanne lawsuit. “It really is a rock and a hard place spot for his new wife to find the appropriate place,” Helford says of Louise’s role this season. “And so I think that’s really interesting what we go through with them.”
“You think about how much Connors history there is before Louise even gets there, and then not to have had those experiences with them, but still be supportive and fit in… It’s a big challenge for somebody like Louise,” Caplan teases. And as Helford notes, “she’s not a woman who sits quietly… she will speak her mind.”
Only time will tell where her mind will go surrounding this predicament, but for now, a lot has been set up in the season premiere. What did you think of the latest episode? Sound off in the comments section below, and stay tuned for more on The Conners as Season 7 unfolds on ABC.
The Conners, Wednesdays, 8/7c, ABC
