America bid Roseanne Barr and her recently rebooted sitcom goodbye after the TV star embarked on a racist, Ambien-inspired Twitter tirade in the middle of the night. But it looks like fans of the show will still be able to get a glimpse of life with The Conners on ABC’s upcoming Roseanne spinoff. There’s just one catch: the show won’t be starring Roseanne Barr.
ABC announced its decision to bring the ‘90s series back (for a second time) yesterday (June 21).
The news came from a join cast statement.
“We have received a tremendous amount of support from fans of our show, and it’s clear that these characters not only have a place in our hearts, but in the hearts and homes of our audience. We all came back last season because we wanted to tell stories about the challenges facing a working-class family today. We are so happy to have the opportunity to return with the cast and crew to continue to share those stories through love and laughter.”
The series spinoff, rightfully titled The Conners, will feature Dan (John Goodman), Jackie (Laurie Metcalf), Darlene (Sara Gilbert), Becky (Lecy Goranson) and DJ (Michael Fishman) facing the daily struggles of life in Lanford in a way they never have before “after a sudden turn of events,” reports E! News. The show’s comeback also includes the 200-person staff who abruptly lost their jobs after Roseanne Barr’s outrageous tweet, which referred to president Barack Obama’s former senior adviser, Valerie Jarrett, as the biproduct of an ape and a member of the Muslim brotherhood.
The Conners will air as part of ABC’s fall comedy line-up with 10 scheduled episodes.
Barr has responded to her former network’s decision to move forward with the show without her.
“I regret the circumstances that have caused me to be removed from Roseanne,” she said in an official statement. “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.”
The show’s executive producer, Tom Werner, also released a statement about the spinoff, saying, “We are grateful to have reached this agreement to keep our team working as we continue to explore stories of the Conner family.”
