The Conners to End With Season 6? EP Says 'It's Definitely a Possibility'

Ryan Schwartz
·2 min read
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Are The Conners ready to say goodbye — for real this time?

Speaking to TVLine in anticipation of Wednesday’s Season 5 finale and a Season 6 pickup (which is considered all but certain), executive producer Bruce Helford tells us that next season of ABC’s top-rated comedy could be its last.

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“Sara Gilbert expressed to the network that we don’t want to go out without knowing that we are going out with a series finale so we can build to the right ending — and at this point in time, we feel that [next season] is possibly going to be the last season of The Conners,” he says. “I would not [say that] definitively because the numbers were so good this season, and we’ve all had a really great time… but it’s definitely a possibility.”

It may also wind up an abbreviated final season.  With a potential Writers Guild of America strike on the horizon, the Roseanne spinoff could be looking at one of its shortest runs yet.

“The conversation right now is about how many episodes can we do [depending on] whatever happens with the writers’ strike,” Helford says. “There may only be 13 episodes. Obviously, we always want to do 20 or 22 [episodes], but at this point in time, we’re talking about if we can do 13 — God willing — and if we can do more, we’ll do more.”

ABC declined to comment, but a network insider tells TVLine that there have been no conversations about the spinoff ending with Season 6.

Season to date, The Conners is averaging 5 million total viewers and a 0.7 demo rating (with Live+7 playback), up in viewers and off just a tenth in the demo from its Season 4 averages. Out of the five sitcoms that ABC has aired this TV season, it ranks No. 1 in both measures.

The sitcom offshoot rose from the ashes of the Roseanne revival in October 2018, and has continued to chronicle the daily lives of the Conner family, including Dan (John Goodman), Jackie (Laurie Metcalf), Darlene (Sara Gilbert), Becky (Lecy Goranson), Harris (Emma Kenney), Mark (Ames McNamara) and Mary (Jayden Rey).

Rounding out the ensemble is Jay R. Ferguson as Darlene’s husband Ben, and recurring guest stars Katey Sagal and Nat Faxon as Dan and Jackie’s spouses Louise and Neville, respectively.

Launch Gallery: Did <i>The Conners</i>' Finale Just Write Johnny Galecki's David Off for Good? EPs Discuss Fate of Beloved Character

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