The Conners

:

Season 1
  • Network: ABC
  • Series Premiere Date: Oct 16, 2018
Season #: 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
User Score
3.9

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 91 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 91
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 91
  3. Negative: 52 out of 91
Watch Now

Where To Watch

Stream On
Stream On
Stream On

Review this tv show

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling

User Reviews

view
per page
  1. bpmckenna
    Oct 19, 2018
    7
    What a tough position for the writers, crew, actors to be in - and it is reflected in the reviews for this show. Roseanne Barr continued to make offensive comments despite repeated warning and concern from many. The choice was a difficult one post-firing: lay off more than a hundred people or keep the show going. They chose to shoulder on - the American way. The zero stars here remind meWhat a tough position for the writers, crew, actors to be in - and it is reflected in the reviews for this show. Roseanne Barr continued to make offensive comments despite repeated warning and concern from many. The choice was a difficult one post-firing: lay off more than a hundred people or keep the show going. They chose to shoulder on - the American way. The zero stars here remind me of questionable Yelp reviews (that violate the terms and are removed): if you haven't set foot in an establishment, whether it is a Trump hotel or a mom and pop operation, you can't write reviews. It is based on first-hand experiences, legit pluses and minuses. Is the food good? Was the service considerate? I understand the frustration of many about what happened to Roseanne, but it is what it is. The show should be based on its merits - and perhaps after actually watching several episodes would you have the right to comment here. Based on its dark tone addressing what happened to her character I am not sure what direction The Conners will go in. And perhaps I will adjust my rating accordingly. But I actually watched the episode, and was impressed with the maturity of it all. The fact that humor can be found, that the cast still gels, etc. was something to behold. It is, however, a work in progress, and I recommend giving it a chance.… Expand
  2. Tjhpalucki
    Oct 18, 2018
    9
    Never big fan of a Roseanne. But here i gave them a shot and i was positively surprised. Its like watching a new show (forget rossie) with a new level of bitterness and jokes. Now everyone is a "star" (not a background to a loud **** cow). I like the atmosphere they went to and i really like it now (for me its not a reboot restart thing-its a new show and i forget the past)
  3. markjamie20
    Oct 17, 2018
    10
    Well I loved it. It was funny. And it was sad. I can see a real future for this show: the core four of Darlene, Dan, Jackie and Becky are magnificent. It was really very well done. I thought Roseanne's absence might make it too weird (I loved her character) but honestly it wasn't until the "closing" credits when it really hit me how much she will always be a part of this show - her absenceWell I loved it. It was funny. And it was sad. I can see a real future for this show: the core four of Darlene, Dan, Jackie and Becky are magnificent. It was really very well done. I thought Roseanne's absence might make it too weird (I loved her character) but honestly it wasn't until the "closing" credits when it really hit me how much she will always be a part of this show - her absence from the table pan, her missing laugh... This was Roseanne's show, she will always be it's heart and soul, but just like real families when we lose someone, we keep going. And as long as The Conners keeps making me laugh as well as feel, then I'm staying with it. If you're not watching it (or giving it a unrepresentative score for political reasons) then you're the one missing out.… Expand
  4. Bgrod
    Oct 18, 2018
    10
    The premiere episode felt more close to the original Roseanne series in tone, humor and pathos since the original series. Bravo to the extraordinary cast and writers. Roseanne who? Already forgotten.
  5. ftwd
    Oct 20, 2018
    10
    Great show made me laugh and cry throughout the first apieosde and accurately describes a family in grieving when you lose someone important, especially as important as Roseanne. I'd like to see where ths family goes and the direction they are headed to now that their matriarch and the person they always looked to for advice is now gone.
  6. Bigbro
    Oct 21, 2018
    9
    I don't care if the show features Rosanne or not as long as it makes me laugh and feel like a member of the family and that's just what the episode this past week did it was perfect hilarious and heartfelt I really dont get the difference myself
  7. sinecure714
    Oct 16, 2018
    10
    Bravo to ABC for going on with this cast and characters. The pilot shows that there are plenty of stories still to be told. And I disagree that Roseanne's character is absent. She's still there, in every memory, in every action, in every family situation. Much like the matriarch of any family, the mark that they have on a families life is eternal. And much like a real life family, she willBravo to ABC for going on with this cast and characters. The pilot shows that there are plenty of stories still to be told. And I disagree that Roseanne's character is absent. She's still there, in every memory, in every action, in every family situation. Much like the matriarch of any family, the mark that they have on a families life is eternal. And much like a real life family, she will be felt forever. Can't wait to watch the possibilities!… Expand
  8. SpinX22
    Oct 17, 2018
    8
    I was skeptical of this show when I heard about it, but after watching it last night I have to admit, it was actually pretty good.
  9. screenplayhouse
    Oct 17, 2018
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This was a very difficult episode to conceive and execute, and it showed.

    1. The reveal of Rosie's cause of death was fumbled. Too quick and sloppy.
    2. Darlene was laughing at her gags with the audience -- which seemed too SNL breakish.
    3. When Becky is landing the best laughs you know something was off.

    This doesn't mean the series is doomed or shouldn't have come back. It means the crew decided to rip this band aid off as quickly as possible instead of properly explore the topic over a few episodes.

    Imagine if Barr hadn't said anything and actually passed away over the hiatus? Think of the care and feeling they would have offered her character and memory. Since many on set were properly infuriated by Barr's racist mental illness, again, it was clear they just wanted to get this part of the ordeal over with.

    One scene that saved this transition episode from the trash heap was Mary Steenburgen's INCREDIBLE cameo (?). I put a question mark there because maybe there's a chance the producers are planning to have her and Dan bump into each other a few more times this season.

    My biggest disappointment about this transition was not giving the series title to DARLENE. The show has always been about the loud mouthed matriarch and -- like it or not John and Jackie -- Darlene is the show's new core.

    Loved how the show ended with the family around the table. Very nice touch. If Barr hadn't sunk herself on the S.S. Racist they'd have likely left an empty chair for her in memory of Rosie. But it's nice to know the show decided to move on without such hatred.    … Expand
  10. EricJM
    Oct 16, 2018
    10
    Brilliant. We are able to see the talented cast shine. I was not sure what to expect, but the show is written and produced by a stellar crew, and they were able to deliver.
  11. Comrade_Critic
    Nov 1, 2018
    10
    After the first couple seasons of Roseanne, Roseanne herself became the weakest link, a drag on the very talented surrounding cast. Now everyone else can step out from behind Roseanne's obese shadow and really shine. Great show! Much improved.
  12. Bangstad
    Nov 2, 2018
    8
    So far I've only watched 2 shows and it seems to be holding up. The strength of the show was always the writing and the ensemble cast. Mostly the writing, look what happened to the show the last few seasons of the 1st run when it was awful with awful writing.
  13. TempestCesare
    Oct 25, 2018
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I feel the show has always been about the Conner family and the ups and downs they go through. With or without Rosanne I still enjoy it. On the other hand I have to admit I was let down when The Conners didn't fix some of the issues I had with the reboot of Rosanne. I really felt it was poor writing to have David turn out to be a dead beat Dad. Why couldn't they just have him working in the background or something until Johnny Galecki could more appear more frequently on the show. The other Issue I wished they had fixed was David's and Darlene's relationship. They went through so much together in the old show. There was so much growth with their relationship throughout the course of the show. David's character also grew and developed from a boy who was a little push over to a man Dan was proud to call his son in law. I felt the reboot just threw all that growth out the window.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

56
#56 Best TV Season of 2018
24
#24 Most Discussed TV Season of 2018
9
#9 Most Shared TV Season of 2018

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. Vanity Fair
    Reviewed by: Sonia Saraiya
    Dec 13, 2018
    70
    The result is a very interesting little sitcom, where what’s happening backstage reflects what’s happening on camera. It’s mostly about loss; for Dan, Darlene, and Jackie, it’s become about the redefinition of their roles in the Conner family. The setting snaps so familiarly into place that it’s like a time capsule.
    Read full review
  2. TV Guide Magazine
    Reviewed by: Matt Roush
    Oct 25, 2018
    70
    The lovingly biting tone of the working-class comedy remains much the same. [29 Oct - 11 Nov 2018, p.11]
  3. Reason.com
    Reviewed by: Glenn Garvin
    Oct 19, 2018
    50
    None of them has ever carried a series before, and as good as they were in The Conners debut, the glue that held the show together was the unseen ghost of Roseanne, as aggravating and amusing as ever, invisible but never absent. I'll believe she's replaceable when I see it.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »