One of TV’s most iconic families gets a chance to say goodbye.
Deadline reports that The Conners is nearing an official pickup at ABC for Season 7.
The caveat is that it would be the Roseanne follow-up’s final season of around six episodes.
A deal is still being ironed out but is expected to be finalized relatively soon. John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Sara Gilbert, and Lecy Goranson are among the cast members expected to return.
Many final seasons of long-running shows lose cast members due to the ever-increasing costs of making TV.
A consistent performer for ABC since it premiered, the show has much softer ratings than Roseanne – all following Roseanne’s controversial cancellation in 2018.
The Conners debuted following Roseanne’s cancellation
Roseanne returned earlier in 2018 to blockbuster viewership but was canceled after series star Roseanne Barr’s controversial comments about Valerie Jarrett.
Despite having reliable ratings, The Conners was deemed a bubble show earlier this year after ABC canceled fellow decent performers Station 19 and The Good Doctor.
Due to the lack of renewal, The Conners braced for cancellation by filming an additional scene to add to the forthcoming Season 6 finale if it became the series’ ender.
Ending a successful show without a pre-planned conclusion is frowned upon, especially with characters that first appeared on TV over 30 years ago.
The Roseanne Season 7 deal could fall apart
We must stress that a deal can fall apart at any minute, so we wouldn’t get too excited until ABC announces that the series has been renewed.
But the good news is that negotiations are underway to keep the series afloat for another season.
The cast members of The Conners famously only sign one-year deals, which has made renewal negotiations trickier in the past.
Some cast members may not return for the final episodes.
A look at ABC’s 2024-25 schedule
With ABC set to announce its fall schedule in the coming weeks, news about the show’s future should be coming soon.
ABC has already renewed 9-1-1, Grey’s Anatomy, Will Trent, and The Rookie for the 2023-24 season.
Not Dead Yet is the only other scripted series awaiting word on its future. The Gina Rodriguez comedy is one of the network’s least-watched and lowest-rated series, but the numbers are on par vs. last season, signaling that its multi-platform performance saved it.
Thankfully, the networks are looking at how shows are performing post-airdate nowadays.
The Conners airs on ABC on Wednesdays at 8/7c. Stream Seasons 1-6 on Hulu.