After a few months of speculation, details finally emerge on how ABC plans of explaining away Rosanne Barr’s absence in the Rosanne spin-off The Conners. Barr was famously fired after racist Tweet’s posted to her Twitter account late one night.
ABC fired the star, and immediately canceled an extremely successful revival season of Roseanne.
In a recent interview on the podcast Walk Away, Barr spoke about the upcoming spin-off The Conners. According to Barr, There is a suggested subplot from Roseanne that ABC will use to kill her character. Barr says that Rosie will die of an opioid overdose off-screen. According to Barr:
I wanted to show [addiction] in the [revival] show. But I was never going to have Roseanne die of an opioid overdose. It’s so cynical and horrible. She should have died as a hero or not at all.
In the revival, Roseanne Conner was taking pain meds because of knee issues. But this was never hinted to be an addiction. ABC is still silent on their plans for the character, or what will allow the family to move on in her absence. The only synopsis for the show can be found below:
“After a sudden turn of events, the Conners are forced to face the daily struggles of life in Lanford in a way they never have before. This iconic family — Dan, Jackie, Darlene, Becky and D.J. — grapple with parenthood, dating, an unexpected pregnancy, financial pressures, aging and in-laws in working-class America.
Through it all, the fights, the coupon cutting, the hand-me-downs, the breakdowns — with love, humor and perseverance, the family prevails.”
Regardless of her personal actions, Barr’s absence will be felt in the new spin-off. Not in just the plot, but in the dynamic of the cast and the show as a whole. Barr was a driving force in the original show. She also served as the central character for the entire run of the sitcom.
