John Goodman Reveals The Conners Is Ending Soon

After a much longer run than anyone expected, The Conners might finally be heading to the finish line. ABC’s hit comedy series is a sequel to Roseanne, following the family decades after the original series. The first season of The Conners included Roseanne Barr, but her character was written off after that, leaving the show to focus on John Goodman’s Dan Conner, Laurie Metcalf’s Jackie Harris, and other members of the family. As the series heads into its sixth season, it seems like the story may be winding down.

Goodman, who originated the character of Dan in Roseanne, recently spoke to France 24 English (h/t Digital Spy), and revealed that the end could be near for The Conners.

“I think we may be coming to an end on it, I’m not sure,” Goodman explained. “It’s lasted longer than I thought we would. It was just supposed to be like an eight-show-and-out thing at one point, and they picked us up again. And they keep picking us up.”

ABC has already renewed The Conners for a sixth season, so the series will have at least one more installment before coming to a close. An ending hasn’t officially been announced by the network, but Goodman isn’t the only one thinking that it could be on the way out. 

The Connors Ending With Season 6?

Earlier this year, executive producer Bruce Helford spoke with TVLine about the upcoming sixth season of The Conners. He said that there was a notion to end on a proper goodbye, rather than wait around to get cancelled without actually ending the show.

“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 fell that [next season] is possibly going to be the last season of The Connors,” Helford said. “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.”

The Conners Cast Exits

There’s no telling how many seasons of The Conners are left, but we do know that each season has looked a little bit different, as various original cast members have exited for one reason or another. This past season it was Michael Fishman, who had played DJ Conner since Roseanne back in 1988.

“It has been my honor to play D.J. Conner,” Fishman said in a statement last year. “It’s every actors dream to be a series regular, especially on a groundbreaking show, where we tackle significant topics. The opportunity to do comedy and drama alongside iconic castmates, while reaching fans in meaningful ways has profoundly impacted my life. I am proud of the work I did as part of Roseanne and The Conners. Especially the privilege of playing a Military Veteran, Interracial Spouse, and the father of a Bi-racial child, portrayed by the amazing Jayden Rey. I pride myself on professionalism, building lifelong connections and meaningful friends through production. Demonstrating my skills through the first few years of The Conners culminating in the opportunity to Direct ‘Halloween’ and ‘The Election vs. The Pandemic.’ That successful collaboration earned me four more opportunities as a Director last season. I achieved a dream with lifelong friends, propelling me toward another aspect of my career that comes with endless possibilities.”

“While I wholeheartedly will miss Friday night tapings in front of our loyal audiences, alongside our amazing cast and crew, I am excited for the opportunities coming in the next chapter of my career,” Fishman added. “I have a number of projects I am pitching as a writer, and am negotiating my next directing opportunities. Although I no longer have the privilege to portray D.J., my desire, passion, and skill of bringing characters to life as an actor continues. I appreciate all those who support and have supported my work. While I was told I would not be returning for season 5, Lanford was a valuable place to grow up, learn and develop. I was incredibly lucky to return home and demonstrate my expansion. As I venture into the world to build the future, I send tremendous love and success to everyone involved in production.”

The Conners will be returning to ABC for its sixth season, though the timetable for new episodes is unclear due to the ongoing writers’ strike.