‘The Conners’ Star Sara Gilbert Says Dan Will Be On A ‘Journey to Happiness’ One Year After Roseanne’s Death

It sounds like Dan Conner will be moving on with his life one year after the death of his wife, Roseanne. The Conners character (played by John Goodman) was seen mourning his late wife (Roseanne Barr) for much of the first season of ABC’s Roseanne spinoff. Now, series star and executive producer Sara Gilbert teases there might be some happiness for the Conner patriarch in the show’s second season.

Gilbert told Parade that when the hit sitcom picks up for its second season, the Season 1 cliffhangers will be addressed—including Dan’s depressed state.

“When we left last season, there was a cliffhanger where Darlene was caught between two guys; that continues. Becky’s baby situation gets complicated. Jackie, as always, is struggling to find herself and kind of finds her sense of purpose. We see Dan progress on his journey to happiness, and Harris, my daughter, and I get into some drama.”

Gilbert admitted that it was “a sad time” to spinoff The Conners after the Roseanne reboot was canceled by ABC in 2018 due to Barr’s Twitter scandal. The star said the cast and crew dealt with the real-life loss through The Conners storylines last season, calling it “an honest depiction of how people deal with grief.”

Gilbert said fans will continue to see “a mix of comedy and drama” for the long-suffering Conner clan in the show’s more serialized format for Season 2.

As for Dan’s “journey to happiness,” it could be connected to a special guest star who will make a return on Season 2. Last month, TV Line reported that Katey Sagal is set to recur on the second season of the ABC sitcom for a “significant” stint. The Sons of Anarchy alum will reprise her Season 1 guest star role, playing Louise, a bartender at the Lanford Mexican restaurant, Casa Bonita.

Fans of The Conners may recall that Louise was also a former high school classmate of Dan and Roseanne’s who returned to Lanford after moving away to try her luck at a music career. Sagal’s Louise first appeared in the episode “O Sister Where Art Thou,” where she made a play for Dan Conner. But he shot her down, saying he was still in love with his wife.

Last year, John Goodman told TMZ there were no plans to make Louise a permanent love interest for the still-grieving Conner patriarch. But Gilbert later told TV Line that she would “love” to have Sagal back on the show. Still, The Conners EP added that she wasn’t sure Dan Conner would ever be ready for new romance after Roseanne’s early death.

“If he ever did it wouldn’t be something he was looking for,” The Conners star said.

The Conners Season 2 premieres Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 8 p.m. on ABC.