Why The Conners’ Thanksgiving Reunion Is The Roseanne Spinoff’s Highest-Rated Episode

Although The Conners Season 2’s Thanksgiving episode may not seem like an obvious highlight, this Roseane the spinoff outing was deservedly ranked as the show’s best moment. The Conners had a difficult start. The show started as Roseane in 1988, playing nine seasons until 1997. Roseane was revived to critical and ratings success in 2017, but series star Roseanne Barr was fired for racist tweets following the show’s 10th season finale. Roseanne was killed off-screen and the show was renamed The Connersbecoming one of the only sitcoms in TV history to kill off its own title character.

Happily, The Conners has a great cast of characters that ensured viewers were still invested in the lovable working-class Lanford family after Roseanne’s untimely death. The existence of The Conners Season 7 proves that the show has found its footing, garnered solid ratings, and regained reviewer approval over the years. However, this was not easy. The first season of The Conners it was corny and downbeat, and some episodes struggled with Roseanne’s legacy. That being said, one of the best episodes of The Conners proves that the series managed to overcome this problem with a touching and dramatic family reunion.

The Conners Season 2 Episode 7 brings the whole family together for Thanksgiving

Becky and Jackie’s rivalry with Darlene provides the drama

According to IMDB, Season 2, Episode 7, “Slappy Holidays,” is the highest-rated episode of The Conners. “Slappy Holidays” got a rare 8.0 rating and it’s easy to see why upon rewatch. The Thanksgiving special brings together much of what makes the series work as the titular family comes together for Thanksgiving and ends up opening up old wounds in the process. The episode takes place shortly after the family discovers that Roseanne and Jackie’s mother, Bev, still owns the deed to the Lanford Lunchbox. Jackie wants to reopen the restaurant, but her niece Darlene is against the risky investment.

Bev left the deed to Darlene, leaving her at odds with Jackie and her sister Becky. This ensures that “Slappy Holidays” will have even more conflict than usual, as the Conner family has a substantial financial disagreement that fuels their ire. While The Conners The live episodes of seasons 2 and 4 saw the show stretch its creative muscles with an experimental format, the popularity of “Slappy Holidays” proves that the show needs nothing more than character comedy and lived-in conflicts to provide a classic ride. . Jackie’s anger at Dan’s new girlfriend, Louise, only intensifies the rift.

The Conners’ Thanksgiving Episode Honors Roseanne (Even Without Her)

The Spinoff’s Thanksgiving Special Centers on Roseanne’s Legacy

As Darlene refuses to let Becky and Jackie reopen The Lunchbox, “Slappy Holidays” reignites resentments that have existed since Roseaneoriginal race. So, despite her death before the spin-off begins, Roseanne’s shadow looms large as Jackie and Darlene’s struggle centers on her legacy. Darlene claims that Jackie was an albatross around her late mother’s neck, constantly needing support and dragging the Conner family down with her financial, professional and personal drama. An outraged Jackie slaps Darlene for this insult in one of the most dramatic scenes of the series so far.

While RoseaneThe original final season of was cartoonish, exaggerated and devoid of risks, this sequel feels more like the classic seasons of the series. The conflict between Jackie and Darlene feels earned and lived-in, and Jackie’s outrage at Darlene’s insult is as believable as Darlene’s frustration with Becky and Jackie’s plan. There isn’t a character whose position seems uniquely irrational, unrealistic, or out of character, and the problem with the action coming from Bev makes perfect sense. Bev constantly caused fights between Jackie and Roseanne all the time RoseaneThe original nine-season run, thanks to the blatant manipulation of his daughters.

The Conners Season 2 Episode 7’s Thanksgiving Story Highlights Its Narrative Strength

The Roseanne spinoff rarely shies away from harsh realities

Jackie slapping Darlene is as shady as anything from Roseaneof the heaviest outputs, but it proves that The Conners can balance comedy and drama effectively. “Slappy Holidays” is surprisingly funny despite its dark setting and the Thanksgiving special ends on a hopeful note for the dysfunctional but loving Lanford family. Although it is impossible to know where The Conners season 7 heroes will end at the end of the show, subsequent seasons have proven that Darlene made the right choice when she decided to let Becky and Jackie reopen the lunch box.

The Conners‘ later seasons wrapped up the “Slappy Holidays” story perfectly, as the Jackie And Bev storyline was given an unexpectedly upbeat coda. First, Jackie managed to bury the hatchet with her abusive mother, Bev, in Season 5, Episode 8, “Of Missing Minds and Fries.” Bev’s dementia diagnosis led Jackie to forgive her, but Bev later recovered and apologized to her daughter. So Jackie retired in The Conners season 6 premiere and left management of the restaurant in the hands of Darlene’s daughter, Harris, proving that the Roseane After all, the spinoff heroine made the right decision.

Sources: IMDB

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