One The Conners Episode Was So Offensive, It Had to Be Pulled From Streaming
Originally created following allegedly racist tweets by Roseanne Barr, The Conners is, nonetheless a pretty inoffensive show airing on ABC.
The show chronicles the lives of Conners as they struggle to get by and make ends meet on low incomes in the aftermath of the death of Roseanne – although some elements of the later seasons of Roseanne have been purposefully omitted by the producers. These include the marriage of Jackie and Fred and the subsequent birth of their son Andy, the birth of Roseanne and Dan's fourth child, and pretty much everything from season 9 of Roseanne.
But in December 2022, one episode of the show was forced to be pulled from streaming following a litany of complaints.
The episode, titled The Dog Days of Christmas, was accused of having made a tragedy the butt of some of its jokes and failing to respect those involved in or affected by the incident.
The incident in question was a Waukesha Christmas parade in Wisconsin that was the subject of an attack in which an SUV was driven into pedestrians and a marching band, killing six people and injuring a further 62. The attack took place at the 2021 parade and was a deliberate act. And while the line that drew criticism for its inclusion in the show was not directly related to such an attack, some viewers felt it was insensitive and in bad taste.
At one point in The Dog Days of Christmas, Dan (John Goodman, is talking to Doris (Jane Curtin), his mother-in-law, about using her night vision when driving in the dark.
"What about pedestrians and bicycle-riders?" He asks her. "Did you feel any 'bump-bumps' on the way over?"
But it was Doris' response that caused controversy, as she said "I could run over a marching band and not feel a thing in that RV." What made this comment even worse was that, in the show, Doris is from Wisconsin.
The producers of the show were quick to apologise after complaints flooded in accusing them of making light of the attack that was still clear in the memories of those from Waukesha and other areas of Wisconsin.
"We would never consciously make light of such an event." They said via a statement. They went on to say they were "mortified that it was perceived that way" and that they had "pulled the episode in its current form". Further airings of the show, they said, would have this piece of dialogue removed.