The Conners Season 5 Did What Other Sitcoms Wouldn't
Everyone loves a good sitcom. They're a great way to wind down, meet your favorite characters, and get away from it all. The Conners has slowly become a popular choice for people as a result. Since the show premiered in 2018, folks have been gravitating to it.
Aside from many new fans, many older ones have also jumped in. For those who don't know, The Conners is the continuation of the series Roseanne. Unfortunately, it was canned by ABC following some controversial statements made by the titular showrunner.
Because of fan appeal, the characters from the original have been faithfully carried over, and their lives are further explored. The Conners has recently premiered their fifth season in September of 2022. This is supposed to be the largest one yet and is set to conclude in May of next year.
The fifth season has been in the limelight for other reasons than the humor, it seems. While the show has the light-hearted tone of other sitcoms, it is also attempting to ingratiate some very real problems of everyday life.
Most shows tend to show a working-class family but rarely portray working-class problems. During episode 7 of season 5, two of the show's main characters, Darlene and Louise, lose their jobs. This was handled with the gravity that the situation deserves, albeit humor wasn't far away.
Louise was attempting to unionize her workplace to make things better for the workers. But, rather than let her win, the restaurant owners closed it down. This robbed the character of a "feel good" victory that is so common in sitcoms today. In its place is a bitter reality that underdogs don't always come out on top. It isn't cheery, but it is realistic.
On the other hand, Darlene quit her job due to the environmental issues her company was responsible for. However, she stuck by her morals and ended up losing her job. It is a great step towards character building, but again, it portrays the grim reality many of us live in.
The episode didn't use any of these character moments as a way to tell jokes. Rather, the characters were treated as real people making difficult decisions. Due to the current socioeconomic conditions, it is hard not to empathize with them.
It's a breath of fresh air when a show takes the bull by the horns and deals with some heavy subject material appropriately. Working class isn't just a buzzword to describe The Conners. It is their lifestyle.