# List of Roseanne and The Conners characters

**Roseanne** and its continuation **The Conners** center on the Conner family, a working-class household in the fictional town of Lanford, Illinois, played across three television runs: the original *Roseanne* (1988 to 1997), the one-season 2018 revival, and *The Conners* (2018 to 2025), which continued after [Roseanne Barr](https://www.edgepedia.org/roseanne-barr)'s firing by writing off her title character with an opioid-overdose death.<sup>[1](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/the-conners-roseannes-grave-visited-in-emotional-tv-finale/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://abcnews.com/Entertainment/roseanne-spinoff-connors-premier-fall-abc/story?id=56075443)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://time.com/5427508/roseanne-the-conners-ratings/)</sup>

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Original run | *Roseanne* aired on ABC from 1988 to 1997; Barr played Roseanne Conner in 231 episodes<sup>[4](https://roseanne.fandom.com/wiki/Roseanne_%28TV_series%29)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/the-conners-roseannes-grave-visited-in-emotional-tv-finale/)</sup> |
| 2018 revival | Season 10, premiering March 27, 2018, reunited Barr, John Goodman (Dan), Sara Gilbert (Darlene), Lecy Goranson (Becky), Michael Fishman (D.J.) and Laurie Metcalf (Jackie)<sup>[5](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2025-04-09/the-conners-final-season-oral-history)</sup> |
| Cancellation | ABC canceled the revival in May 2018 after Barr tweeted racist remarks about former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett<sup>[2](https://abcnews.com/Entertainment/roseanne-spinoff-connors-premier-fall-abc/story?id=56075443)</sup> |
| Character death | The *Conners* premiere "Keep on Truckin'" (October 16, 2018) revealed Roseanne died of an opioid overdose rather than the heart attack the family first believed<sup>[3](https://time.com/5427508/roseanne-the-conners-ratings/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[6](https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/10/roseanne-the-conners-premiere-review)</sup> |
| Premiere ratings | The *Conners* premiere drew 10.5 million viewers, a decline from the 18.2 million who watched the revival premiere<sup>[3](https://time.com/5427508/roseanne-the-conners-ratings/)</sup> |
| Two Beckys | Becky Conner was played by Lecy Goranson and, from season 6, Sarah Chalke; Chalke returned in the revival as Andrea, a client who hires Becky as a surrogate<sup>[7](https://www.tvguide.com/news/how-the-roseanne-revival-came-together/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[4](https://roseanne.fandom.com/wiki/Roseanne_%28TV_series%29)</sup> |
| Series end | *The Conners* ran seven seasons and 112 episodes, ending with "The Truck Stops Here" in April 2025<sup>[1](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/the-conners-roseannes-grave-visited-in-emotional-tv-finale/)</sup> |

## The core Conner family

**Roseanne Conner** (Roseanne Barr) is the title character of the original series and, in its heyday, the family's moral center, a woman whose sarcastic punchlines and disaffected veneer concealed firm convictions grounded in her own difficult life.<sup>[8](https://time.com/5426408/the-conners-review-roseanne-spinoff/)</sup> The character appeared in 231 episodes across the original run and the revival.<sup>[4](https://roseanne.fandom.com/wiki/Roseanne_%28TV_series%29)</sup> In the 2018 revival she was written as a Trump supporter, mirroring Barr's public politics.<sup>[9](https://www.washingtonpost.com/gender-identity/roseanne-is-back-as-a-proud-deplorable-and-storylines-that-mirror-life-in-2018-does-it-go-far-enough/)</sup> After ABC canceled the revival, *The Conners* killed her off in its premiere, revealed three weeks after her funeral to have died of an opioid overdose rather than a heart attack.<sup>[3](https://time.com/5427508/roseanne-the-conners-ratings/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[6](https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/10/roseanne-the-conners-premiere-review)</sup> Barr publicly objected to the opioid death, saying in a statement that it lent an "unnecessary grim and morbid dimension to an otherwise happy family show."<sup>[10](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/eagletribune.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/7b/57b1d240-e2c6-11e8-9216-3bb8ebf1973a/5be341f5ba746.pdf.pdf)</sup>

**Dan Conner** ([John Goodman](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-goodman)) is Roseanne's easygoing and loving husband, described by the show's wiki record and by critics as the central male figure of the series.<sup>[4](https://roseanne.fandom.com/wiki/Roseanne_%28TV_series%29)</sup> Goodman played the role from 1988 to 1997, returned for the revival, and continued as the lead of *The Conners* from 2018 to 2025.<sup>[11](https://www.thedailybeast.com/john-goodman-74-called-unrecognizable-in-photo-with-david-deluise/)</sup> As a widower he anchors the spinoff, struggling with grief and with filling Roseanne's role as family sage; in the finale he gives a deposition in the family's lawsuit against the pharmaceutical company whose opioid caused his wife's overdose.<sup>[8](https://time.com/5426408/the-conners-review-roseanne-spinoff/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/the-conners-roseannes-grave-visited-in-emotional-tv-finale/)</sup>

**Jackie Harris** ([Laurie Metcalf](https://www.edgepedia.org/laurie-metcalf)) is Roseanne's sister, appearing in 228 episodes.<sup>[4](https://roseanne.fandom.com/wiki/Roseanne_%28TV_series%29)</sup> In the revival she was positioned as Roseanne's political opposite, a [Hillary Clinton](https://www.edgepedia.org/hillary-clinton) supporter.<sup>[9](https://www.washingtonpost.com/gender-identity/roseanne-is-back-as-a-proud-deplorable-and-storylines-that-mirror-life-in-2018-does-it-go-far-enough/)</sup> Across *The Conners* she found romance again, and in the finale she becomes a cop.<sup>[12](https://www.tvinsider.com/gallery/the-conners-cast-then-vs-now-roseanne/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/the-conners-roseannes-grave-visited-in-emotional-tv-finale/)</sup> Commentators noted that the spinoff discarded much of her character development from the original run, reimagining her as a spinster.<sup>[13](https://www.tvline.com/features/the-conners-review-roseanne-reboot-commentary-1235437345/)</sup>

**Becky Conner-Healy** ([Lecy Goranson](https://www.edgepedia.org/lecy-goranson), later [Sarah Chalke](https://www.edgepedia.org/sarah-chalke)) is the eldest Conner child, the overachieving but rebellious daughter.<sup>[4](https://roseanne.fandom.com/wiki/Roseanne_%28TV_series%29)</sup> Goranson originated the role at age 13 in 1988 and continues as Becky Conner-Healy in *The Conners*.<sup>[14](https://abc.com/cast/7f1fce1a-c061-40cc-a0ca-6fffd93bb952)</sup> Chalke took over when Goranson left for college and returned in the revival as Andrea, a woman who hires Becky as her surrogate.<sup>[7](https://www.tvguide.com/news/how-the-roseanne-revival-came-together/)</sup> In *The Conners*, Becky's storylines center on alcohol abuse in the early episodes and, by the finale, sobriety.<sup>[8](https://time.com/5426408/the-conners-review-roseanne-spinoff/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/the-conners-roseannes-grave-visited-in-emotional-tv-finale/)</sup>

**Darlene Conner** ([Sara Gilbert](https://www.edgepedia.org/sara-gilbert)) is the sarcastic, artistic middle child, played in 190 episodes.<sup>[4](https://roseanne.fandom.com/wiki/Roseanne_%28TV_series%29)</sup> Gilbert was the driving force behind the 2018 revival, making the calls that assembled the cast and closed the deal with ABC within weeks of a couch sketch with John Goodman.<sup>[15](https://abcnews.com/Entertainment/roseanne-cast-reveals-actors-board-deal-signed/story?id=53027160)</sup> In *The Conners* she is the mother of Harris and Mark, and reviews described her as essentially stepping into her mother's house slippers in the family.<sup>[8](https://time.com/5426408/the-conners-review-roseanne-spinoff/)</sup>

**D.J. Conner** ([Michael Fishman](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-fishman)) is the Conners' son; Fishman played him in 220 episodes.<sup>[4](https://roseanne.fandom.com/wiki/Roseanne_%28TV_series%29)</sup> In the revival he is a veteran married to Geena, with a daughter, Mary, while his wife is still serving overseas.<sup>[16](https://www.rogerebert.com/chazs-blog/return-of-roseanne-marked-by-notable-highs-and-lows)</sup> Fishman reprised D.J. in the spinoff's first season as a series regular.<sup>[17](https://abc.com/news/79adbca3-e29e-44c7-96c8-a4f1bcdde744/category/2154249)</sup>

## Extended family and in-laws

**Mark Healy** ([Glenn Quinn](https://www.edgepedia.org/glenn-quinn)) is Becky's husband, appearing in 74 episodes from season 3 onward.<sup>[4](https://roseanne.fandom.com/wiki/Roseanne_%28TV_series%29)</sup> Quinn died after the original series, and Chalke returned to the rebranded *Conners* for an episode honoring his death.<sup>[18](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/roseanne-vet-sarah-chalke-story-getting-publicly-trolled-high-school-heartwarming-ending)</sup> **David Healy** ([Johnny Galecki](https://www.edgepedia.org/johnny-galecki)), Mark's brother and Darlene's husband, appeared in 93 episodes across 1992 to 1997 and the 2018 season.<sup>[4](https://roseanne.fandom.com/wiki/Roseanne_%28TV_series%29)</sup> Executive producer Bruce Helford said before the final season that David is "very much mentioned, very much alive in the story," though he would not return on screen.<sup>[19](https://www.tvline.com/news/the-conners-season-7-cast-guest-stars-who-is-not-returning-1235418248/)</sup>

**Beverly Harris** ([Estelle Parsons](https://www.edgepedia.org/estelle-parsons)) is Roseanne and Jackie's mother, a recurring presence from season 5 of the original run who also appeared in the spinoff's debut season.<sup>[4](https://roseanne.fandom.com/wiki/Roseanne_%28TV_series%29)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[10](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/eagletribune.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/7b/57b1d240-e2c6-11e8-9216-3bb8ebf1973a/5be341f5ba746.pdf.pdf)</sup>

**Harris Conner-Healy** (Emma Kenney) and **Mark Conner-Healy** (Ames McNamara) are Darlene's children, characters added in the 2018 revival season who became series regulars on *The Conners*.<sup>[4](https://roseanne.fandom.com/wiki/Roseanne_%28TV_series%29)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[17](https://abc.com/news/79adbca3-e29e-44c7-96c8-a4f1bcdde744/category/2154249)</sup> Kenney said she trusted the writers to wrap up Harris's arc, and in the finale Harris gets an apartment and leaves the family home.<sup>[20](https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/which-roseanne-stars-are-and-arent-returning-to-the-conners-finale/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/the-conners-roseannes-grave-visited-in-emotional-tv-finale/)</sup>

**Mary Conner** (Jayden Rey) is D.J. and Geena's daughter, introduced in the revival season and made a series regular on the spinoff.<sup>[4](https://roseanne.fandom.com/wiki/Roseanne_%28TV_series%29)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[17](https://abc.com/news/79adbca3-e29e-44c7-96c8-a4f1bcdde744/category/2154249)</sup> **Geena Williams-Conner** (Maya Lynne Robinson) is D.J.'s wife and Mary's mother, a character who first appeared in the 1994 original-series episode "White Men Can't Kiss," in which a young D.J. was reluctant to kiss her in his school play; Robinson joined *The Conners* as a series regular, with Geena returning from active duty in Afghanistan.<sup>[17](https://abc.com/news/79adbca3-e29e-44c7-96c8-a4f1bcdde744/category/2154249)</sup>

**Ben** (Jay R. Ferguson) is Darlene's partner, listed among the spinoff's main cast on ABC's official cast page.<sup>[21](https://abc.com/shows/the-conners/cast-and-hosts)</sup>

## Recurring characters from the original series

Other notable *Roseanne* characters include **Crystal Anderson** (Natalie West), Roseanne's friend, who appeared in 58 episodes; **Leon Carp** ([Martin Mull](https://www.edgepedia.org/martin-mull)), Roseanne's boss, in 46 episodes; and **Nancy Bartlett** ([Sandra Bernhard](https://www.edgepedia.org/sandra-bernhard)), in 34 episodes.<sup>[4](https://roseanne.fandom.com/wiki/Roseanne_%28TV_series%29)</sup> Barr's real-life brother and sister are gay, which inspired her to push for gay characters and issues on the show, including making Nancy a lesbian over the objection of then-executive producer Matt Williams.<sup>[4](https://roseanne.fandom.com/wiki/Roseanne_%28TV_series%29)</sup> Recurring original-series characters also appeared in *The Conners* debut season, including Parsons's Beverly.<sup>[10](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/eagletribune.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/7b/57b1d240-e2c6-11e8-9216-3bb8ebf1973a/5be341f5ba746.pdf.pdf)</sup>

## Continuity changes and dropped characters

The franchise's writers retired or minimized several characters when moving from the original series to the spinoff. The dropped characters include **Jerry Garcia Conner**, Roseanne and Dan's youngest son, born in season 8: despite being absent from the revival, his existence was confirmed when Roseanne mentioned him living on a fishing boat in Alaska, but he never appeared on *The Conners*, and a season 3 episode appeared to erase him when Becky described herself as one of Dan and Roseanne's three children.<sup>[22](https://www.tvline.com/news/the-conners-jerry-garcia-season-3-roseanne-dan-son-1234589278/)</sup> **Andy**, Jackie's son, and **Fred** ([Michael O'Keefe](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-okeefe), introduced in season 6, 35 episodes), Jackie's husband, were also written out; Fred was not on Jackie's list of family members in one episode.<sup>[23](https://www.tvline.com/lists/the-conners-roseanne-missing-characters-explained/)</sup> One retrospective of the franchise's timeline describes a sitcom that killed its patriarch, un-killed him twenty-one years later, then killed off its title character while the same family stayed in the same house throughout.<sup>[24](https://bingerampage.com/Roseannetimeline/)</sup>

## The finale

*The Conners* ended in April 2025 with "The Truck Stops Here," an episode that closes the family's storylines: Jackie becomes a cop, Becky is sober, Harris moves out, Darlene finds a new job, and Dan gives his deposition, where the drug company's attorney claims Roseanne had an "addictive personality."<sup>[1](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/the-conners-roseannes-grave-visited-in-emotional-tv-finale/)</sup> The episode closes at Roseanne's gravestone, where the family opens an envelope they believe holds a settlement check from the pharmaceutical company.<sup>[1](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/the-conners-roseannes-grave-visited-in-emotional-tv-finale/)</sup> The producers said that for the finale they felt it was right to honor the character and honor Roseanne herself, "who birthed the show."<sup>[1](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/the-conners-roseannes-grave-visited-in-emotional-tv-finale/)</sup>

Roseanne Conner's footprint outlasted the franchise's continuity disputes: commentators called her a TV icon and surrogate mom to a generation, and the revival premiere drew some of the decade's highest comedy ratings before Barr's tweet ended the run.<sup>[25](https://time.com/5441427/roseanne-house-of-cards-canceled/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://time.com/5427508/roseanne-the-conners-ratings/)</sup>

## References

1. ['The Conners': Roseanne's Grave Visited in Emotional TV Finale, The Daily Beast (April 24, 2025)](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/the-conners-roseannes-grave-visited-in-emotional-tv-finale/)
2. ['Roseanne' spinoff 'The Conners' will premiere in the fall without Roseanne Barr, ABC News (June 21, 2018)](https://abcnews.com/Entertainment/roseanne-spinoff-connors-premier-fall-abc/story?id=56075443)
3. [The First Episode of The Conners' Ratings Drops From Roseanne's Premiere Success, TIME (October 17, 2018)](https://time.com/5427508/roseanne-the-conners-ratings/)
4. [Roseanne (TV series), Roseanne & The Conners Wiki (Fandom)](https://roseanne.fandom.com/wiki/Roseanne_%28TV_series%29)
5. ['The Conners' are saying goodbye: An oral history with the cast, Los Angeles Times (April 9, 2025)](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2025-04-09/the-conners-final-season-oral-history)
6. [Review: The Conners Misses Roseanne. But It Doesn't Need Her, Vanity Fair (October 16, 2018)](https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/10/roseanne-the-conners-premiere-review)
7. [Here's How the Roseanne Revival Came Together, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/news/how-the-roseanne-revival-came-together/)
8. [Against All Odds, The Conners Justifies Its Existence, TIME (Judy Berman, October 16, 2018)](https://time.com/5426408/the-conners-review-roseanne-spinoff/)
9. ['Roseanne' is back as a proud 'deplorable' and storylines that mirror life in 2018, The Washington Post (2018)](https://www.washingtonpost.com/gender-identity/roseanne-is-back-as-a-proud-deplorable-and-storylines-that-mirror-life-in-2018-does-it-go-far-enough/)
10. ['The Conners' brings back beloved characters, The Eagle-Tribune (2018)](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/eagletribune.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/7b/57b1d240-e2c6-11e8-9216-3bb8ebf1973a/5be341f5ba746.pdf.pdf)
11. [John Goodman, 74, Appears 'Unrecognizable' in Candid New Photo, The Daily Beast (2025)](https://www.thedailybeast.com/john-goodman-74-called-unrecognizable-in-photo-with-david-deluise/)
12. [See How 'The Conners' Cast Changed from 'Roseanne's First Season to Now, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/gallery/the-conners-cast-then-vs-now-roseanne/)
13. [The Conners Too Often Forgot (Or Ignored) Roseanne History, TVLine](https://www.tvline.com/features/the-conners-review-roseanne-reboot-commentary-1235437345/)
14. [Lecy Goranson | The Conners, ABC.com](https://abc.com/cast/7f1fce1a-c061-40cc-a0ca-6fffd93bb952)
15. ['Roseanne' cast reveals who was behind getting actors on board and deal signed, ABC News (February 13, 2018)](https://abcnews.com/Entertainment/roseanne-cast-reveals-actors-board-deal-signed/story?id=53027160)
16. [Return of Roseanne Marked by Notable Highs and Lows, RogerEbert.com (2018)](https://www.rogerebert.com/chazs-blog/return-of-roseanne-marked-by-notable-highs-and-lows)
17. [Maya Lynne Robinson Joins the Cast of ABC's 'The Conners' as a Series Regular, ABC.com (September 20, 2018)](https://abc.com/news/79adbca3-e29e-44c7-96c8-a4f1bcdde744/category/2154249)
18. [Roseanne Vet Sarah Chalke's Story About Getting Publicly Trolled In High School Has A Surprisingly Heartwarming Ending, CinemaBlend (2025)](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/roseanne-vet-sarah-chalke-story-getting-publicly-trolled-high-school-heartwarming-ending)
19. [The Conners Season 7 Cast Confirmed: Which Roseanne Stars Won't Return, TVLine](https://www.tvline.com/news/the-conners-season-7-cast-guest-stars-who-is-not-returning-1235418248/)
20. [Which Roseanne Stars Are, And Aren't, Returning to The Conners Finale, Us Weekly (2025)](https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/which-roseanne-stars-are-and-arent-returning-to-the-conners-finale/)
21. [The Conners, Cast, Characters and Stars, ABC.com](https://abc.com/shows/the-conners/cast-and-hosts)
22. ['The Conners' Erases Jerry Garcia, Roseanne And Dan's Youngest Son, TVLine](https://www.tvline.com/news/the-conners-jerry-garcia-season-3-roseanne-dan-son-1234589278/)
23. [The Conners' Missing 'Roseanne' Characters: Jerry, Andy, Fred And More, TVLine](https://www.tvline.com/lists/the-conners-roseanne-missing-characters-explained/)
24. [Roseanne to The Conners: The Rewrites, Binge Rampage](https://bingerampage.com/Roseannetimeline/)
25. [Your Star Is Canceled. Your Show Is Not. What Now?, TIME (2018)](https://time.com/5441427/roseanne-house-of-cards-canceled/)

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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Scripted television and comedy series › Sitcom and comedy series › Sitcom and comedy-series characters › Per-series character lists*

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