When scripted series return to TV following all the New Year’s Day celebrations, it’ll likely feel like Christmas all over again, with hits such as The Conners and other ABC faves forced to delay new seasons due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. So while Season 6 didn’t get a fall debut, audiences can take comfort in knowing Dan, Darlene, Becky and more will be back on the small screen relatively soon, with the first trailer shining a little light on what’s coming for ABC viewers (and those with Hulu subscriptions). So let’s dive in!
Sean Astin's Return As Becky's New Boyfriend
Easily the biggest takeaway from this first look at The Conners Season 6 is the all-out confirmation that Sean Astin’s Tyler will indeed be back in this family’s inner circle when new episodes arrive. As many fans are aware, the Stranger Things and Goonies vet first appeared as new love interest Tyler back in April ahead of the Season 5 finale, and was introduced as a FedEx pilot who rather quickly hit it off with Lecy Goranson’s Becky.
It wasn’t just Becky that took a liking to Tyler, either, as their potential relationship also sparked some love within the fanbase. A happy and healthy relationship is exactly what Becky has been missing in recent seasons, as each hint of happiness she comes across ends up tainted in some way, occasionally even by her own actions.
And I’d say Tyler appears to be getting on quite well with the fam-fam in the trailer above, as he’s already been welcomed into the kitchen table poker game. Plus, he’s confident enough to amusingly make threats about liberating Dan from both his money and his first-born. No sign of anything going south there, either, which is perfect.
When CinemaBlend spoke with The Conners’ executive producers Bruce Helford (showrunner) and Dave Caplan ahead of the Season 5 finale, they were already pretty confident about being able to expand on Tyler and Becky’s future in later episodes, with Helford saying:
Becky’s gonna have a boyfriend. We really, really love the chemistry between her and Sean Astin. We didn’t really have a chance to capitalize on that this season, but we’re looking forward to bringing him back next season and giving her an arc regarding maybe finding a relationship that works long term.
Of course, the WGA strike started up soon after that interview took place, which threw wrenches into the works for not just The Conners, but the entire entertainment industry. But while there certainly could have been updates that got in the way of Astin's return, Helford and Caplan apparently worked whatever magic was needed to make the scheduling work. In Tyler we trust. (No, not Tyler Durden, but just in this one instance.)
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The Conner Family Looks Too Happy, And I'm Not Comfortable With It
I say this partially in jest, but something feels off about the fact that The Conners' first look at Season 6 is almost entirely smiling faces and studio audience laughter. This sitcom's own sense of logic dictates that if something extremely positive like Sean Astin's Tyler is teased, an opposite-but-equal force of devestation is almost certainly lurking around the corner.
For the majority of broadcast sitcoms, this wouldn't be so much of an issue, but The Conners has very steadily trudged along with a firm balance between positive-minded plotting and dramatic stings, with plenty of hilarious self-deprecation in the mix. So for ABC to promote Season 6 with a teaser full of laughter, charm and glee? I think we're dealing with a Trojan Horse situation.
The only moment in the trailer that may legitimately point to a less jubilant moment is when Darlene tells Dan, “I’m scared, Daddy.” But even that bit features laughter in the background, presumably sparked by the use of “Daddy,” so it doesn’t seem like it’s leading into anything too bonkers.
At this point, it’s entirely possible that Season 6 will be The Conners’ final outing, with John Goodman and co-stars having discussed the show ending with more frequency in the past year or so. Which I think more or less feeds into my light-hearted worries about what’s on the way. There’s no way this show is going to bow out without at least one or two more genuinely heartbreaking plotlines.
The easiest guess to make would be that something awful will happen to Estelle Parsons’ Bev, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s during one of Season 5’s most emotional eps. I fully thought she was going to be killed off in the aftermath, but that thankfully didn’t happen. (Yet, anyway.) Otherwise, I’m not quite sure who else could be targeted with bad news in Season 6, and I don’t even want to think about it, lest anything come true.
Fans hoping to see more of the family on the small screen can take comfort in The CW’s recent announcement that it now holds the rights to eps from the first five seasons, and will thus be airing back-to-back Conners repeats starting in January.
The Conners Season 6 will debut on ABC starting on Wednesday, February 7, at 8:00 p.m. ET. Head to our 2024 TV premiere schedule to see what other new and returning shows will be arriving soon.
