Let’s be honest—when The Conners premiered without Roseanne Conner, it was a moment that hit close to home for a lot of viewers. Roseanne Barr had already let the cat out of the bag: her on-screen character didn’t just pass away; she overdosed on opioids. The show didn’t waste any time diving headfirst into this heavy subject matter, and that’s what made it so powerful.
As the episode "Keep on Truckin'" unfolded, we were introduced to a family grappling with the raw emotion of loss. At first, the Conners believed Roseanne had died from a heart attack, but the truth came out during the autopsy: it was an opioid overdose. The revelation sent shockwaves through the family, especially Dan (played by the always brilliant John Goodman). When they discovered Roseanne had been getting pills from a friend, Dan lost it—publicly blaming this woman for his wife’s death. But here’s the twist: it wasn’t just about one bad decision. Roseanne had been secretly hoarding pills all over the house. This revelation added layers to the story, making it more than just a tragedy—it became a commentary on the opioid crisis affecting millions of Americans.
Now, picture this: the same night the episode aired, executive producer Tom Werner took the stage at Paleyfest. He explained why they chose this bold path forward. He said, “We have a lot of options in TV today, but this show is unique because it focuses on a working-class family that resonates deeply with its audience. Last season, we saw Roseanne Conner struggling with addiction. We felt it was crucial to respect both Roseanne Conner and Roseanne Barr while staying true to the themes that made the show so relatable. Opioid addiction affects tens of thousands of people—it’s a real issue, and we wanted to shed light on it in an authentic way.”
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(ABC/Eric McCandless)
Roseanne Barr Reacts to Roseanne Conner’s Death
Not everyone was on board with this approach, though. Roseanne Barr herself wasn’t thrilled with how her character’s death was handled. Right after the episode aired, she fired back with a tweet that said, “I AIN’T DEAD B—–S.” To make her point even clearer, she released a joint statement with Rabbi Shmuley Boteach. In it, she expressed her disappointment with ABC’s decision to kill off Roseanne Conner via overdose. She argued that this choice added an unnecessary grimness to what was originally meant to be a lighthearted family show.
