The following contains spoilers for The Conners Season 5, Episode 22, "The Grad Finale," now streaming on the ABC app.
The Conners executive producers Bruce Helford and Dave Caplan recently offered their thoughts on how they managed to sell the sitcom's fans on the romance between Darlene (Sara Gilbert) and Ben (Jay R. Ferguson).
Helford and Caplan attributed much of the Darlene/Ben pairing's success to the chemistry between Gilbert and Ferguson in an interview with TVLine. "So much of that [relationship's appeal] is the amazing chemistry between Sara and Jay," Caplan said. "That's a wave we just rode as writers." "And they crack each other up," Helford chimed in. "In the episode where she danced for him, the tag scene was almost going to be [bloopers] of her and him making each other laugh because they could not stop laughing during that. They just love each other's company. They've been friends since they were children -- and as Dave says, they really gave us a groove to fill there."
"They did," Caplan added. "And we really look at this episode not so much as diminishing the role of [Darlene's ex-husband] David, but really recognizing the strength that Jay has brought to the show. For us, it's a celebration of that." Ferguson appeared as a recurring member of The Conners' wider ensemble in Seasons 1 and 2 before he was elevated to series regular status from Season 3 onward. Ben's relationship with Darlene slowly blossomed during this time, culminating in the couple getting married in Season 4's finale, "A Judge and a Priest Walk into a Living Room...". Darlene's aunt, Jackie (Laurie Metcalf) marries her other half, Neville (Nat Faxon), during the ceremony, as well.
The Conners Bosses Discuss Season 5's Big Twist
Ben's new role as the stepfather to Darlene's kids, Mark (Ames McNamara) and Harris (Emma Kenney) is subsequently explored in Season 5 and is ultimately responsible for the season finale's biggest twist. In the episode, "The Grad Finale," Mark decides to have Ben attend his high school graduation ceremony, instead of his biological father, David (Johnny Galecki). Helford and Caplan opened up about this development in their interview with TVLine, insisting that having Mark choose otherwise would have done "a disservice to the character of Ben." The duo also revealed that they had intended for Galecki to make a guest appearance in "The Grad Finale," however, scheduling clashes prevented this from happening.
Helford and Caplan nevertheless indicated that Galecki could still appear in future episodes of The Conners, although Helford also previously suggested that the Roseanne spinoff could be wrapping up soon. According to Helford, there's "definitely a possibility" that The Conners' sixth season will also be its last. It's worth noting that ABC is yet to comment on its plans for the show post-Season 5 at this stage, and Season 6 has not yet been officially greenlit.
Source: TVLine