Although Roseanne’s spinoff, The Conners, made a delightful comeback in its season 6 debut, a key character was absent. Roseanne eventually gave way to The Conners, a spinoff centered on the program that managed to make do with a combined ensemble of characters from the original series and the revival, except for Roseanne herself.
Since Roseanne passed away, Dan, Roseanne’s widower, Jackie, DJ, Becky, and Darlene, DJ’s daughter Mary, and Harris and Mark, Darlene’s children, have made up The Conners’ mainly stable ensemble of characters.
The COVID-19 epidemic in 2020 and 2021, as well as the writer’s and actor’s strikes in 2023, delayed The Conners’ production. The first episode of The Conners season 6 didn’t feature every member of the regular cast, but it did premiere in February 2024.
However, it’s unclear if this is a sign of things to come or just an anomaly for what might or might not be the last season of Conners.
Mark Is Absent From The Conners Season 6 Premiere
“The Publisher Cops Show Pilot,” the first episode of The Conners season 6, don’t feature Amex McNamara’s Mark. Although Darlene’s son is enrolled in college, it hasn’t been proven that the character no longer resides at home, thus that explanation doesn’t account for Mark’s disappearance.
Darlene does, after all, presently work at Mark’s college as a lunch lady. It would be more cost-effective and sensible for him to live at home with her rather than pay for housing on the school’s campus. Despite this, Mark received no screen time in the episode and was simply referenced in passing.
This was especially noteworthy because Jayden Rey’s Mary, a recurring character from past seasons of The Conners, departed the program before the start of season 6.
It remains to be seen if Mark’s position in the show has diminished now that he is a college student, but season 6 will undoubtedly feature Darlene’s kids, given that his sister Harris had a significant role in “The Publisher Cops Show Pilot.” The odd structure of the show added to the surprise of Mark’s disappearance.
The format of “The Publisher Cops Show Pilot” was peculiar; it featured scenes of Dan loitering at The Lunchbox before and after his road trip with Darlene.
This decision gave the impression that the program spanned several days. This implies that Mark was probably at home at that time.
This arrangement highlighted Mark’s conspicuous absence and suggested that, ever since starting college, he had not spent much time with the family.
It wouldn’t be shocking, though, if The Conners hero was overworking himself in college around the time of the premiere, as the supporting cast member of the Roseanne spinoff has always taken his studies seriously.