Conners Season 5 Has Solved a Major Cameo

Conners season 5 will soon have a cameo by William H Macy, and luckily, the spinoff will do Roseanne's legacy justice in the process.

While William H Macy's cameo role could be problematic for the Conners, the Roseanne spinoff wisely avoids the character's frequent missteps. The Conners tend to struggle with celebrity cameos for two reasons. On the one hand, the show is a down-to-earth — if sometimes goofy — take on life in middle-class working-class America, so there’s no reason for the constant presence of celebrity faces, and the presence of A-list stars would make the show’s milieu feel less so true.

Another reason The Conners has few celebrity cameos has to do with its predecessor, Roseanne. The Conners killed off two Roseanne characters off-screen rather than bringing their cast back because it might remind audiences of Roseanne herself. As the show's former lead, Roseanne casts a shadow over the sitcom. However, while William H Macy plays Dan's former classmate in the upcoming outing, not only will the Conners not ignore Roseanne's role in their friendship, but the spinoff will actively draw attention to it. It's a smart decision to make Roseanne's memory more present in the Conner family.

How William H Macy's Cameo Sorted A Season 4 Problem

In an upcoming episode of The Conners, William H Macy stars as Dan's classmate and former rival who dated Roseanne before the iconic couple got together. While Roseanne's worst storyline came when Dan cheated on his wife in season 9, the couple remained rock solid throughout the series, with the ups and downs of their relationship forming the drama of the sitcom's story. Now returning to Langford for the teacher's funeral is a rich show, with Macy's character likely to be the last suitor to lure Roseanne before Roseanne and Dan begin their high school romance and ultimately lead to their marriage and family.

Ensuring that Macy's character has a canon connection to Roseanne helps The Conners season 5 resolve the cameo issues that arose in season 4. In The Conners season 4, Dan's lacked many of the guest stars (Beverly, Chuckie, Crystal) and the second wedding to avoid evoking memories of Roseanne. Later cameos (like Christopher Lloyd's Lou) awkwardly avoid mentioning Roseanne, even though acquaintances like Lou haven't seen her family since her death. The Conners' displeasure over Roseanne's death prevented the show from adding guest stars to the cast without reminding viewers of Roseanne's absence. While some celebs showed up on The Conners without bringing Roseanne's legacy, which remains a major concern.

Why The Conners Season 5 Needed To Acknowledge Roseanne

It would be weird that Dan and Roseanne's classmates didn't mention her death, just like Lou didn't mention her death in The Conners Season 4. So the fact that Macy's character is so closely associated with Roseanne should ensure that season 5 of The Conners, starring the actor, doesn't ignore the loss's impact on the series. Conners already discussed Roseanne's legacy in the Season 5 Christmas episode, but that alone wasn't enough. In order for the Conners to take full advantage of their next guest star, the Roseanne spinoff needs to give the character a connection to the former leading lady.