Johnny Galecki's involvement in The Conners has been one of the show's biggest question marks headed into the spinoff's premiere, just as it was with Roseanne. The actor indicated he wanted to be included more than he was in the flagship sitcom, but with The Big Bang Theory cranking out one more season, his filming schedule and general involvement seemed as though it would have to be limited. Now, the stars have aligned and Galecki is confirmed to return as David Healy in The Conners, and he'll be joined by his former Christmas Vacation co-star Juliette Lewis, who will play David's "colorful" girlfriend Blue.
Johnny Galecki and Juliette Lewis are on the hook for at least one episode of The Conners, according to TVLine, which will presumably depict the first on-screen meeting between Darlene and Blue. That encounter will be interesting, considering the Roseanne revival showed Darlene still had feelings for David before she finally came to realize they are better off apart than together. I'm guessing he didn't confess that detail to Blue when he returned.
Juliette Lewis appeared to tease the upcoming encounter on social media, which showed her sitting on the iconic Conner family couch alongside Johnny Galecki, her former National Lampoons Christmas Vacation brother, and Sara Gilbert.
The timing for Darlene to meet Blue probably isn't great. Roseanne Barr has already revealed The Conners will reveal Roseanne died, allegedly from an opioid overdose, which is something that John Goodman also teased, saying the spinoff will tackle the characters coping with her death. Which means Darlene might unfairly lash out at Blue when her grief is the real issue. Of course, it's not as though it would've been out of character for Darlene to go ham on somebody regardless of family tragedies, so perhaps the series will surprise viewers by showing Blue and Darlene bonding and finding common ground. Maybe?
As for David, Roseanne Conner was more or less a mother to him, despite the fact he was dating her daughter, so it would be surprising if The Conners went the entire episode without Galecki mentioning it at some point. (Maybe the premiere will be about her funeral.) With potentially only one episode for David to both eulogize Roseanne and continue to work out his co-parenting situation with Darlene, it's a shame The Conners crew couldn't lock him down for more episodes on the outset. Of course, with The Big Bang Theory ending, Galecki might be willing and able to commit more time to the series in the future, assuming the spinoff does well enough to get another season. At the moment, that feels like a big IF, considering how the political tension behind Roseanne Barr's firing has seemingly split its fan base down the middle.
The Conners is set to premiere on ABC on Tuesday, October 16, at 8:00 p.m. ET. Given all the things that have happened in the weeks leading up to the big day, it will certainly be an interesting time for television. This is just one of the many big premieres headed to television this fall season, so be sure to visit our fall premiere guide to see what all is on the way.
