The Conners Finally Fixes 1 Supporting Star’s Biggest Problem In Season 6

While The Conners season 6 premiere gave Jackie a brutal surprise, the Roseanne spinoff spun this plot into a huge opportunity for one undervalued character. When Jackie took over The Lunchbox in The Conners season 2, this seemed like a huge new opportunity for Roseanne’s sister. After the character spent decades struggling with jobs as varied as police work, truck driving, and a position in the local plastics factory, Jackie finally had a role that she truly wanted. When her mother Bev refused to hand her the restaurant’s deed, Jackie fought and convinced Darlene to let her run The Lunchbox.

However, a lot can change in a few years. While The Conners season 7 could change this in the future, the season 6 premiere made it clear that Jackie’s heart was no longer in running the Lunchbox. When guest star Nick Offerman’s TV chef arrived to turn Jackie’s struggling business around, the character lacked her usual overbearing enthusiasm. Jackie seemed disinterested in improving The Lunchbox and, eventually, she finally admitted that her relationship with Neville made her more fulfilled than the job. This allowed another character a chance to shine as Jackie passed the reins to the next generation.

Harris Takes Over The Lunchbox In The Conners Season 6

After Jackie admitted in a heartwarming speech that she no longer really wanted to run the restaurant and just wanted to be with Neville, she convinced Harris to take over. Darlene’s under-employed daughter Harris offered a string of smart suggestions while Offerman’s TV chef was inspecting the restaurant, impressing him so much that he eventually suggested she should take over the Lunchbox. Jackie reviving The Lunchbox in The Conners was always a flawed storyline since the character never had this sort of follow through and it beggared belief that someone as flighty as Jackie could keep a restaurant open throughout the pandemic.

As such, the Roseanne spinoff made the right call by handing the job over to Harris. Since season 6, episode 1, “The Publisher Cops Show Pilot,” ended with Harris taking on the job of running The Lunchbox, it is not yet clear whether Jackie will stay on part-time to help with the transition. However, Louise and Becky didn’t appreciate Jackie’s occasional visits early in the episode, meaning she might be better off leaving the restaurant in Harris’s hands. This would also allow Harris to prove herself after two consecutive seasons of the series wasted this promising supporting character.

Harris’ New Role Makes Up For 2 Pointless Seasons Of The Conners

Harris had little purpose throughout seasons 4 and 5, but this job gives her a meaningful role on the show. While the entire cast of characters in The Conners have a role to play within the family, Harris’s screen time has been dominated by ill-fated romantic relationships and little else since season 3. Her part-time work as a tattoo artist never gained much traction or story focus, and she has the determination required to make The Lunchbox a success. This means that The Conners heroine can finally get a storyline that doesn’t focus on her love life in the Roseanne spinoff.