Fans Agree That The Conners Dropped The Ball With This Storyline

The television return of "Roseanne" back in 2018 didn't pan out as everyone involved hoped it would, to put it lightly. After posting some controversial comments online, lead actress Roseanne Barr wound up fired from the show, ending its small screen comeback prematurely. However, ABC wouldn't just give up on the world the series created and the other characters that inhabit it. With that, "The Conners" came to fruition with the intent to carry on the legacy of "Roseanne" while shifting the focus from the title character to the rest of her family.

In the years since its arrival, "The Conners" has done well for itself in the shadow of its longtime ratings juggernaut of a predecessor. Following Roseanne Conner's (Barr) sudden off-screen demise, the likes of Dan (John Goodman) and Darlene (Sara Gilbert) Conner have taken the forefront as they embark on a new chapter in their lives. There's drama, comedy, and more for audiences to enjoy, and the majority have. As a result, it has stuck around for five seasons and shows little sign of slowing down. However, it isn't perfect, and fans are quite vocal about it.

For example, something that has gotten on many fans' nerves is how "The Conners" handled a particular storyline. Here's why some folks are so up in arms about the situation.

One member of the Conner family that fans of "The Conners" haven't seen much from is DJ (Michael Fishman). As pointed out on Reddit by u/Ardenwolfie, however, his life experiences and current situation provide plenty of material worth exploring on screen. He served in the United States military, and his wife, Geena Williams (Maya Lynne Robinson), continues to do so. Therefore, he's left to raise their daughter, Mary (Jayden Rey), on his own. Nevertheless, the sitcom hasn't really delved into DJ or his family, much to the confusion and frustration of many "Conners" fans online who want to see more from them.

Even though he didn't get much screen time on "Roseanne," DJ is an integral part of the Conner family, and it's odd that he hasn't taken a prominent role on "The Conners." Although, as pointed out by several folks in the aforementioned Reddit thread, actor Michael Fishman has had a lot to contend with in his personal life. For instance, in 2019, his wife Jennifer filed for divorce after 20 years of marriage (via People), and in 2020, his son Larry died of an accidental drug overdose (via Us Magazine). That's a lot for one person to take in, so it wouldn't come as a shock if his sparse "Conners" appearances had to do with these instances.

One can only hope that Michael Fishman is bouncing back from his real-life struggles and that in the years to come, we'll see him as DJ on "The Conners" more often.