‘The Conners’: Surprise Guest Star Patton Oswalt Has a ‘Grave’ Issue With the Late Roseanne

Patton Oswalt in The Conners
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ABC/Scott Everett White

The Conners welcomes guest star Patton Oswalt (A.P. Bio) to the show for its March 3 episode, TV Insider has learned exclusively, and the role is linked to the main character of the spin-off’s original series, Roseanne.

Where most spin-offs try to distance themselves from their predecessor to create their own identity, ABC comedy hit The Conners has never forgotten (or has let us forget) the roots of how it all began. That would be the character of Roseanne Conner, played by Roseanne Barr, who hit a high note with the 2018 revival of classic sitcom Roseanne (which ran on ABC from 1988 – 1997) but then almost as quickly hit a low note with a social media tirade that prompted ABC to quickly cancel the show.

Later that fall, star and executive producer Sara Gilbert (who plays daughter Darlene Conner) helped keep the revival alive with the spin-off, The Conners, which followed the famous sitcom family following the off-screen death of Roseanne. The series is currently in its third season and is ABC’s top rated comedy.

In the March 3rd episode, Roseanne’s memory is brought up once again when her sister Jackie (Laurie Metcalf) visits the grave of her sister only to find an appalling surprise with the headstone next to it. Hoping to make things right, Jackie goes to see the cemetery director, Don Blansky (Oswalt), to help her out.

Also in the episode, Darlene’s son Mark (Ames McNamara) is worried he has COVID and Becky (Lecy Goranson) and Harris (Emma Kenney) team up to find out why Josh (Milo Manheim) has been “ghosting” Harris.

The Conners, Wednesdays, 9/8c, ABC.