Major shifts are coming to ABC as the network has announced the renewal of The Conners for a seventh and final season, while comedy series Not Dead Yet has been canceled after just two seasons.
The Conners: A Short but Meaningful Goodbye
After six years on air, The Conners will wrap up its story in a condensed final season consisting of just six episodes. The decision to keep the farewell brief has sparked curiosity among fans, as ABC has remained tight-lipped about why this format was chosen.
The spinoff of Roseanne began in 2018 under unusual circumstances. After Roseanne’s revival season was canceled due to controversial tweets by Roseanne Barr, ABC reimagined the show without its titular character, killing her off in the premiere of The Conners. Since then, the series has built a life of its own, starring John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Sara Gilbert, Lecy Goranson, Emma Kenney, Ames McNamara, and Jay R. Ferguson.
Executive producer Tom Werner, along with Gilbert, Bruce Helford, Dave Caplan, Bruce Rasmussen, and Tony Hernandez, promises to deliver a heartfelt conclusion to this beloved sitcom. The shorter season raises the stakes, leaving fans to wonder how the show will tie up its many storylines.
Farewell to Not Dead Yet
Meanwhile, ABC has decided to pull the plug on Not Dead Yet, Gina Rodriguez’s quirky comedy about an obituary writer who communicates with the ghosts of the deceased subjects she writes about. Adapted from Alexandra Potter’s book Confessions of a 40-Something F**k Up, the series garnered a niche fanbase but failed to secure a third season.
The cancellation of Not Dead Yet leaves its April 24 season finale as the series’ unplanned swan song. The show’s unique premise and Rodriguez’s performance were highlights, but they weren’t enough to keep it afloat in ABC’s comedy lineup.
A Changing Landscape for ABC Comedy
With both The Conners and Not Dead Yet departing, ABC’s comedy slate is thinning. At present, Abbott Elementary remains the network’s sole returning comedy, renewed for a fourth season and continuing to receive critical and fan acclaim.
ABC is also exploring new possibilities with two comedy pilots: Shifting Gears, starring Tim Allen and Kat Dennings, and Forgive and Forget, featuring Ty Burrell. Neither project has begun filming, leaving viewers to speculate which will make the cut to fill the void left by departing favorites.
What’s Next?
The final season of The Conners promises to be a bittersweet goodbye to one of ABC’s cornerstone shows, while the abrupt end of Not Dead Yet serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by modern sitcoms. As ABC reshuffles its lineup, fans are left eager to see how the network will reinvent its comedy offerings—and whether any new series will rise to the legacy of its predecessors.
