ABC’s Roseanne spinoff The Conners is back for its fourth season, and it didn’t take long for them to start pushing their liberal agenda, though it was admittedly mild for this show. This time their digs were aimed at Christianity and marriage as a Christian pastor advises a main character to look outside the church to find a path of spiritual guidance “that works for [her],” and another claims the institution of marriage is meant to "oppress" women.
Wednesday’s episode, “Sober Sex, Plastic Silverware, and Losing My Religion,” has main character Darlene (Sara Gilbert) looking for “some path around the smoking hole that [her ex-fiance] left in [her] heart.” In last week’s episode, she attempted to find that path in a Christian church despite being an atheist. As the pastor was reading a verse from the Bible, Darlene suddenly ran out of the church.
It turns out she saw a prayer written by her deceased mother Roseanne (Roseanne Barr) in her mother’s Bible begging God for relief of her physical pain. Darlene was angry that the prayer wasn’t answered and that her mother died from an overdose of pain medication.
This week, Darlene visits the church to explain to Pastor Phil (Jason Alexander) why she ran out and tells the pastor she’s “still looking for a place to find spiritual guidance.”
That would normally be a perfect opportunity for a good Christian pastor to lead Darlene to salvation through Jesus and explain that there is a special kind of peace that can only be found with the one true God of the Bible. Instead, because he’s Hollywood’s version of a pastor, he completely lets her down, though Hollywood paints him as being “understanding”:
Darlene: So, when I looked in the Bible and I saw my mom begging God to stop her pain, I just -- I freaked out, you know?
Pastor Phil: Well, I believe that God's heart was the first to break, but, ultimately, we're in charge of our own destiny. I am sorry about your mom.
Darlene: Thank you. Yeah, I just -- I didn't want you to think I ran out because of you.
Pastor Phil: No. I never had a runner before. I made it work for me. When you left, I told the congregation when you came in, you weren't able to walk, so hallelujah!
Darlene: The real miracle is that you got me into church at all. I hope they got you, like, a Red Robin gift card or something for that. You know, I am still looking for a place to find spiritual guidance.
Pastor Phil: Well, there's a lot of ways to do that. It, uh... Doesn't have to be the church.
Darlene: Oh, yeah. Thanks for understanding. Kind of thought you'd fight a little harder for me, but...
Pastor Phil: It's gonna take some time, Darlene, to find the path that works for you.
Next up on the liberal agenda is the institution of marriage. Roseanne’s widower Dan (John Goodman) is getting remarried and his fiancé Louise (Katey Sagal) is trying on bridal gowns with Darlene’s children who will soon be her step-grandchildren. Harris could arguably be the most liberal of the family which shows when she preaches that marriage was created to oppress women:
Louise: So?
Mark: One spin, please. Okay. Keep spinning... Until the dress flies off you and back onto the rack.
Louise: Why? What's wrong with it?
Mark: It's your wedding day, not Friday night at "Da club." Go classic.
Harris: Look, I don't even know why we're doing this. Weddings are just a scam to make women spend money on an institution created to oppress them.
Louise: You know, you left out the best part -- All the bridesmaids get to wear the same dress. How do you feel about being oppressed in green?
When Harris tries her bridesmaid dress on, she tells Louise, “I didn't put it on because you asked. I put a poll on my Insta, and apparently a bunch of basic bitches wanted me to perpetuate this stupid tradition. I'm betraying my entire generation by doing this.”
She ends up loving the dress and the way it looks on her but tries to hide her feelings so as not to betray her liberal convictions.
We can’t wait to see what the rest of the season brings! #sarcasm
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