‘The Conners’ Cast Discusses a Baggage-Free Season 2—and Johnny Galecki’s Return

Some families you’re born into, and some families are forged. The forge that created The Conners in 2018 burned as hot as the surface of the sun, but it created bonds that are stronger than ever. The Conners are back, and they’re ready to get to work.

The Conners premiered at the end of 2018, after a rollercoaster ride of a year that saw the return of Roseanne to blockbuster ratings followed by its swift cancellation following a shocking string of tweets. The Conners had to carry a lot of baggage in Season 1, even with solid ratings and solid reviews. But now it’s a whole new year and there’s a whole new season of The Conners coming to ABC–and all that baggage has been left behind.

“Season 1, we had so many things that we had to kind of explain and it started with this very personal and heartfelt beginning,” Michael Fishman, who plays youngest Conner child DJ, told Decider in a phone interview. “Now you kind of are up to speed with us. It’s allowed us to really just hit the ground running and move a lot faster, I think.”

“The Conners Season 2 almost does feel like a new show,” added Emma Kenney, who plays Darlene’s angsty daughter Harris. “It’s a more mature version of the Conner family.”

“We had a good time off, and we kind of got a break, and then everybody was ready to get back to it,” said Lecy Goranson, an original cast member whose Becky became a scene-stealing dynamo in Season 1, said that she did feel a different vibe on set for Season 2. “Everyone was very happy to be back.”

Kenney echoed her TV aunt’s comments. “It’s like we all kind of know each other now,” she said. The Conners Season 2 kicks off her third season playing the rebellious high schooler, and she feels more comfortable with her place in this sitcom royal family’s legacy than ever. “It’s cool once you get to know people more and your character more, so you can kind of feel a little more free and grow with it.”

Whereas 2018’s Roseanne revival and The Conners Season 1 were definitely overshadowed by the larger-than-life presence (and ultimately absence) of Roseanne Barr, Season 2 promises to be much more of a family affair. “My guess is that this season we’ll be seeing even more ensemble,” said Goranson. “I think we had that last season, too, but that’s the thing I love. There are so many stories. It just feels almost like theater in a way, that everyone’s got their part. We’re kind of moving and a-grooving over here.”

One person who likely has a bigger part to play in Season 2 is Roseanne alum Johnny Galecki, an actor that just wrapped up a landmark run on The Big Bang Theory earlier this year. He also popped up on The Conners last year, adding more will they/won’t they to his relationship with Darlene. While Galecki isn’t back as a series regular, he is returning to his roots in Season 2–and his original TV family has welcomed him back with open arms.

“Having Johnny Galecki come back is like having one of your siblings come home,” said Fishman. Regarding the prodigal David’s return to the fold, Fishman said that the storyline “says a lot about how real families kind of exist and interact. Families sometimes fall apart and then come back together, and people make strange decisions and then they realize what really matters to them in life. I think David really has taken a hard look at himself and now he kind of has to earn the family’s trust back.”

But while David has to earn that trust back, Galecki sure didn’t. “Johnny is so awesome,” said Kenney, his TV daughter. “He’s such a nice guy. He’s so warm and friendly. He’s so funny. He obviously has so many years–he’s like a multi-cam god at this point. I definitely always observe him and it’s interesting to see how everybody preps for scenes.”

As for how David and Harris’ relationship will evolve over Season 2, Kenney hopes her character can find common ground with her previously absentee father. “[Harris] sees things more realistically rather than how David sees things in kind of a dreamy world and tries to take the best out of everything. I think that Harris definitely has a soft spot in her heart for her dad because he’s her dad and I don’t think she knows him the way that she wants to. It’s probably a little bit of an unattainable relationship.”

But that evolving dynamic is what we love about the always expanding Conner family, a family that we’ve watched on TV since 1988. As Fishman noted, he’s glad that plenty of those viewers have followed the show all this time. “I think we came into this hoping that our audience would follow us back, and I think we were really pleased with the support that we’ve gotten, and we’re really excited about what comes next.”

The Conners Season 2 premieres on ABC on Tuesday, September 24 at 8 p.m. ET.

Stream The Conners on Hulu