Roseanne Reboot: Becky Conner's Emotional Journey Without Mark Healy

When Roseanne made its triumphant return to ABC at the end of March for a nine-episode reboot, fans were thrilled to see most of the original cast back on the small screen. However, one familiar face was notably missing: Mark Healy, Becky Conner's husband. The actor who played Mark, Glenn Quinn, tragically passed away at the age of 32 in 2002 due to an accidental heroin overdose. His absence left a void that the show couldn't ignore.

Becky Conner's Struggle with Loss

In the revival's premiere episode, the show acknowledged Mark's death, but actress Lecy Goranson, who plays Becky, recently opened up about her character's ongoing emotional journey. In a candid interview, she revealed that Becky hasn't fully processed the pain of losing her husband. "I see Becky as a resilient woman who's been through so much," Lecy shared with Variety. "She lost her husband, and as audiences will soon discover, it's left a deep impact on her life."

Mark and Lecy on Roseanne.

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"Becky hasn't fully confronted her grief, and it's almost as if she's stuck in time," Lecy, now 43, explained. "Facing pain is one of the hardest things we do as humans. Sometimes, to truly move forward, we have to confront the sadness head-on. It's something that resonates with many of us, and I think it'll be a powerful moment when Becky finally addresses her loss."

Remembering Glenn Quinn

Bruce Helford, the executive producer of Roseanne, also spoke about honoring Glenn Quinn and his character Mark in the reboot. "When you're working on a show that's so grounded in reality, you can't just ignore something like this," Bruce said. "Becky being single was a natural part of the storyline, and we wanted to pay tribute to Glenn. He was such an integral part of the show, and we didn't want to gloss over his absence. Mark is mentioned a few times throughout the season, not just in the premiere episode."

Roseanne Barr's Tribute

Roseanne Barr, who plays the titular character, echoed the sentiment. "Glenn was such a beloved member of the Roseanne family, and we didn't want to sweep his passing under the rug," she said. The writers cleverly incorporated Mark's legacy into the storyline by naming Becky's older sister Darlene Conner's son after him. Sara Gilbert, who plays Darlene, explained, "Naming the character Mark was our way of honoring Glenn's memory within the show."

Roseanne airs on Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. EST on ABC, continuing to blend humor with heartfelt moments as it tackles life's ups and downs.