Gilbert, Tom Werner, Bruce Helford, Dave Caplan, Bruce Rasmussen, and Tony Hernandez will serve as executive producers on the spinoff, which hails from Werner Entertainment.
“We are grateful to have reached this agreement to keep our team working as we continue to explore stories of the Conner family,” Werner said in a statement.
“The Conners” is currently a working title for the spinoff, which has been given a 10-episode order. It is not known how Barr’s character will be written off the show.
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“The Conners’ stories demonstrate that families can always find common ground through conversation, laughter and love. The spinoff will continue to portray contemporary issues that are as relevant today as they were 30 years ago,” an ABC spokesperson said in a statement.
The new order is for three episodes fewer than that given to the anticipated new season of “Roseanne.” In order to hit a fall premiere date, writers and producers will need to work on an expedited schedule. News of the show’s cancellation last month came on the same day that the writers room for the new season of “Roseanne” was scheduled to open. Though the new series will be able to take advantage of having crew in place, production will still be far behind that of other shows anticipated to premiere this fall.
In a joint statement released by ABC, cast members Goodman, Metcalf, Gilbert, Goranson, and Fishman said: “We have received a tremendous amount of support from fans of our show, and it’s clear that these characters not only have a place in our hearts, but in the hearts and homes of our audience. We all came back last season because we wanted to tell stories about the challenges facing a working-class family today. We are so happy to have the opportunity to return with the cast and crew to continue to share those stories through love and laughter.”
Talks of a “Roseanne” spinoff began almost immediately after the series was canceled, then dragged on for more than two weeks following the abrupt end of what was last year’s highest rated television series in Nielsen’s 18-49 demo. Led by Gilbert, Werner, Helford, and ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey, discussions centered on a pitch featuring Gilbert’s Darlene at the center of an ensemble that would include the show’s other key cast members.
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