The Conners Season 7 Might Have A Big Catch

Rejoice, fans of "The Conners": your favorite sitcom is going to get a chance to wrap things up. It seems the show won't end with Season 6 after all, but there's a big catch attached to that renewal — they're going to have to do it in roughly six episodes.

Deadline reports that ABC has given the sitcom a reprieve from cancellation after an uncertain Season 7 renewal period, though there hasn't been an exact episode count announced as of press time. The show's survival was so deeply in question that an epilogue intended to serve as a series capstone was filmed and prepared to be attached to the last episode of Season 6. Now that ending won't be broadcast in light of the show's recent renewal, although the final episode of Season 6 is reportedly so emotional that it may have served as a proper series finale if things had panned out that way. There's no word as to whether or not it will require reshoots to air.

Now that the Conner family has a little more space to breathe, it's easy to look back on Season 6 and see it as something of a game changer for the irascible clan — and definitely a sign of ongoing growth.

Season 6 of "The Conners" has seen the titular clan cope with financial setbacks, family issues, and many big changes. Jackie Harris (Laurie Metcalf) retires and hands ownership of The Lunchbox over to Harris (Emma Kenney). But now that she has so much free time, Jackie finds herself at loose ends. She ends up working on Louise's (Katey Sagal) campaign for a school board seat and taking charge in her very Jackie way. Becky's (Lecy Goranson) relationship with Tyler (Sean Astin) continues apace, though she has trouble introducing him to Beverly-Rose (Charlotte Sanchez).

Mark (Ames McNamara) struggles with commuting to and from college, necessitated by his lack of financial aid, until his mom works out a deal for him to live on campus while working as a night janitor. Harris works herself to the point of exhaustion taking care of The Lunchbox and discovers that life as a boss isn't exactly what she thought it would be. Dan's (John Goodman) ex-stepmother, Crystal (Natalie West) turns out to be the reason why he took a loan from Nigel (Nat Faxon); she has heart failure. Lastly, Dan and Ben (J.R. Ferguson) have been dealing with the ups and downs of running the hardware store and exploring side hustles.

Blurbs for upcoming episodes promise that there will be significant milestones ahead for Dan and Mark in particular, adding that Season 7 — which is now confirmed — will show how those twists pan out.