The Conners Review: Regrets, Rehabs and Realtors (Season 3 Episode 17)

The Conner family has reached a crossroads on The Conners Season 3 Episode 17, “Regrets, Rehabs and Realtors.” It’s important that they continue to lean on one another and listen as they each move forward.

While Becky is initially all for going to rehab she stalls out once she gets there. So, it falls onto Jackie and Dan’s shoulders to reel her back in and lay down the hard truths. 

Moments like these are what this show is known for and excels at. Dan and Jackie are at their best when they are trying to help someone else’s problems instead of their own — aren’t we all.

Dan has always been a good father, there is no denying that. However, one of his worst traits is his stubborn streak, which he has definitely passed down to his oldest. 

Luckily, The Conners leans into this and has Dan acknowledge it to Becky. Ownership is what finally pushes Becky back over that edge toward getting help. No one said recovery was going to be easy, and for Becky, it sure isn’t going to be.

She has so many factors working against her, but one solid factor working in her favor. Beverly Rose has been Becky’s guiding light since conception. Becky is going to be successful at rehab, but only if she owns up and does it for herself and by extension Beverly Rose.

She doesn’t do anyone any good if her sole motivation to getting clean is her daughter. Doing therapy or any kind of rehabilitation for someone else rarely works out because it makes it that much easier to slip up.

Becky going back to rehab is the first step and it’s a hard one. Watching her go on this journey is probably going to make her a bit more lovable as a character, which she’s been lacking this season.

Hopefully, Dan won’t fall apart pulling double duty between pep-talking Becky and supporting Darlene as she goes through her mid-life crisis. For all their talk Ben and Barb don’t know the first thing about the bond between the Conner patriarch and his kids.

Dan and his kids all live together, not necessarily out of Dan’s need to keep them close — though he doesn’t hate them being there — but because they have a loyalty to one another. They have a bond that allows them to be ready at a moment’s notice whenever it’s needed. 

Sure, Darlene feels obligated to help her father out, but what child with a healthy relationship with their parents, doesn’t? It’s been in the cards for a while now that Ben doesn’t fully appreciate or understand what it means to love your parents enough to make sacrifices for them.

“Regrets, Rehabs and Realtors” is a giant, flashing red light on Darlene and Ben’s relationship. I love them together and had high hopes for Ben, but the more Darlene gets overwhelmed the less understanding he becomes.

From him quitting a decent job to “podcast” to him pressuring her to give up a much-needed mental health break so she can move in with him, Ben has been on a slow decline all season. Death changes people, but I honestly believe that Darlene was already on this path before Molly came back and encouraged it.

Darlene has constantly been responsible for someone else her entire adult life. First, it was David, then Harris and Mark, and now her dad and her employees.

Darlene has never slowed down or taken a break for herself. I will always advocate for her to take a break and relax — after two decades she’s earned it.

Maybe now that she’s admitted her relationship with Ben has reached an impasse, she will take a bit of me-time. The signs are pointing toward that move — especially with her latest employee being the joy seeker type. 

It’s highly unlikely that Darlene will take this mid-life crisis and abandon all her responsibilities permanently, but she will hopefully take a break. Even if it’s more responsible to take the money from the tickets and pay bills, Darlene needs to think selfishly for once.

Based on how Dan has supported her during this episode, there leaves little room for doubt that he won’t care either way. Dan would much rather have his daughters firing on all cylinders than suffering through poor mental health in order to put him first.

If this trend of supportive, self-less Dan continues we could easily see some real change take place within the Conner family.

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The Conners airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on ABC.

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