The Conners Season 6 Episode 3 Review: Moms and Rats

There is something so bittersweet about how The Conners Season 6 Episode 3, “Moms and Rats,” handles Bev. Out of all the characters within the Lanford universe, she is the most persnickety.

That also means she is the most lovingly hated. After all, how many of us know an older woman just like her?

Since her dementia diagnosis, the show has done a great job of balancing her usual personality with heartfelt, bittersweet moments. Which is what makes this latest story development that much harder.

Goodbye, Bev

From the look of things, Bev going off on a train to somewhere without any intention of coming back is a permanent decision. We can see it in the way that Jackie doesn’t fight with her and drag her back to her apartment.

It’s as if even Jackie has come to the realization that this is it for her mom. One last good day, and now it’s off to the unknown, never to be seen again.

While that way of ending things can seem frustrating on the surface, in the language of The Conners, it’s actually beautiful. Bev has realized that she might be having more good days than bad at this point, but that isn’t permanent, and she doesn’t want to be a burden.

Like most elderly individuals, Bev doesn’t want to be confined to her home when she is perfectly capable of traveling and enjoying the final moments of her life. It closes the book on her relationship with Jackie on a positive note while also giving her the agency of choice.

If the episode had only consisted of the Bev and Jackie portions, it would’ve been a home run. These two spending time together in love and forgiveness is something fans of the family have waited decades to see.

Even if we never see Bev again and she only comes up in conversation, the loss of this woman will ripple throughout the family in the coming weeks, months, or even years.

Darlene Finds Fault in Ben — Again

After six seasons, The Conners has done so many things right in regards to developing this family. However, the one thing the writers keep coming back to, unnecessarily, I might add, is Darlene feeling like Ben doesn’t listen to her.

For the entire run of this show, Darlene and Ben have been a central relationship — whether they are together or apart. Despite so many things about their relationship being one to root for, there is one issue that they can’t seem to get over. 

I truly believe they have worked past this already, but then the writers get bored or feel they don’t know what to do with the characters, so they bring back the tried and true “Darlene doesn’t feel heard.” At this point, it makes their relationship look immature and underdeveloped, which we know it’s not.

So, for “Moms and Rats” to bring up this same argument again cheapens what could’ve been a funny storyline about differences in opinions on the treatment of rats. It could’ve been a case of Ben and Darlene being too busy arguing about how to trap the rat while the rat is destroying things all over the house.

Instead, the rat itself becomes secondary to Darlene’s need to make Ben feel bad for his opinion. It’s exhausting, and frankly, we are over it.

Stray Thoughts

• I appreciate that Dan is taking a backseat this season to his daughters’ plights.
• I’m also grateful that the credit card scam isn’t going to turn into a whole thing. It was a poorly concocted storyline to begin with.
• Never thought I’d say this, but, I wish we had seen a bit of Harris. She could’ve added hilarity to the rat portion of the episode.

 

What did you think of this episode of The Conners? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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