The Conners Season 6 Episode 4 Review: Shrinks Don’t Talk and Kids Don’t Sing

For the first time this season, Mark Conner-Healy makes an appearance, and it reminds us why we love this character so much. The Conners Season 6 Episode 4, “Shrinks Don’t Talk and Kids Don’t Sing,” is probably one of the more funny episodes we’ve had from this sitcom so far this season.

While we are only four episodes in on this new season, possibly the final season, the show has been interestingly devoid of laugh-out-loud storylines. That’s not to say we haven’t had a strong start because we have. It’s just been less funny and more heartwarming.

However, this episode is beat-for-beat hilarious. It reminds us why the Conner clan is a family worth paying attention to and caring about week after week.

Mark and Darlene’s Dynamic is Back

One thing that is always missed when Ames McNamara isn’t around is the teasing yet loving bond between Mark and Darlene. The chemistry that Gilbert and McNamara have onscreen at any given moment has us believing these two are actually mother and son.

In the last few episodes, especially The Conners Season 6 Episode 3, “Moms and Rats,” we’ve forgotten how naturally funny and self-deprecating Darlene can be. It’s nice to have this reminder come along as a factory reset on our frustrations with her character.

Darlene has always worried that she isn’t doing enough as a mom, especially when it seems her kids might be upset in some way. It’s manageable with Harris because, in general, she has a strong head on her shoulders.

However, with Mark, Darlene is sent into overdrive as she tries to find the balance between too little and too much. Part of that could be Mark’s extreme aptitude for academics — so unlike anyone else in the family — but a larger part comes from his sexuality. 

Darlene has always worried that her son doesn’t feel secure enough with himself to make friends or that he’s being bullied for who he is. It’s the mark of a great mother that she wants to do whatever she can to ensure he never has to feel less-than in a world out to hate people like him.

Darlene’s Humor Reflected

One of the best things about Darlene and Mark is that they can go toe-to-toe with each other on the teasing. Darlene will give him a hard time about aiming above what the Conner family lives for, and he will quip back with a jab at her overprotective mom habits.

It’s a quick wit that we don’t get to see much of when Mark isn’t around because no one else in the family can match Darlene on her highest level. Previously, I remarked that the show could’ve run away with a storyline and made it ten times funnier. Well, this week, it does, which makes all the difference.

The comedic timing starts with Darlene asking her family members if they think there is something wrong with Mark. Then she takes it a step further and stalks the school psychologist in the hopes of getting her to talk.

As she sits with the shrink and asks her questions, the situation gets more and more unhinged because the therapist plays her like a fiddle. In the end, Darlene has no answers about Mark, but she does have her own appointment with the therapist.

To top it off, Darlene finally just asks Mark, only to have him berate her for her obtrusive behavior. In the end, we see the joke come full circle when Mark throws a therapist-level diagnosis line at her as a joke.

It is all so well-orchestrated that we want to watch the episode over and over again just to relive it.

Louise and Becky Take on PC Culture

The Conners has always been great about pushing back against things in society that just don’t make sense. It can sometimes mean that the show stands at the edge of being political, but that’s okay because it’s who this family is.

This time, the issue is pre-approved song lists for a music program at the elementary school that Beverly Rose attends. Louise is going out of her way to start this program and give music back to the children — for next to nothing — and she can’t even do that.

Honestly, when the principal stops them from singing Dancing Queen by ABBA, I, too, find myself confused. The confusion continues as the principal reads off the whole list of banned songs, and then it hits you that this plot is the show’s way of commenting on the recent influx of book bannings and such.

When Louise refuses to fight back, it feels like a slight on who we know her to be. So, it’s fantastic to see her change her stance by the end of the episode. 

In fact, Becky being more angry about it and willing to sacrifice for the cause throws us for a loop. It’s great to see her and Louise eventually land on the same page, especially considering their history.

A Conner on the school board will definitely be a sight to behold. But, if she can get there, it’ll be something great for the kids.

Stray Thoughts:

• Becky’s joke about a Ken Burns documentary was for me, specifically.
• Having a day devoted to figuring out bowls and lids in your Tupperware stash feels highly relatable.
• Dan visiting his daughters just to eat bacon is a whole mood.
• The comedic moments between Mark and Darlene are made even funnier by their height difference, which I know isn’t intentional, but still.

 

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

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The Conners airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on ABC.

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