In a remarkable twist on The Conners Season 3 Episode 13, Louise tested positive for Covid-19, and I must admit, I didn’t see that coming.
Granted, The Conners have dealt fairly realistically with the pandemic since the start of the season. They’ve tried to show the anxiety everyone has felt, the stress on small business owners, and they’ve done a good job of showing characters mask-up when necessary.
Heck, it wouldn’t have surprised me if Jackie had to shut the Lunch Box down, at least for a while.
Instead of Jackie dealing with yet another setback, it was Louise who ended up with the potentially deadly virus, and Dan was clearly shaken up.
Thankfully, Louise seems to be experiencing the more mild symptoms: fatigue, loss of smell, etc. Hopefully, it stays that way.
Louise being stuck at home alone was worrisome for Dan. He wanted to rush over to take care of her.
I couldn’t help but notice that Neville, Louise’s brother, didn’t make any move to check on his ailing sister. I know this storyline was about Dan’s reaction, but when Neville showed no particular outward concern for his sister, it felt very out of character for what we know about him.
Instead, it was Dan who wanted to rush over to check on his girlfriend, which didn’t make his family happy…
Jackie [to Dan]: I can’t believe you were willing to lie to us and then go over and see Louise. Are you insane?
Becky: You cannot go over there. You are the poster child for underlying conditions.
This entire situation highlighted how much Dan and Louise truly care about one another.
Dan was willing to risk his own health to take care of Louise. Louise was unwilling to let Dan do that.
Just when it seemed that Louise’s illness would be as bad as things could get, it really hit the fan. Darlene feared she had been the one to expose Louise to Covid.
I was a bit stunned that Darlene told her family before she got the test results. I suppose she didn’t know how long the results would take, and she had to make them aware of the continuing risks of being in her presence.
While Harris took it all in stride, Dan lashed out at his daughter…
Dan [to Darlene]: Dammit, you’re supposed to be the responsible one. You’re the only one around here I can depend on.
Becky: That’s hurtful, but I agree.
I think most of Dan’s anger came from a place of fear. He was terrified for Louise, and not being able to see her and take care of her just made everything worse. He had no one else to take it out on other than Darlene.
Dan being scared for Louise was understandable. People die of Covid, and Dan had already lost the love of his life.
I’ve had the rug yanked out from under me before, and I don’t know if I can go through that again.
Dan
Roseanne’s death blindsided Dan. It shook him to his core, and the last thing he wanted was to suffer through the loss of another person he loved.
Ben’s reaction stemmed from something different.
The memory of Darlene lying for months as she cheated on Ben with David couldn’t have been far from Ben’s mind when he learned that Darlene had again been lying to him, albeit for a very different reason.
But Darlene has issues saying what she needs, especially when she often feels like she doesn’t deserve anything good. Remember how she had an anxiety attack just looking at the spa website trying to book herself a massage?
Darlene needs to realize that taking care of herself and asking for what she needs isn’t a weakness, and it doesn’t make her selfish. She can’t be there for the people she loves if she doesn’t tend to her own needs first.
Ben was justified in taking a little time to cool off, but the fact that he came back and talked things through with Darlene was what was important.
Ben and Darlene weren’t the only ones having a bit of a relationship crisis.
Jackie needed help combatting the negative reviews another restaurant owner was leaving for her online, and she recruited Neville to play the role of her attorney.
The funny thing was, mild-mannered Neville took to the role better than anyone expected, even Jackie. But as good as Neville turned out to be at playing the heavy, he didn’t like it and said so.
Neville: Just because I chased after you to go out with me doesn’t mean I’ll do anything. I can’t do things out of fear that saying no to you will make you leave me.
Jackie: I wasn’t going to leave you. I didn’t even know you felt like this.
Neville: Well, I do.
Jackie: I guess I’m just not used to having the power in a relationship.
Neville: Well, you did, but you don’t anymore. We’re equals, and if you can’t accept that, I’m out.
This was a huge turning point for the couple. Jackie realized that she isn’t in a relationship where she constantly gives in to someone else’s needs to gain their approval. And Neville declared that either he and Jackie were equals, or he wasn’t interested in continuing this romance.
Finally, Jackie’s found someone who can love and respect her and himself at the same time. I’m thrilled for her. It’s taken years, but Jackie finally has a career she enjoys and someone to love. She deserves it.
So what did you think, TV Fanatics?
- Was everyone right to pile on Darlene for sneaking around and possibly exposing them to Covid?
- Will Louise recover quickly, or will she feel long-term effects of this virus?
- Will the Conner family lose anyone close to them due to Covid-19?
- Has Jackie finally found the love she’s been searching for all of these years?
- Have you read Walden by Henry David Thoreau?
Hit that big, blue, SHOW COMMENTS button down below and let us know what you thought of this installment of The Conners. Then check back in for our review of The Conners Season 3 Episode 14.
And don’t forget, you can watch The Conners online here at TV Fanatic!
C. Orlando is a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.