The end of the 2022-2023 TV season is fast approaching, which means shows raising stakes ahead of summer hiatus. For The Conners on ABC, that means casting none other than Lord of the Rings and Goonies alum Sean Astin as Becky’s potential new love interest. Astin coming on board seems like a big move for the sitcom, but is there any hope of him returning to the show after his debut episode?
Sean Astin is slated to debut on The Conners on Wednesday, April 19 in what will be the third-to-last episode of the show’s fifth season, according to TVLine. The episode will reportedly feature Jackie and Louise attempting to find Becky a new romantic interest, which should be interesting in light of the drama involving Louise and Becky recently when Becky was called a bad mom.
While details about Astin’s character are few and far between, TVLine has revealed a video of him and Becky hitting it off at the Lobo Lounge. The context remains to be seen, but the two bond over the frustrations of dating and getting to know new people. The friendly conversation turns into what I would consider a “meet-cute” when Becky drops a reference to When Harry Met Sally and Astin’s character immediately gets it… and he has the wagon wheel coffee table from the ‘80s classic!
Personally, I’m already hoping that they hit it off enough that Becky (and in turn, viewers) get to see that wagon wheel coffee table, but there’s no word at the time of writing if Sean Astin will be back beyond the April 19 episode. The actor has appeared in sitcoms before, including Brooklyn Nine-Nine after it was rescued from cancellation, The Big Bang Theory, and Young Rock.
At the same time, Astin is a pretty big name to sign on to even recur on a sitcom, and The Conners has brought in familiar faces for brief appearances before. In 2023 alone, the show has involved an “actors’ paradise” of guest stars, including Jaime Pressly, Jack McBrayer, and Whoopi Goldberg, who Lecy Goranson referred to as a “win-win-win-win-win” of a guest star. I can certainly imagine Sean Astin popping into The Conners for a one-off appearance.
Still, I can’t ignore that Katey Sagal has recurred on the show after seeming like just a guest star at first, and she’s a big name to join a sitcom as well. Plus, given how unlucky Becky has been in love on top of all her other struggles, I’d just love to see her catch a break with a nice guy. Sure, it’s not guaranteed at this point that Sean Astin’s character won’t have a secret that boots him out of the “nice” category, but who doesn’t love Sean Astin? I’m still sad about his lovable character’s fate on Stranger Things!
Fortunately, the wait to see Astin on The Conners and discover whether or not he’s a good guy for Becky who could come back isn’t too long. His episode airs on Wednesday, April 19 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. If you’re in the market for some other TV options now that finale season is approaching, be sure to check out our 2023 TV premiere schedule.