The Conners undermined itself by treating its live political episode like it was mostly "pre-packaged"

Fast Company

Sure, there were conversations about the Democratic candidates in the New Hampshire primary, but much of Tuesday night's live show felt "pre-packaged" as if it could've been taped in advance. "In essence, 'Live from Lanford' could’ve done away with any mention of the New Hampshire primary and treated it like a regular episode because The Conners and its predecessor Roseanne have never shied away from discussing politics from the point of view of the working class," says KC Ifeanyi, who adds: "'Live from Lanford' had the potential to up the ante even further by bringing in live coverage of a decisive and highly scrutinized election cycle happening in the moment. The excitement wouldn’t have hinged on waiting for an actor to flub a line; it would’ve been about chipping away at the fourth wall in an inventive way, like you’re watching TV with your favorite TV family. Best of all, it would’ve been an organic tie-in given how heavily The Conners leans into politics and societal issues. Remember, this is the show that killed off its problematic matriarch with a prescription pain pill overdose. But, alas, for how well 'Live from Lanford' was executed with nary an actor dropping a line, it wasn’t anything special." ALSO: The Conners cast and crew pulled off a flawless execution, but the live format needed an injection of more acid into the proceedings.