While Jackie’s inadvertent revelation in The Conners season 5 is about her sister, the closing scenes of “Take This Job and Shove It Twice” bring the plot back around to her mother. Jackie’s struggles with Beverly were a major Roseanne plot, and while Roseanne also had issues with their mother, the original series left the distinct impression that she and Beverly saw eye to eye, whereas Jackie was the odd one out. This view of Jackie as the family screw-up continued until The Conners season 5, when all of Jackie’s stories started to involve standing up for herself and commanding respect.

Jackie has more than earned the break she recently began demanding from her family. A successful businesswoman (despite her best efforts), happily married, and a beloved member of her family, the characterization of Jackie as a black sheep doesn’t feel as appropriate as it did during Roseanne’s lifetime. As the Jackie child retcon from Roseanne proves, this is not the first time Roseanne or The Conners has seen Jackie attempt to get her life together and earn a shot at happiness. This is, however, the first time Jackie has had such a chance without Beverly or Roseanne standing in her way