The Conners, ABCâs version of Roseanne minus Rosanne, will return to TV this fall without Roseanne herself (sheâs probably dead in the world within the show), and will include another recasting of a side character who will apparently be more prominent in the series. New series regular Maya Lynne Robinson will play DJâs (Michael Fishman) wife Geena Williams-Conner, who was deployed in Afghanistan last season and briefly seen over Skype played by Xosha Roquemore. Geena is also Maryâs (Jayden Rey) mother, and her character was first seen back in Rosanneâs famous 1994 episode âWhite Men Canât Kiss,â as the girl DJ didnât want to kiss in his school play because she was black. âWhile Geena is no stranger to the family, viewers old and new will enjoy seeing how her âmilitary-styleâ discipline meshes with the Connersâ more laid-back attitude,â showrunner and executive producer Bruce Helford said in a statement. In giving Geena a larger role in this season, The Conners seems to align itself with the original Roseanneâs more progressive history, as opposed to to the far-right politics (and racist tweets) Barr expressed during its revival â whether the effort comes across as sincere, or The Conners works at all, is another question.