Beards, Thrupples and Robots

"Beards, Thrupples and Robots"
Season 2: Episode 15(26 / 112 episodes)
Network	ABC-TV
Production Code	214
Air date	March 17, 2020
Written by	Dave Caplan Bruce Helford & Bruce Rasmussen
Directed by	Gail Mancuso
Episode Guide
Previous	Bad Dads and Grads
Next	Tats and Tias

Beards, Thrupples and Robots is the fifteenth episode of Season 2 of The Conners, also the 26th episode overall.

Summary

Harris is the boss of Darlene after her mom, desperate for money, gets a job at Price Warehouse. Jackie decides to take her "thrupple" relationship with Ron and Janelle to the next level. Everyone makes fun of Ben's appearance after he shaves his beard in an attempt to appear more clean-cut to potential advertisers for the magazine.

Plot

In-Depth

Darlene is about to make her car payment but her bank and credit cards are after her. Ben says that their news magazine will never happen unless they have money to spend on it. She begs Harris for a job at Price Warehouse.

Sara Gilbert says: "The Conners is recorded in front of a live studio audience.".

Dan arrives at The Lunch Box with Becky as well as Jackie's date. Dan does not seem to know the situation of Jackie's personal life. Dan ignores Jackie's take out order and sits down to talk with the man. After seeing that he is married to another woman, Dan walks away confused. The married couple wants to know when Jackie is ready to have sex. The couple says that they are ready now, but this time Jackie is confused. They confirm that they are supposed to be together all the time. The wife says that she has never done this before as well and enjoys Jackie's response.

Harris is now Darlene's boss. She introduces a giant Roomba and tells Darlene to fold sweaters. Before Darlene finishes, a customer drops the wrong sizes on Darlene's area. Darlene repeatedly tells the lady to look at the bottom of the pile, but the customer does not listen. Darlene lost her temper in front of Harris.

After work, She goes home to find Ben shaved his face. He now looks like Alan Thicke. Ben says that the result was his first customer. Darlene is ready to quit her job now, but Ben says that is impossible.

Jackie wants advice from Becky. She gets advice from not only Becky, but also Dan. Becky tells her not to be afraid of saying "no", while Dan says that this relationship is no different from being the third wheel.

Darlene says it is no problem to set up the first publication during her shift at Price Warehouse. They catch her immediately. After an argument with Harris, Darlene got fired.

Jackie is at their house anticipating the sexual intercourse. It does not take long for the husband to proceed with Jackie. The wife is upset that they did not wait for her. The husband reveals that the entire dating situation was for him to pursue Jackie. Jackie decides to escape while the couple continues to fight.

The next day, Darlene begs for her job at Price Warehouse, letting Harris know how essential it is. Unfortunately, she says that she does not want her mother working for her any more.

Jackie tells Becky and Dan that she is no longer trapped in the relationship. On the contrary, she feels better that the married couple broke up with each other over what she considers fighting for her.

Ben says that the news magazine has customers for several months. Harris walks in to tell everybody that she got fired as well, by the robot. She is also dismissed from school.

Darlene and Becky tell Jackie about another couple waiting for her at The Lunch Box. This time, the couple is serious about dating. Even more interesting is that the couple are the Osbournes. Even so, Jackie is not interested any more. However, The Osbournes almost consider asking both Jackie and Darlene together.

Cast

Starring

• John Goodman as Dan Conner
• Laurie Metcalf as Jackie Harris
• Sara Gilbert as Darlene Conner
• Lecy Goranson as Becky Conner
• Michael Fishman as D.J. Conner (credit only)
• Emma Kenney as Harris Healy
• Ames McNamara as Mark Healy II (credit only)
• Jayden Rey as Mary Conner (credit only)

Special Guests

• Clark Gregg as Ron
• Jennifer Gray as Janelle

Guests

• Jay R. Ferguson as Ben
• Denisse Ojeda as Sheila
• Ozzy Osbourne as Himself
• Sharon Osbourne as Herself

Trivia

• Despite being credited, Michael Fishman (D.J.), Ames McNamara (Mark), and Jayden Rey (Mary) do not appear. This is the third episode in a row that DJ has been absent in.
• Although aired as the fifteenth episode of the season, it was filmed as the fourteenth one.