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'The Conners' Season 3 Episode 3: Darlene's work-lunch habit sparks debate, fans say they'd never do that

Despite the many things arlene Conners could work on herself for, does she really deserve to get told her dead mother wouldn't be proud of her?

Spoilers for 'The Conners' Season 3 Episode 3

The latest episode of 'The Conners' Season 3 saw everybody's favorite progeny of Dan and Roseanne Conner, Darlene Conner (Sara Gilbert), in a bit of a pickle. Thrilled and relieved as she is at the prospect of starting a new job, Darlene's behavior puts her under the scrutiny of her coworkers from the very start. So much so, that they end up labeling her an 'elitist snob'. This calls for some very intense defense strategy from Darlene which has now left the fandom divided, in terms of relatability. 

Darlene's new job is proving to be quite a challenge. Amidst the ongoing pandemic plot, 'The Conners' has maintained a very realistic portrayal of what life in the Covid-19 era has been like. People losing jobs, small businesses shutting down and anti-maskers having their inception at school, the ABC sitcom has touched upon all the salient features that have defined life in quarantine as we have known. So when it comes to people being dragged out of their homes as the pandemic's treat still hovers at large, 'The Conners' stuck to its signature authenticity and showed Darlene with reservations about her social interaction at a new workplace.

The synopsis of the episode teaches that "Darlene isolates herself from her co-workers at Wellman Plastics, leaving them with the impression she is an elitist snob." Well, when you are at a packed public space in the middle of a raging pandemic, isolation should be a primal instinct and Darlene is only doing what's absolutely necessary. Maybe being cooped up at home surrounded by her family has channeled this social distancing protocol in her a bit too intensely, but she isn't entirely wrong. Sadly, the rest of the people at her job don't see it that way. And there's good reason for that too!

Social distancing or not, Darlene feels like this new job is a step back in her career or how far she has come in life. The isolation she enforces generates from the same idea and of course, things don't end well for her. In fact, things get a bit too awful for Darlene, to the point where she gets told off by the other working women at her job, and has to have her lunch in a bathroom cubicle at work, giving major Cady Heron from 'Mean Girls' vibe. And that has divided the internet. 

Clearly, fans noticed the similarity between the ABC spin-off of the classic sitcom 'Roseanne' and the pop culture classic from 2004 starring Lindsay Lohan. "Eating in the bathroom like Lindsey Lohan's character Cady Heron in "Mean Girls"!" tweeted a fan, visibly excited about Darlene pulling a Cady. Another chimed in pro-bathroom lunch, saying "That would be me when I eat my lunch in the bathroom back in high school."

For other fans, this is where they draw the line. "As much as I enjoy doing my business in the bathroom, don't think I would ever eat my lunch in there," tweeted one. Another simply questioned the decision, tweeting: "Darlene eating in the bathroom? That’s...nuts." Some fans also believe Darlene deserved this fate this early at work. "I can relate to Darlene working a job she hates and that feels like a step backwards, but that's no excuse to be a classist snob. I'm glad those women told her off," claimed a fan. But of course there were people in Darlene's defense, noting: "ok honestly they didn’t have to come for darlene like that, she was trying to fix it. ESPECIALLY saying her mom would be ashamed that was too far."

'The Conners' Season 3 airs every Wednesday at 9 pm on ABC.