And look: The history of TV is the history of expedient business decisions that worked out through good execution. “Roseanne” had some of the best actors on TV. Its revival season had some truly bad moments, but some of its episodes were as funny, insightful and emotionally rich as the show in its heyday.

If we’re going to get “The Conners” whether we want it or not, then, here are a few ways it could be its best self:

No Half Measures

I’ll just say it: Roseanne must die. I mean the character, and I don’t mean this as a punitive statement. Ms. Barr was already punished, correctly, by being severed from the show, creatively and financially.

No, Roseanne has to die for artistic reasons. If the character’s separation from the show is anything but permanent — no going off to rehab or to visit a faraway relative — it’ll be a distraction.

It would tease the audience that Ms. Barr herself might return (which, let’s be clear, should never happen). And it would leave the characters in a state of limbo, being upstaged by a void. “The Conners” already has the challenge of continuing a show in which most of the characters were defined in relation to the title character. Leaning into that, and not rushing past the aftermath, would give the new series stakes. (Classic “Roseanne” did its best making comedy out of very dark material.)

The brief statement ABC issued about “The Conners” suggests this is where they’re going — the family, it says, will deal with “a sudden turn of events” — but that could just be press-release-ese for “We’re figuring it out.” Sometimes the obvious choice is also the right one.