‘Roseanne’ Reveals Why David Left His Family

Roseanne fans have been asking what happened between Darlene and David since the reboot’s premiere, and the answer will break your heart.

During Tuesday’s all new episode, Darlene (Sara Gilbert) is startled while on a grocery run with Roseanne (Barr) before Harris’ (Emma Kenney) birthday after receiving a text from David (Johnny Galecki) that he’s coming to the celebration.

“[Harris] should be happy to see her father,” Roseanne says.

“Yeah sure, if he actually shows up, but he only showed up about three times in Chicago, and the anxiety of whether he’s going to be here or not really messes with her head,” Darlene says.

Roseanne admits she’s been in contact with David for a while now so she knows he will show up this time.

Later in the episode, Darlene and Roseanne discuss David coming back into the Conner’s lives.

“David’s made a lot of mistakes but he is still a good person and I want my grandkids to have a father,” Roseanne says.

“How can you defend him? He’s been running around the world building houses for poor people in third world countries, does that sound like a good person to you?” Darlene says.

Roseanne gives her daughter a look, so she rethinks her words.

“O.K., fine, but he’s a bad person too, David can’t just walk in here like everything’s fine.”

When they reunite, Darlene and David’s chemistry overpowers them and the pair hooks up despite David having a girlfriend.

After the two contemplate getting back together since David is moving back to Lanford, they remember the reasons David walked away from his family in the first place.

“You know, when I left you and the kids I rationalized that it was O.K. because I was helping people, the truth is I left because my brother died and I was overwhelmed with all the responsibility and I just ran,” David confesses to Darlene the morning after their hook-up.

As Darlene considers letting David back into her life, Roseanne puts her daughter’s failed marriage back into perspective.

“You said he was a good person, you said I should give him a second chance,” Darlene says.

“Yeah, as a father not as a husband, you guys are a disaster as a couple, it’s like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde… and David,” Roseanne says. “He left because you guys were fighting all the time and that’s what he couldn’t handle.”

After more conversations with Roseanne and Becky (Lecy Goranson), Darlene decides she must move on and get a divorce, and she and David decide to be civil and co-parent their kids.

Roseanne airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.