In a shocking twist, Ben asked Darlene to marry him on The Conners Season 4 Episode 18!

Did you see this coming? Should Darlene have said yes?

Let's review the good, the bad, and the possible ugly of this couple's reunion, as well as the fun of having Christopher Lloyd back as Mark's new contrabassoon teacher...

The last time we saw Lou Vitori, he was Bev's boyfriend and living in, or escaping from, a nursing home. This time around, Lou seems in much better shape. He gives music lessons, lives on his own, and we hope that he's once again putting on his own socks. 

During Roseanne Season 10 Episode 6, Lou came across as older and a little out there. This time around, Lou is a more well-rounded character who has a little bit of an edge. 

That edge is what got Dan's protective hackles up. Dan doesn't see Mark as being a tough kid, at least not football tough. But Mark is as resilient as they come.

My daughter’s got a house with a crematorium, and I’m just itching to fire that thing up.

Dan

• Permalink: My daughter’s got a house with a crematorium, and I’m just itching to fire that thing up.

Mark is artisitic, creative, smart, and gay. He's had his parents break up, his father disappear from his life for years at a time, and he's switched schools more than once.

Mark isn't tough, he's strong, and nothing Lou dishes out is going to stop him from his goal of going to college. Plus, Lou really isn't a bad guy, just a little rough around the edges. But he knew Mark had a difficult road ahead of him, and he'd have to push his student hard to accomplish his goal.

In our interview with Christopher Lloyd, he mentions the wonderful energy he felt with both John Goodman and Ames McNamara, and that energy is apparent in these scenes. 

It felt like they were all enjoying these roles, and I hope Lou returns to The Conners soon. 

Now, on to Darlene and Ben...

Ben: Don’t finish the basement, just seal it. That makes more sense.
Darlene: I think I’ll decide what makes sense, just like you decided your face should be more wolf pelt than face.
Ben: I’m trying to help. Why do you keep jumping on me?
Darlene: Because you keep telling me what to do with my house. Let’s have a code, okay? When I want your opinion, I will use these special words. “Ben, I will probably do the opposite, but what do you think?

• Permalink: Because you keep telling me what to do with my house. Let’s have a code, okay? When I want...

There's a part of me that enjoys Ben and Darlene. After Darlene controlled and belittled David all of those years, it was refreshing to see Darlene have to deal with a partner who stood up for himself and didn't kowtow to her. 

But as Darlene and Ben's relationship progressed, something changed. The balance of power felt unequal as Ben stopped taking Darlene's desires and needs into account. 

Yes, Ben did agree to put off him and Darlene getting their own place together, and they moved in with Dan to help save the house. But soon, Ben was deciding to work on his podcast while Darlene took the job at the factory to support her family.

Eventually, Ben took over his late father's hardware store, but when Darlene was having anxiety attacks and wanted to use her friend's gift to take a romantic trip to Hawaii for a much needed mental health break, Ben said no.

Even when Darlene agreed to turn in the tickets and just use part of the money for a getaway closer to home, Ben was still unwilling to compromise.

Darlene's made plenty of mistakes, but Ben has too, and I don't see him owning those the way Darlene has, and that worries me for the future of this relationship.

I don't doubt that Ben and Darlene love one another, but how long will it be before they fall into old patterns and begin resenting each other again?

Darlene has been working on herself and trying to be happy on her own, and she's made progress. Even though she'll never love her job, she's doing well at work. She's buying and renovating a house where she can raise her son.

This leads me back around to the problem.

Darlene clearly explained that the reason she wanted to finish the basement was so Mark would have a place to hang out with his friends, but Ben completely dismissed that and told her to just seal it for resale value. 

How does sealing it give Mark his own space? And Darlene isn't interested in resale value. She plans to live in this house the rest of her life. 

That just seems like a microcosm of the communication problems between Ben and Darlene, and if they don't find a way to fix that, I don't think they'll end up happy together. 

As for their reunion scene, I can't say I didn't enjoy it. Darlene was acting foolish on the roof, even if she does weigh next to nothing. And it made sense that a close call like that could make Ben realize how much he wanted Darlene in his life. 

Maybe I'm wrong, and this couple's second chance (or is it third now?) will work out. But I think some couples therapy would do them a world of good. 

What do you think, TV Fanatics? Are Ben and Darlene meant to be, or are they making a mistake? Have you been rooting for this couple to reunite? Or would you prefer Darlene to find someone new or just be happy and fulfilled on her own? 

And are you hoping we get Christopher Lloyd back as Lou? 

Hit that big, blue, SHOW COMMENTS button down below to let us know what you think, then check back in for The Conners Season 4 Episode 19 review. 

And don't forget, you can watch The Conners online any time here at TV Fanatic. 

C. Orlando was a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.