I was (and still am) a huge fan of That 70s Show. Definitely up there as one of my Top 10 sitcoms of all time. I knew I had to check out the spin-off.
In That 90s Show, Eric (Topher Grace) and Donna (formally Pinciotti) Foreman (Laura Prepon) are married and have a teenage daughter of their own, Leia (Callie Haverda). Leia decides she wants to form memories of her own in the quaint little Midwestern town of Point Place, Wisconsin. She spends the summer with her grandparents, the much beloved Kitty (Debra Jo Rupp) and Red Foreman (Kurtwood Smith). Leia befriends Gwen (Ashley Aufderheide), her brother Nate (Maxwell Acee Donovan) who live in Donna’s old house and their friends. So it is that we’re introduced to a new group of pot smoking, delinquents.
The producers knew they had to bring Red and Kitty back. They were the heart of the show. It would be nothing without them and I don’t think I’d even bother to watch this spin-off otherwise. Funny enough, they attempted one before with the little known That 80s Show. Despite having the same producers and writing team, it flopped, hard. The characters just weren’t as interesting, and they never jelled as well either.
That’s why going into this, I knew the relationship between the new characters, how well they interacted together and played up to each others’ personalities would always determine the success of the show. Another huge factor was how well it stood up against its decade. At the end of the day, it’s that 90s show. We need to feel immersed in the 90s. From references to the music to the throwbacks and guest appearances, I feel like they do a solid job of this.
Nothing beats the comedy of the adults but I like that the group of friends is split into two smaller distinct groups held together by the two siblings. I think the chemistry is pretty decent even if their comedic timing is nowhere on the same level of the original cast’s. I was actually surprised by how much I laughed during this because I have to be honest, I wasn’t expecting much.
It’s funny to watch everything come full circle. Eric is now a parent and will know the grief he caused his own parents through his daughter. The truth is, while I do think this show had its fair share of funny notes and call backs, much of its comedy depends on the original series. I don’t mind reliving the good times but That 90s Show has yet to establish itself as its own show.
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I do understand the need to lean on its predecessor but going forward, they’ll need to place a bigger emphasis on the new characters, keeping the call backs to a minimum. If this show is going to be successful, it’ll need to create its traditions and running jokes. Otherwise, it’ll forever be stuck in the shadow of the original. I do hope they’re given a Season 2 to prove they’re up to the task but… we’ll see.
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