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Review: That ’90s Show

by | Mar 24, 2023 | Opinions | 0 comments

Picture this: It’s the mid-90’s in Wisconsin. Married couple, and now grandparents, Red (Kurtwood Smith) and Kitty Forman (Debra Jo Rupp) are still living in the same house. The water tower is still the go-to hangout spot, the Formans’ basement is where all of the kids meet up, and Point Place isn’t so different than it was 20 years ago.

Leia Forman (Callie Haverda) is the 15-year-old daughter of That ‘70s Show cast originals, Donna Pinciotti and Eric Forman. When she decides to stay in Point Place with her grandparents for the entire summer, she has no idea what those months will offer her. From having her first kiss and getting a boyfriend to smoking weed for the first time, Leia steps out of her comfort zone to follow in her parents’ footsteps.

While she’s off kissing boys and trying to become the “cool girl,” she also begins leading a new group of friends: siblings Gwen (Sheley Aufderheide) and Nate (Maxwell Acee Donovan), Nate’s girlfriend Nikki (Sam Morelos), playboy Jay “Kelso” (Mace Coronel), and Ozzie (Reyn Doi).

Between their smoke-sesh circles and dates at the local diner, The Hub, the gang reveals itself to be a reflection of the original Point Place friend group of That ‘70s Show: Jackie (Mila Junis), Donna (Laura Prepon), Eric (Topher Grace), Steven “Hyde” (Danny Materson), Fez (Wilmer Valderrama), and Michael “Kelso” (Ashton Kutcher).

One thing I loved about this spinoff was the return of some of the original cast. Valderrama’s character, Fez, a wealthy and hilarious hair stylist, is still as charming as ever. Kunis’ character, Jackie, is still witty and ditsy, except now married to Kutcher’s character, Kelso. And to make matters even better, the two are married in real life!

The cued laugh tracks and original sets contribute well to the atmosphere of the show. The show does a great job of sticking to the same comedic theme as the original 1998 show. The title cards are also in the same format of the original, and so are the fun and funky transition clips between scenes.

Nothing can live up to the original That ‘70s Show; it’s just one of those feel-good shows that will always be considered a classic, but this reboot was surprisingly good. The attention to detail in the new series brings back memories of the good ol’ days when overalls were in style and no one knew how to use the internet.

That ‘90s Show has some great throwback moments; teens getting high in the basement, Red Forman calling people dumbasses, his legendary “foot in your ass” jokes and Kitty’s chaotic laugh makes up some of the best parts of the show. If you enjoyed That ‘70s Show — or had a childhood crush on Ashton Kutcher like I did — give this show a watch.

Payton Phillips

The Griff

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