That 90’s Show: The Disney Channel-fication of That 70’s Show

Image Courtesy: Strike Magazine Tallahassee

In 1998, television screens were graced with the presence of a sitcom called That 70’s Show. They didn’t know it then, but a little over two decades later the show would be a hit even after its cancellation in 2006. So much of a hit that in 2022, Netflix finally created the reboot That 90’s Show. However, while many fans were excited, others became nervous that it wouldn’t live up to the original (me being one of them). That 70’s Show had such a lasting impact on multiple generations because of the chemistry the cast had with one another, making the plot and relationships between characters feel natural and flow smoothly. This was something that fans like me were wary about with the reboot because, although it was mentioned that the original cast would return, the show would focus on a whole new group of kids, kids that might not be able to recreate the same chemistry the OG’s had.

Image Courtesy: The Guardian

That 70’s Show focused on 17-year-old Eric Forman (Topher Grace) and his friend group in Point Place, WI as they navigated issues involving relationships, high school, parents, and smoking in Forman’s basement. The friend group consisted of feminist girl-next-door Donna Pinciotti (Laura Prepon), oblivious heartthrob Michael Kelso (Ashton Kutcher), rebel Steven Hyde (Danny Masterson), foreign exchange student Fez (Wilmer Valderrama), and the spoiled Jackie Burkhart (Mila Kunis).

That 90’s Show focuses on Eric and Donna’s 15-year-old daughter Leia. In the first episode, Leia is visiting her grandparents, returning characters Kitty and Red Forman. After meeting the girl who lives next door and her friends, Leia ultimately decides that she wants to spend the summer with them making memories instead of attending space camp with her father Eric. Granted he is her dad, but how does one turn down space camp with Eric Forman? He’s definitely on my list of fictional characters that shaped whom I’m attracted to now.

Image Courtesy: IGN

That 90’s Show had a lot of potential, but in the end, it didn’t live up to the hype. Why not? It comes off as the “Disney Channel” version of the original. It felt like a Disney show was told, “You can talk about as many mature topics as you want… 3, 2, 1 GO!” This was because the acting was very theatrical. The chemistry between the actors felt forced with the exception of the actors that play Kitty and Red, but I think that was more of a writing issue. This is a common problem with a lot of reboots such as Fuller House, except Fuller House focused on the original cast for the entirety of the show which made it a bit more natural. It was a major letdown that many expected the original cast of That 70’s Show to appear multiple times throughout the reboot, but fan favorites Kelso, Jackie, and Eric only appeared in the first episode. I can give credit where it is due and say that That 90’s Show had some funny moments, but most of them were because of returning characters like Kitty and Red Forman.

Image Courtesy: People Magazine

In some cases, the reboot gave off the impression that it was trying to copy and paste the original show, which is something reboots should aim to avoid because it just puts them in the spotlight of endless criticism. Because of this, many plot holes and fan questions were piling up, while other viewers just let it pass with the thought, “It’s just a tv show.” This also led to fans comparing the new kids to the originals, trying to figure out which new character was taking each of their places.

Let me put it this way, the newcomers did well with what they were given, but the dialogue could’ve been better to make it feel less like a play and more like kids you’re “hangin’ out down the street” with.

Strike out,

Writer: Lindsey Limbach

Editor: Addy Crosby

Graphic Designer: Lindsay Merrill

Tallahassee