Rating: 4 out of 5 Wacky Scene Transitions
Julia McGrath ’23
Staff Writer
Looking for some ’90s nostalgia and a few familiar faces? That ’90s Show, the Netflix reboot of a similarly titled sitcom set in the 1970s has all of that and more. While not all of the comedic moments hit their target and the pilot episode requires some knowledge of the original series, it manages to be fun and heartwarming, if given the chance.
Centered around Leia, the daughter of the main That ’70s Show couple, Eric and Donna, the pilot of That ’90s Show introduces the young cast in clever and era-appropriate ways. Gwen, a quirky and outgoing character who later becomes Leia’s new best friend, is first heard loudly singing “You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morrissette. She’s revealed to live in the house next door to Leia’s grandparents, which was Donna’s childhood home in the original series. A few silly jokes about Donna and a bit of heavy metal music later and the two women have an instant connection.
In a fun turn of events, most of the new group of teenagers that ’90s focuses on are the children of the now grown-up characters from That ’70s Show. For example, Jay, a boy that Leia has a crush on, is the son of Kelso and Jackie, played by real-life couple Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis. The two even have a short cameo at the end of the episode, and their chemistry is just as lively and fun as ever. Despite the fact that their characters didn’t end up together in the original series, this reboot fixes that by implying that over the past twenty years, they’ve broken up and reconciled multiple times, which strangely makes sense for their characters.
One of the key relationships in this episode, and hopefully this season, is that of Leia and her father Eric, who was the main character of That ’70s Show. Eric is struggling with giving Leia the space to grow up, too used to seeing her as his little girl. When Leia decides she wants to stay in Wisconsin with her grandparents for the summer, she and Eric argue. After talking with his own parents, Eric realizes that the best thing he can do for his daughter is let go and allow her to be independent for a while. The two eventually make up in one of the few, yet impactful, moments of emotional depth in the episode.
In short, That ’90s Show does its job as a reboot: it catches the viewer up on beloved characters’ lives while also introducing a new, equally loveable main cast. That ’90s Show also sets up a few fun relationship dynamics that this writer hopes to see more of, like that of Leia and her mom, as well as side character Nate and his girlfriend Nikki, who is constantly overshadowed by Nate’s bromance with Jay. That ’90s Show is sure to develop over time like any other sitcom, and if this pilot is any indication, Leia and friends are just getting started.
That ’90s Show is available on Netflix starting at $6.99 a month.
