Summary
Reboots always face a struggle as they attempt to revive a series that has, by definition, been dead for a while, butThat ’90s Showis succeeding despite the lack of OG characters.That ’70s Showwas a hit show that aired from 1998 to 2006. With a combination of nostalgia for the 1970s and a classic sitcom format which had a group of teenagers at the heart of the show, it appealed to a slightly wider audience and the show enjoyed success for most of the 8 seasons before the actors began to focus on other work.
However, a spin-off series titled,That ’80s Showfailed to get traction when it came out in 2002, which potentially made the studio hesitant about a sequel. However, whenThat ’90s Showchose to focus on the teenage daughter ofEric and Donna from the original series, it gave the show a link that satisfied audiences and resulted in further seasons being greenlit by Netflix. Now, withseason 2 featuring even fewer cameos, the reviews could have taken a huge dip, but the opposite appears to be true.
Every That ’70s Show Character Missing From That ’90s Show Season 2
While That ’90s Show season 1 was full of character cameos from That ’70s Show’s cast, season 2 left out most of those from the original series.
That ’90s Show Season 2’s RT Score Is At 100%, Despite Fewer OG Cast Member Returns
The New Kids On The Block
That ’90s Showis starting to develop its own style and humor, which helps to set it apart from the original series, and reviews are sitting at 100% onRotten Tomatoes. The show has doneless in season 2 by way of cameos from the original cast, but it continues to have great success regardless. Season 1 encountered the typical issues of trying to develop a tone of voice in a reboot, drawing in old fans, and making something that would appeal to new audiences.
Season 2 appears to have found a firm foundation, and this could be in part because it isn’t relying on cameos from the original cast. While these cameos do pay tribute to fans of the original, it can lead to stories that have tobend and adjust unnaturally to accommodate characters that really don’t belong there. Without Eric, Kelso, Fez, Jackie or Leo even making a brief appearance in the whole ofThat ’90s Showseason 2, the show is developing its own cast and focusing on new stories.
Why It’s Good That ’90s Show Season 2 Isn’t Relying On Original Characters As Much
That ’90s Show Is A New Chapter
The reality is,That ’90s Showis a reboot, not a revival.That ’70s Showran its course and provided a conclusion to the story that it was trying to tell.That ’90s Showprovides a wonderful tie-in, and offers insight about the future of the original cast, but it is not their story, andthings would feel forced and unnatural if they constantly popped up. And, the show still has a clear connection to the original, with Red and Kitty Forman returning.
That ’90s Showis starting to develop its own style and humor, which helps to set it apart from the original series.
Byincluding Red and Kittyas the grandparents whose home is constantly being invaded by a group of teenagers trying to figure life out, it connects both shows together without making it into an identical remake.That ’90s Showhas found the perfect balance for having the old mixed with the new in a way that is not imposing, or forced. As a result, the show is forging its own path and garnering hugely positive reviews, and securing a future for the nostalgic reboot.
That ’90s Show
Cast
That ’70s Show returns set two decades later with That ’90s Show, acting as a sequel but bringing back old cast favorites. Led by Red (Kurtwood Smith) and Kitty (Debra Jo Rupp) Forman, the new cast arrives as the next generation, with the daughter of Eric and Donna, Leia Forman, leading the charge. Spending the summer with her grandparents, Leia makes new friends and forges new bonds in Point Place, Wisconsin. That ’70s Show series regulars make cameos in the show to maintain that sense of familiarity, and the show adopts the conventions of the ’90s as expected. That ’90s Show first aired on Netflix with a total of ten episodes.
