That '90s Show

Did You Know?

• The show centers on Leia Forman forming bonds with other teenagers as she spends the summer of 1995 with her grandparents Red and Kitty in Point Place, Wisconsin.
• The second season was divided into two parts, with the first eight episodes released on June 27, 2024, and another eight episodes released on August 22, 2024 after it was originally set to be released on October 24.

Cast

Debra Jo Rupp portrays Kitty Forman, Leia's paternal grandmother and Eric's mother, who works as a nurse at the high school. Kurtwood Smith plays Red Forman, Leia's paternal grandfather and Eric's father, known for his hard attitude. Callie Haverda stars as Leia Forman, a smart, snarky teen girl who craves adventure, the daughter of Eric Forman and Donna Pinciotti. Ashley Aufderheide plays Gwen Runck, Nate Runck's rebellious Riot grrrl half-sister with a loyal heart, who lives next door to Kitty and Red. Maxwell Acee Donovan portrays Nate Runck, Gwen Runck's more easygoing and goofy older half-brother, and Nikki Velasco's boyfriend. Sam Morelos plays Nikki Velasco, Nate's ambitious and intelligent girlfriend. Mace Coronel appears as Jay Kelso, a charming, flirty young son of Michael Kelso and Jackie Burkhart, Leia's love interest. Reyn Doi plays Ozzie Takada, a computer whiz and the most perceptive yet cynical friend of the gang. Laura Prepon appears as Donna Pinciotti, Leia's mother, Eric's wife, and an author. Wilmer Valderrama plays Fez in season 1, a popular hair stylist and longtime friend of the Forman family. Andrea Anders portrays Sherri Runck, the Formans' new neighbor and Gwen and Nate's mother. Don Stark appears as Bob Pinciotti in season 2 and as a guest in season 1. Kevin Smith plays Jason 'Sonny' in season 2, Leo's son. Jason Mewes appears as Bunch in season 2, Sonny's best friend and roommate. Niles Fitch plays Cole Carson in season 2, Gwen's ex-boyfriend. Kira Kosarin portrays Betsy Kelso in season 2, Jay's half-sister. Raphael Alejandro plays Isaac in season 2, Ozzie's boyfriend. Anthony Turpel appears as Theo in season 2, Nikki's ex-boyfriend. Topher Grace plays Eric Forman in season 1, Leia's father and a college professor in Star Wars studies. Mila Kunis appears as Jackie Burkhart in season 1, Jay's mother. Ashton Kutcher plays Michael Kelso in season 1, Jay's father. Tommy Chong portrays Leo Chingkwake, Point Place's local hippie.

Production

The original series, That '70s Show, ran on Fox from 1998 to 2006 and followed a group of teenagers living between 1976 and 1979. It found a second wave of popularity on Netflix after its original run ended, but left that streaming service in September 2020. Netflix announced a spin-off, That '90s Show, in October 2021. Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp came back to play Red and Kitty Forman. The Carsey-Werner Company produces the show, with Gregg Mettler as showrunner. Executive producers include Bonnie Turner, Terry Turner, their daughter Lindsay Turner, Marcy Carsey, Tom Werner, Smith, and Rupp. The series was ordered for ten episodes and used a multi-camera format, just like the original. Filming took place in front of a live audience at Sunset Bronson Studios in Los Angeles from February 7 to July 21, 2022. In February 2022, the regular cast was announced: Callie Haverda, Ashley Aufderheide, Mace Coronel, Maxwell Acee Donovan, Reyn Doi, and Sam Morelos. Topher Grace, Laura Prepon, Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, and Wilmer Valderrama were set to appear in recurring roles. Danny Masterson did not return as Steven Hyde due to a pending criminal trial; he was later convicted of rape in May 2023 and sentenced to thirty years in prison. Lisa Robin Kelly had passed away before the spin-off was made, so her character Laurie Forman was mentioned but did not appear. On April 30, 2022, it was confirmed that Grace, Prepon, Kunis, Kutcher, and Valderrama would all make guest appearances. Netflix renewed the series for a second season of sixteen episodes on February 3, 2023. Filming for that season was scheduled between May and September 2023 but was postponed because of the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes. The series was canceled after two seasons on October 3, 2024.

Reception

In its first week, That '90s Show landed at number five on Netflix's list of top English-language TV shows, pulling in 41.08 million hours watched just three days after it came out. The next week it climbed to fourth place with 26.25 million viewing hours. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave the first season a 75% approval rating, averaging 6.4 out of 10 from 52 reviews. The site's summary called it a solidly serviceable sequel that takes a while to find its groove but still offers a respectable amount of warmly nostalgic laughs. Metacritic gave it a score of 58 out of 100 from 23 critics, which points to mixed or average reactions. Angie Han of The Hollywood Reporter said the show doesn't aim much higher than recreating the low-key charm of the original, but it hits that target with enough confidence and consistency to become a treat on its own. Steve Greene at IndieWire thought it was better than it had any right to be, praising the new cast's easy chemistry and the work of Smith and Rupp. Brian Lowry from CNN called it high on nostalgia but only half-baked. Lucy Mangan at The Guardian found it likable enough and nostalgic. Manuel Betancourt at The A.V. Club gave the first season a B, noting that if you grew up watching That '70s Show, you might not be able to judge whether this one works on its own—and maybe it doesn't even want to. Alan Sepinwall at Rolling Stone doubted that a multi-camera sitcom could find an audience in the streaming era. Richard Roeper gave it two out of four stars, describing it as a little edgy, occasionally chuckle-inducing, mostly sweet-natured, just OK, and quickly forgettable. The second season earned an 88% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 8 reviews, with an average rating of 8 out of 10.