A series that originally aired in the 90s is now getting new life in the form of a spinoff set in the 90s. According to ComingSoon.net, Netflix has ordered That ’90s Show, a sequel to That ’70s Show, the popular sitcom that aired on Fox from 1998-2006. Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp are set to reprise their roles as Red and Kitty Forman, the signature parents from the original series. It’s unclear whether other actors will return, but hopes are high for familiar faces in the ten-episode series.
The official synopsis for the show previews its premise: “Hello, Wisconsin! It’s 1995 and Leia Forman, daughter of Eric and Donna, is visiting her grandparents for the summer where she bonds with a new generation of Point Place kids under the watchful eye of Kitty and the stern glare of Red. Sex, drugs and rock ’n roll never dies, it just changes clothes.” Original series creators Bonnie and Terry Turner are behind the project and executive producing along with Lindsey Turner, Marcy Carsey, and Tom Werner. Gregg Mettler will serve as showrunner.
Smith and Rupp have worked consistently in TV roles since the first show concluded fifteen years ago, both appearing together in another Netflix comedy, The Ranch, as well as high-profile series like Jupiter’s Legacy and WandaVision, respectively. Many of the original cast members have achieved tremendous success and varying levels of fame, with Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kinus, and Topher Grace topping the list.
Two cast members who will definitely not be returning are Tanya Roberts, who played Kitty’s best friend and who passed away this past January, and Danny Masterson, who is facing multiple charges of rape that allegedly occurred when the show was in production.
This is not the first attempt to recapture the energy of this show’s concept. That ’80s Show debuted in 2002, featuring a protagonist, Corey Howard, played by Glenn Howerton, who was the first cousin of Grace’s character, Eric Forman. The fact that there were no other connections to the original show may have been a major reason for its swift cancellation after just one season. Hopeful examples for the potential success of That ’90s Show include Fuller House and The Conners, which maintain elements and characters of their first iterations with a focus on the next generation.