Netflix just released their first season of That ‘90s Show, a spinoff of That ‘70s Show which aired 25 years ago. The spinoff follows Eric Foreman and Donna Pinciotti’s daughter, Leia Foreman, who is played by Callie Haverda. As she decides to spend her summer at her grandparents house in the fictional town of Point Place, she quickly finds a group of friends and begins making similar mistakes that her father made in That ‘70s Show. Throughout the season, several members of the old cast, including Topher Grace, Laura Prepon, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, make memorable cameos that fill the screen with nostalgia. Kitty and Red, played by Debra Jo Rupp and Kurtwood Smith, have reprised their roles as well and are seasonal regulars on the new show. A huge question on everyone’s mind is will the show be able to live up to its predecessor?
While That ‘70s Show was successful and cherished, its fanbase is not guaranteed to transfer over for the new spinoff. For instance, there was a reboot, That ‘80s Show, which came out in 2002 and was canceled after its first season. While That ‘90s Show has nostalgia to depend on, nostalgia will only go so far. Take Friends for example. Friends is considered to be the best sitcom of all time for many people. Its lesser known spinoff, Joey, did not however share its same success, as it only ran for two seasons. Additionally, Joey aired the same year Friends had ended, 2004. The gap between That ‘90s Show and That ‘70s Show is considerable, begging the question if its new demographic will be able to connect and enjoy commentary on decades from before they were born. Will the show be able to use its nostalgia as a launchpad for success, or will this be Leia’s one and only summer at Point Place?