The Forman basement has been revived and serves as the hangout spot for a new generation of teenagers living in Point Place, WI. “That ‘90s Show” is the sequel to “That ‘70s Show” taking place 15 years later in the show’s timeline. The show premiered on Netflix with a total of 10 episodes on Jan. 19.
“That ‘90s Show” is a teen comedy sitcom set in the summer of 1995, and is told through the perspective of Leia Forman when she decides to spend her summer with her grandparents, Kitty and Red. Being named after a character from Star Wars is a clear indicator that Leia is the daughter of Eric and Donna. There, she enters a new friend group of individuals with diverse personalities who all find comfort in the Forman family basement. The new gang consists of Gwen, Jay, Leia, Nate, Nikki, and Ozzie.
Gwen is a defiant “riot grrrl” feminist who helps Leia embrace her individualism. Nate and Nikki are the couple of the friend group who will take any opportunity to make-out in some dark corner. Living up to his family’s legacy, Jay Kelso, is known for being a heartbreaker but is loyal to the people he cares about. Ozzie’s level of sarcasm leaves his friends questioning when to take him seriously, but his good judgment saves the group from making bad life choices.
There are some recurring characters from the original cast featured in the sequel including Tommy Chong (Leo), Topher Grace (Eric), Mila Kunis (Jackie), Ashton Kutcher (Kelso), Laura Prepon (Donna), and Wilmer Valderrama (Fez). The beloved gang are now adults, some have children and others with professional occupations. There are also callbacks and references to the original series like the circle, dance transitions between scenes, the vista cruiser, and the Water Tower.
Fans of “That ‘70s Show” will enjoy how the sequel is reminiscent of the original while being a ‘90s era series with a female protagonist. On Feb. 3, Netflix confirmed that the show’s second season is already in production and will have a total of 16 episodes following the lives of the new Point Place gang while they return back to school.
