Starring: Debra Jo Rupp, Kurtwood Smith, Callie Halverad
Directed: Gail Mancuso, Laura Prepon
Released: 2023
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
One of my favourite shows has to be That 70’s Show, so when I heard that Netflix were creating a spin off twenty years later. I was nervous to see how it was going to go and honestly it was pretty much what I expected. The show isn’t the most amazing piece of television I’ve ever seen however is fun too watch and has the feel good aura. (This is your official spoiler warning.)
It’s easy to say that the most important part of That 70’s Show is the gang, their chemistry and the way they bounce off of each other. This was essential to try and capture again to make the show work and honestly I think it does. The new gang is made up of Leia Forman, Eric and Donna’s daughter who is living with her grandparents Red and Kitty for the summer. The rest of the group include the Foreman’s neighbour Gwen, her brother Nate and his girlfriend Nikki, Kelso and Jackie’s son Jay and lastly is Ozzie.
Now while not many of the group are direct copies you can tell which characters have been moulded after others, however there are also characters that are a mixture of others, for example Jay is very obviously Kelso but as he is his son it can be put down to that. Ozzie is most like Fez, the slightly weirder character who has the more wacky story lines. Nate however is a good example of a mixture as at times his character has similarities to both Eric and Kelso.
As far as episodes go, there are only ten in the season. They all have pretty good storylines and it feels very much like the original episodes. They give Kitty and Red about the same air time as they did in That 70’s Show which I for one am very glad about as they are two of my favourite characters.
No surprise cameos are a big part of this show, and while I loved seeing the original characters come back, I did feel like some were very rushed. For example Eric, Kelso and Jackie are only in the first episode and while Eric was in the whole episode I felt that as a whole they all could’ve at least been mentioned more as I understand schedules and availability may have had a part to play. I did love getting to see Fez more and Donna coming back and her scenes with Leia and of course Leo being back.
So as I said before the show isn’t the best thing I’ve ever seen but its good fun and an easy watch. If you a fan of That 70’s Show don’t go in expecting it to be season 9 but just a nice homage to the original.
Cinema & Chapters by Peggy 