TV Review: That 90s Show Is No That 70s Show …. And?
Created by Gregg Mettler and Bonnie Turner, when it comes to That 90s Show, the trailer had people scared. Would this be the Disney Channel version of a show that has become a comfort series for those seeking to binge that past? After all, That 70s Show was a 90s show about the 70s, and while it had 8 successful seasons and has garnered a cult following in streams and syndication, it still has an ¨under the radar¨ vibe, despite having been on Netflix. While That 90s Show is good, it could be better and its chance lies in its new characters.
There was a light risqué and silly rebelliousness to the band of original outcasts that feels missing in That 90s show. While each actor is charming and full in their role, their characters seem too normal and casual. Donna (Laura Prepon), Hyde, Kelso (Ashton Kutcher), Fez (Wilmer Valderrama), Eric (Topher Grace), and Jackie (Mile Kunis) were bombastic goofballs with good hearts, slick plans, and embodied to viewers the essence of fun eccentricity. They pushed boundaries, and made the 70s feel like a universal time period for being a teenager seeking the people with your mutual struggles and sanity levels. Meanwhile That 90s Show can feel like the Gen-Z vintage shop rendition of what we THOUGHT was the 90s. In essence, it does not feel casual, rebellious, or funny enough to compare to the original, but in that lies its potential to be great and unique.
As I mentioned before, the cast is good. Leia (Callie Haverda), Eric and Donna daughter, is grounded and way cooler than she thinks. Her friends Nate (Maxwell Acee Donovan) is more Kelso than even his actual son, Jay (Mace Coronel), who becomes a really sweet love interest for her. Meanwhile, Gwen (Ashley Aufderheide) is the bestie we would all want, and if Nikki (Sam Morelos) does not end up president one day, then this world does not respect strong women who have boundaries. Oh Wait! Moreover, Ozzie (Reyn Doi) feels like an Alternate Universe version of Fez. My point is you like these kids; they are good people. Yet, we loved the originals because they tripped over their own dreams, but had enough crazy and friendship between them to get back up again. While it is its first season, you do not get that easy camaraderie, just yet, because the characters are still meeting each other, and, in the original, everyone knew each other already. Also, they just do not feel like the type of kids that get too rebellious. THEY DO THEIR HOMEWORK!
The wins for That 90s Show lie in the lovability of their characters. Seeing the original cast of teens as parents was great, although not overwhelming in letting the new cast shine, and Red (Kurtwood Smith) and Kitty (Debra Jo Rupp) will always win in charisma. In that 70s show, they feel like the best parents one can have, and in That 90s, the best grandparents. Their combination of adorable doting and irrational strictness just fills me up to watch, which is why, again, I wanted more antics from these kids because that was the core of the original: how crazy can good kids get to rile up the rage and love of their parents. Still, I will fully support and see a Season 2. That 90s Show Out On Netflix January 19.
