The first season of “That ’70s Show” sequel “That ’90s Show” dropped on Netflix, Thursday, and it absolutely lives up to the hype.
Like many, I was nervous when first tuning into the much-anticipated “That ’90s Show” after being such a die-hard fan of the original series. “We’ll just do the one episode, and see how it goes,” I told the family. Within the five minutes of that first episode, peels of laughter were echoing around the house as we were thrown back into adolescence with the kids of Point Place, Wisconsin.
Let’s start with the cast, who are all back in full swing. Kitty (Debra Jo Rupp) and Red (Kurtwood Smith) look utterly incredible and their acting has somehow gotten even more brilliant since the original show. Eric’s (Topher Grace) arc into fatherhood, accompanied by a timeless, stoic Donna (Laura Prepon), offers the most laugh-out-loud moments.
Of course, no sequel to “That ’70s Show” would be complete without Fez (Wilmer Valderrama), Kelso (Ashton Kutcher), Jackie (Mila Kunis), and even Leo (Tommy Chong) making a reappearance — though Hyde is absent due to actor Danny Masterson’s pending rape charges.
The new basement gang cast is equally great, with each new character offering a different brand of ’90s nostalgia. I still have many episodes left to go, so I’m hoping to see even more familiar and new faces as it goes on.
Aside from the cast, the actual story is superb. The producers either brought back the same writers or the new ones are highly familiar with the original show. From the water tower to the Candy Land stash, everything was like a beautiful trip down memory lane. And my goodness, did we laugh from start to finish.
The only downside is how old I feel watching this series. Still, that’s not going to stop me wrapping up my work today, getting into the vibe, and watching many, many more episodes. (RELATED: Netflix Documentary Could Rewrite All Of Human History)
If “That ’90s Show” proves anything, it’s that a laugh track can’t destroy a good piece of entertainment. In fact, I found myself laughing even when the faux audience wasn’t, but apparently that happens a lot for British people watching American shows.
Check out the trailer here. You’ll be yelling “HELLO WISCONSIN!” in no time.