# That '90s Show {Debut Jan 19,2023} **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, netflix\ **Created:** [December 27, 2022, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-90s-show-debut-jan-19-2023/977173 "2022-12-27T17:42:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2022, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-90s-show-debut-jan-19-2023/977173/21 "2022-12-30T12:16:46Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I am a little curious about the setting. Mostly because everyone always seems to insist that there’s just no major cultural changes since the 90s and everything then is indistinguishable from today, etc (not saying I agree but this comes up regularly in Cafe Society) so whether they’ll be able to create a show that feels distinctly 90s past “Look at my beeper” and “lol the internet will never work” I came here to post something along these lines. One of the draws of _That '70s Show_, when it originally aired, was that it was set in a time that was quite different in social mores and fashion. The corresponding differences between 2022 and 1998 are much less pronounced. (I know that the difference in fashion has been endlessly debated here on the SDMB, but I’m firmly in the camp that it hasn’t changed all that much.) So apart from the antiquated technology, there won’t be all that much to gawk at or to inspire fashion revivals, nor do the writers seem to have a large source of historically unique character tension and plot lines. Which again raises the question of what this show is going to be about and who it’s being made for. I loved _That '70s Show_ and so I’ll definitely watch the pilot to find out what the old gang has been up to. But even with Red and Kitty as regulars, I’m not sure there will be anything to hold my attention after that. ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2022, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-90s-show-debut-jan-19-2023/977173/22 "2022-12-30T12:22:48Z")
I’m also gonna wanna see how Leo’s doing twenty years later. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2022, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-90s-show-debut-jan-19-2023/977173/23 "2022-12-30T16:16:53Z")
It’s been _20 years_? Wow, man. I should probably go home and check my answering machine. ---
**Author:** ![de\_Worde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@de\_Worde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/de_Worde)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2023, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-90s-show-debut-jan-19-2023/977173/24 "2023-01-19T23:13:43Z")
I thought the first episode was pretty good. Nothing earth-shattering, but it was good to see Red and Kitty, Eric and Donna, Michael and Jackie. And the new kids seem likeable enough, if a little bland. ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-90s-show-debut-jan-19-2023/977173/25 "2023-01-20T03:45:46Z")
I powered through 2 episodes. It’s pretty bad. About what I expected. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-90s-show-debut-jan-19-2023/977173/26 "2023-01-20T04:03:09Z")
I made it through four episodes. As long as they focus on Red and Kitty it’s pretty good. But they show no signs so far of knowing what to do with the kids, other than carbon copy some of the old show’s wacky hijinks. Actually it has kind of the same problem as the new Night Court. Take an old character and then struggle to figure out what to do with the new characters. Once in awhile it works (Frasier) but most of the time it never really comes together (AfterMASH, The New WKRP in Cincinnati). If Red and Kitty continue to amuse me, I’ll keep watching. Who knows, maybe the rest of the cast will eventually come together. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-90s-show-debut-jan-19-2023/977173/27 "2023-01-20T04:28:55Z")
I’m halfway through the season and liking it. Of course nostalgia is a huge factor; I was a fan of the original show and a 90s kid. It’s kinda jarring that the teenagers on the show are being played by real teenagers not much older than their characters. Jay Kelso’s actor is oldest at 18 and Ozzie’s is only 13! That’s younger than Mila Kunis! ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-90s-show-debut-jan-19-2023/977173/28 "2023-01-20T13:29:36Z")
I made it through the first episode. I almost stopped turned it off with a few minutes left but I’m glad I saw Kelso and Jackie show up. I’m assuming that’ll be one of very few times they’re on and our connection to them will be through their kid. And you have to give them credit for finding the exact actor that you can look at and say ‘yup, he looks exactly like you’d expect Kelso’s kid to look’. I’m not sure how far I’ll make it with this show. As I mentioned earlier, I think it’s geared towards kids that were about the age we were when That 70’s show was on. High School and college aged kids, not 40 and 50 year olds. It reminds me of Girl Meets World. It was a great show for my daughter and I liked it enough to not mind watching it with her, but I wasn’t going to watch it by myself. > [@alphaboi867](#): > > It’s kinda jarring that the teenagers on the show are being played by real teenagers not much older than their characters. I did notice that, at least with Leia and Nikki. I’m sure part of that is that the showrunners liked them, but I’m curious if any part of it involved them thinking far enough ahead to make sure that if the show takes off, they don’t suddenly have a bunch of 20 year olds that they either have to send to college or try to convince us are actually 16 years old. Also, when Donna corrected Eric that Leia’s middle name is Ann (anna?), not Tatooine, I fully expected him to make a comment about it being short for Anakin. ETA, as I hit submit, it dawns on me that they wouldn’t have known who Anakin was in the 80’s/90’s, right? (Star Wars trivia isn’t my strong suit). ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-90s-show-debut-jan-19-2023/977173/29 "2023-01-20T15:38:23Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > ETA, as I hit submit, it dawns on me that they wouldn’t have known who Anakin was in the 80’s/90’s, right? (Star Wars trivia isn’t my strong suit). Pretty sure the named was revealed in The Empire Strikes Back, they’d know depending on what year she was born. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-90s-show-debut-jan-19-2023/977173/30 "2023-01-20T15:45:35Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Right down to some episodes of GMW having nearly identical story lines as BMW. And in fact, the whole “Kids find a keg of beer, need a tap to drink it” story was in the original show. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-90s-show-debut-jan-19-2023/977173/31 "2023-01-20T15:49:56Z")
I got what I expected: a cute show. Nothing earth-shattering or deep, but cheerful mindless entertainment. I was sorry when it was over. I wish there had been mention of Laurie and Midge. I also wish they’d told us what careers the main cast besides Fez had. If they did, I sure missed it. That stupid laugh track, though. Ugh. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-90s-show-debut-jan-19-2023/977173/32 "2023-01-20T15:52:42Z")
> [@Helena330](#): > > That stupid laugh track, though. Ugh. That and the Woooos were tough. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-90s-show-debut-jan-19-2023/977173/33 "2023-01-20T16:00:06Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > The corresponding differences between 2022 and 1998 are much less pronounced… I think there are pretty significant social and technological differences to work with. In 1995 the internet was just becoming a thing, social media didn’t exist, and almost all phones were landlines. _The_ computer was shared by the whole family and you couldn’t use the internet and phone at the same time. A huge social difference was the lack of helicopter parenting; the teens on the show have alot more autonomy than they would today. And being a gay teen in a small town in the '90s was a _very_ different experience than today. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-90s-show-debut-jan-19-2023/977173/34 "2023-01-20T16:01:10Z")
I didn’t like the ‘wooo’ to make finding out Jay’s last name was Kelso some big reveal. The actor looks so much like Ashton I hadn’t even considered he was anyone other than Kelso’s kid. I just assumed it was a given. Plus, I feel like Kitty and Red would have kept up with Michael and Jackie (even if it was though Eric) enough to know they have a kid that now hangs out with their next door neighbor. Surely, at some point before Jay found his way into the Foreman basement, they would have put this all together. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-90s-show-debut-jan-19-2023/977173/35 "2023-01-20T16:01:45Z")
Not really loving the kids in this show. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-90s-show-debut-jan-19-2023/977173/36 "2023-01-20T16:51:24Z")
To he fair we don’t know if Kitty didn’t recognize Jay. I imagine Red would be much lest interested in keeping up with everyone, even Fez (who was technically his son-in-law). ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-90s-show-debut-jan-19-2023/977173/37 "2023-01-20T16:55:19Z")
I feel like Red would be able to sense the presence of a Kelso in the area. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-90s-show-debut-jan-19-2023/977173/38 "2023-01-20T16:59:51Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > Pretty sure the named was revealed in The Empire Strikes Back, they’d know depending on what year she was born. It was actually in Return of the Jedi (1983). In the scene immediately after Yoda’s death, when Obi-Wan (as a Force ghost) comes clean to Luke about his father (and reveals that Luke also has a sister), he gives Anakin’s name. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-90s-show-debut-jan-19-2023/977173/39 "2023-01-20T17:04:49Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > It was actually in Return of the Jedi (1983). In the scene immediately after Yoda’s death, when Obi-Wan (as a Force ghost) comes clean to Luke about his father (and reveals that Luke also has a sister), he gives Anakin’s name. Apparently it was mentioned in Empire, but it was a change in the 2004 DVD release. In the original Palpatine says “the son of Skywalker” but they changed it to “the son of Anakin Skywalker”. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-90s-show-debut-jan-19-2023/977173/40 "2023-01-20T21:58:50Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > Anyone else planning to watch? I saw the trailer about a month ago. No. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-90s-show-debut-jan-19-2023/977173.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-90s-show-debut-jan-19-2023/977173.md?page=3)