That '70s Show

That ’90s Show’s Missed Cast Reunion Was For The Best

That '90s Show had plenty of That '70s Show cameo moments, but it never brought the original cast together at once—and this was likely for the best.

That ’90s Show avoided reuniting the That ’70s Show cast in season 1, and it was ultimately for the benefit of the sequel series. Nearly every member of the parent series’ teenage cast returned to make an appearance in the ’90s-themed spin-off, but they never appeared all together on screen. It would certainly be fun to see Eric and Kelso share a reunion or to hear Jackie call Donna a “lumberjack” again, but for the sake of the new That ’90s Show cast, it’s best that this full reunion be saved for later.

That ’90s Show season 1 hit audiences with a double dose of nostalgia. Returning to the Forman residence brought back memories of watching That ’70s Show, while the 1990s elements brought to mind the simpler time of some viewers’ childhoods (and perhaps the years they first watched the parent series). Red and Kitty were a constant and welcome presence, and Eric, Donna, Jackie, Kelso, and Fez each appeared (only Steven Hyde was absent). However, these That ’70s Show characters didn’t appear all at once—which was completely okay.

That ‘90s Show Didn’t Reunite The That ‘70s Show Cast

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Typically, nostalgia spin-offs will aim at reuniting the original cast. This is often a big hit to fans, and in the case of That ’90s Show, it would have meant the first time the That ’70s Show characters would be seen together on screen in nearly 20 years. In the end, the new series did manage to pull off a few touching reunions. It was great to see what Donna and Eric’s marriage looked like after all those years, and the reveal that Jackie and Kelso had been married and divorced several times was comically fitting for their characters. However, the entire group wasn’t on screen at the same time.

Audiences might have expected to see Eric, Donna, Kelso, Jackie, and Fez enjoying some “circle” time in the basement, but it never came to be. Instead, the reunions centralized on Red and Kitty. The now grandparents shared funny and touching moments with the original teenage cast, providing plenty of nostalgia without throwing the old friends back together again. This was likely more realistic since most high school friends lose touch by the time they are in their late 30s. However, the reason That ’90s Show avoided a full reunion was likely far more valuable to the new cast.

That ‘90s Show Kept The Focus On The New Cast

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That ’90s Show‘s biggest challenge was introducing a new teenage cast that new and long-time fans alike could accept. This was especially difficult since these characters would be spending their time in the familiar Forman basement—so it would have been easy to perceive them as knock-off imposters. Leia and her new gang of misfits needed to stand all their own without piggybacking off the success of Eric’s group. This wasn’t easy to achieve, and the spin-off series barely pulled it off.

However, if That ’90s Show‘s new characters had been forced to take a second seat to a That ’70s Show reunion, they likely wouldn’t have managed to stand out. The original crew reunited in the basement would make the next generation feel as if they didn’t belong, and fans might have been left wanting to see more ’70s Show moments instead of becoming invested in That ’90s Show‘s new story. By bringing in the original cast a couple at a time, the spin-off ensured audiences remembered who this new story was about.

The Door Is Still Open For A That ‘70s Show Cast Reunion

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Now that the new That ’90s Show cast has been established and audiences have invested in their story, a That ’70s Show reunion could always be an option for future seasons. Fez was a constant presence in That ’90s Show season 1 since he is dating Red and Kitty’s neighbor. Donna and Eric are Leia’s parents, so they are bound to be around for the long haul. Finally, Michael Kelso is Jay Kelso’s father (and Jackie is possibly his mother), so there’s every reason to think they would appear in future seasons. They are all nearby and could therefore end up with a well-timed reunion.

Of course, That ’90s Show can drag this out and build suspense before a full reunion by continuing the trend set in season 1. For example, since the show’s first episodes saw Red and Kitty reunited with each original cast member in groups, season 2 could bring Eric together with his old friends one at a time. Then, season 3 could do this for Donna. This would potentially make the big moment all the more satisfying—and gives long-time fans a reason to keep returning to That ’90s Show for more nostalgia.

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