That ‘90s Show Just Officially Erased Donna’s Sisters
The existence of Donna's sisters was largely ignored in That '70s Show, but 1 That '90s Show line from Red confirms they have been erased for good.
That ‘90s Show has finally addressed That ‘70s Show‘s mystery regarding Donna’s missing sisters. As a sequel series to the original sitcom, That ‘90s Show has been able to answer some burning questions and unsolved mysteries left from That ‘70s Show’s ending. While the franchise still keeps Fez’s real name and home country a secret, questions regarding Eric and Donna’s relationship status, Fez and Jackie’s initial endgame romance, and the Formans’ new neighbors after the Pinciottis have finally been answered. But, instead of solving the franchise’s longest-running mystery about Donna’s family, That ‘90s Show erases its existence.
The Pinciotti family held a significant role throughout That ‘70s Show, though two members were suddenly retconned early in the series. In That ‘70s Show season 1, episode 5, Donna’s 14-year-old sister Tina Pinciotti was introduced at a party, but was never seen again and only mentioned in season 2’s soap opera parody voice-over asking, “What ever happened to Midge’s daughter, Tina?” In the season 1 episode “Eric’s Birthday,” Midge referenced that Donna also had an older sister named Valerie at college, yet she would never be mentioned again or appear in the sitcom. Donna was subsequently written as Midge and Bob’s only child, which That ‘90s Show maintains.
Red Confirms Donna Is Bob’s Only Child
Rather than attempting to answer what happened to Tina and Valerie, That ‘90s Show erases them from existence upon Bob’s return to Point Place. When Bob comes to visit for his granddaughter Leia’s 15th birthday, Red complains about him being connected to their family, saying, “There’s only one girl in the world with Bob as her dad, and [Eric] had to pick her.” Since Donna had two sisters at one point, That ‘90s Show is confirming that they no longer exist in the franchise’s canon, officially making Donna an only child.
It’s possible that the spinoff could bring Tina back into the fold by stating that she’s not Bob’s daughter, but only Midge’s. This would actually align with That ‘70s Show season 2’s parody voice-over that only referred to Tina as “Midge’s daughter,” though Tina not being Bob’s child would raise even more questions considering she was younger than Donna. Still, with Midge being one of the few major That ‘70s Show characters not returning in That ‘90s Show, it’s highly unlikely that they’ll re-introduce Donna’s erased sisters after confirming Bob has no other children.
That ’90s Show Still Leaves Out Other That ’70s Show Siblings
Donna’s missing sisters Tina and Valerie aren’t the only That ‘70s Show siblings that don’t appear in That ‘90s Show season 1. Surprisingly, That ‘90s Show doesn’t refer to Eric’s sister Laurie Forman by name, though Red does mention that he and Kitty have a second child. There’s also no mention of Michael Kelso’s daughter Betsy, Jay’s older half-sister who was born in That ‘70s Show season 7. Since Michael and Jackie’s son Jay Kelso is a main character in That ‘90s Show, it’s odd that he wouldn’t mention his sister who is around the gang’s same age and likely still lives in Chicago, which is where Leia normally lives with Eric and Donna.
Surprisingly, the one major sibling from That ‘70s Show that is mentioned by name is Casey Kelso, Michael’s brother who Donna briefly dated in season 4. That ‘90s Show reiterates that Point Place, Wisconsin is a very small town, so it won’t be unrealistic if more minor characters from the original series with familial connections to the main figures return. It’s unlikely that Donna’s erased siblings or Eric’s sister Laurie will return, but Jay’s sister Betsy Kelso would be a fitting character to appear in That ‘90s Show’s future.
