One of the biggest TV shows to hit Netflix last week was That 90s Show, the sequel to That 70s Show featuring a new group of teenagers growing up in Point Place, Wisconsin. This ’70s show was hugely popular in its day, running for eight seasons, and it’s no wonder the new show sits at the top of Netflix’s top 10 list.
Trying to capitalize on nostalgia for the past can be risky, and you might be wondering if That ’90s Show is really worth watching. After all, trying to cash in on the success of a show that ended 15 years ago can backfire. Or it could be a huge success and finally break the course of Netflix’s cancellation.
If you decide to add the sitcom sequel to your watchlist, you’ve come to the right place. We’re here to help you figure out if The ’90s Show is the show you should stream or skip.
What is ‘That 90’s Show’ about?
This 90s show follows the same basic idea as its predecessor, with a group of teenagers getting together and doing what teenagers usually do. Listening to music, shenanigans and smoking a lot of weed. If you’ve watched the original show, then everything will seem pretty familiar, although the pop culture references and fashion sense have undergone a major overhaul.
The catalyst was Leah Foreman (daughter of Eric Foreman and Donna Pinciotti), who came to Point Place to spend the summer with her grandparents. Leia seeks to break with the naivety of youth and the sheltered upbringing she has experienced so far. Obviously, a group of misfits from Point Place would be something of a culture shock.
This family connection means that Red and Kitty Foreman, two of the best parts of the ’70s show, are back as main characters. Various other characters make cameo appearances, including nearly all former cast members. If you want to see how they live their lives, you might just need to tune in because we won’t spoil it here.
90s Show Reviews: What the Critics Are Saying
(Image credit: Netflix)
This 90s show currently has Rotten Tomatoes (will open in a new tab) 74% rating from critics and viewers – Based on 39 professional reviews and 610 viewer ratings. Seeing both scores match up so perfectly doesn’t happen all that often, but expect that to change as more people start watching the show.
Manuel Betancourt at the AV Club (will open in a new tab) gave the first season a B, saying, “If you grew up watching That ’70s Show, you probably won’t get a chance to judge whether That ’90s Show works on its own. Maybe it’s not. Or maybe he doesn’t want to.”
Angie Khan of The Hollywood Reporter (will open in a new tab) was slightly more positive, stating that “it’s not aiming for anything more ambitious than recreating the understated charm of its predecessor. But it achieves this goal with enough confidence and consistency to become a pleasure in its own right.”
Meanwhile Lauren Pister at TheWrap (will open in a new tab) said That ’90s Show was “both bad and good in every way, and deserves more of a shot than you could give it after the first two episodes.”
Of course, not everyone is positive. Brian Lowry of CNN.com (will open in a new tab) noted, “While there’s smoke here, there’s not much heat as the boring new-gen crowd makes up for the encores of much of the original cast, leaving The ’90s Show feeling half-baked at best.”
Kelly Lawler of USA Today (will open in a new tab) was much more blunt, with a score of 1.4 (out of 4), stating that “That ’90s Show” “feels like a parody of a sitcom, not a real TV show. The jokes don’t work, the actors aren’t right, and all the Kutcher and Kunis cameos in the world can’t make a bad script a good one.”
Should You Stream That ’90s Show on Netflix?
(Image credit: Netflix)
That ’90s Show is not a high-brow comedy, but it doesn’t try to be either. If you’re a fan of That ’70s Show, then it’s worth tuning in and giving the show a shot – even if it’s just scenes featuring returning actors. This is actually what Netflix is aiming for, to the point that newcomers can sometimes feel a little lost.
Most importantly, That ’90s Show is a light comedy series, and each 22-minute episode is a great excuse to kick back and turn off your brain. As long as you enjoy watching shows like this, it’s definitely worth watching. But if you prefer your TV shows to offer a little bit of intellectual stimulation, the ’90s Show brand with goofy, almost stoner-like humor won’t appeal to you.
It’s a shame that That ’70s Show isn’t currently on Netflix for anyone watching The ’90s Show’s 10-episode first season in less than a week.
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