Red and Kitty Forman are set to welcome a new dumbass into the family. Via The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix has ordered a spinoff of That ’70s Show called That ’90s Show, and veteran actors Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp will be returning to reprise their roles.
That ’70s Show ran for eight seasons starting in 1998, making household names out of young stars like Topher Grace (Eric), Mila Kunis (Jackie), and Ashton Kutcher (Kelso), as well as Laura Prepon (Donna), Wilmer Valderrama (Fez), and the now-disgraced Danny Masterson (Hyde). Their characters’ stoned antics gave the show its forward thrust, but the stakes often came from the fear that Red and Kitty would find out.
Now, a new generation will be threatened with Red’s foot up their asses. While the young people haven’t been cast, they’ll be led by the character of Leia Forman, daughter of Eric and Donna. That ’90s Show is set in the distant past of 1995, as Lei visits her grandparents for the summer and hangs with a new group of teens in Point Place, Wisconsin.
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Series creators Bonnie and Terry Turner have joined the team, and longtime sitcom producer and writer Greg Mettler will serve as showrunner. Reportedly, Netflix would like to see more members of the original cast in guest roles, but for now, only Smith and Rupp have been announced. In principle, at least, Topher Grace seems interested.
One actor who will probably not be appearing is Masterson. The originator of the character Steven Hyde is set to stand trial on three separate rape charges in Los Angeles.
This isn’t the first time producers of That ’70s Show have tried to make a spinoff. In 2002, Fox aired one season of That ’80s Show, which starred Glenn Howertown (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, A.P. Bio), as Eric Forman’s cousin Corey Howard. It was cancelled before the final episode aired.
