Now that That ‘70s Show fans know we’ll be hanging out down the street with most of the original cast (albeit temporarily) for Netflix’s upcoming continuation series That ‘90s Show, all we have to do is sit back and enjoy the ride until the show premieres. And what better way to enjoy that wait than with a bit of the good stuff from my man Leo over here. Oh wait, why is Leo here? Because, man, Tommy Chong is coming back to Wisconsin, man, to reprise his sitcom character, man.
That ‘90s Show started filming back in February 2022, and while fans were kept wondering for a couple of months whether or not the original stars would return, the news broke that Topher Grace would return to his breakout role as Eric Foreman, along with everyone else. (Wilmer Valderrama had zero troubles getting back into Fez mode.) Tommy Chong’s return was announced via somewhat different means, in that he revealed himself that Leo will be back, while serving as a guest on the podcast The Dark Mark Show. When That ‘90s Show came up, Chong confirmed he’s part of the new episodes, saying:
Yes, I am, actually. They gave me a call and I did my part. It’s the grandkids. It’s Red and Kitty and the grandkids. I don’t know what the grandkids did, but I got a good idea. Yeah, it’s gonna be great.
Now, did Netflix want Tommy Chong to come out and say that? Not necessarily, although we'll probably never know for sure. According to the longtime comedian and actor, he wouldn't have cared anyway. Here's how he followed that news-drop up:
I mean, they never gave me any instructions, so I don’t know if I’m supposed to be talking about it or not. I really don’t give a shit. I got a big mouth. That’s what I’m known for. That’s why people want me on their podcasts.
It's unclear when those with Netflix subscriptions will be able to watch That '90s Show, but if Tommy Chong has already filmed his parts, everything sounds like it's going smoothly. And barring any news that 60% of the show will be CGI madness, this comedic spinoff could be popping up on the streaming service before the year's end.
As far as what viewers can expect to see, That ‘90s Show will focus on Kurtwood Smith’s Red Forman and Debra Jo Rupp’s Kitty Forman as they watch over Callie Haverda as Eric and Donna’s daughter Leia, who’s got brains, savvy, and a need to have adventures. Leia’s story will feature her connecting with other teenagers in the neighborhood, including: Ashley Aufderheide’s Riot Grrrl rebel Gwen, Maxwell Acee Donovan as Gwen’s mirthy brother Nate, Sam Morelos’ as Nate’s ambitious girlfriend Nikki, Reyn Doi as the openly gay and insightful Ozzie, and Mace Coronel as a charming videographer named Jay.
Along with the previously mentioned Topher Grace, Laura Prepon will return as Donna, Ashton Kutcher will be back as Kelso, Mila Kunis as Jackie, and WIlmer Valderrama as Fez. With Tommy Chong returning as Leo now, it'll be awesome to see who else may come back into the fold when the show debuts on Neflix.
Hopefully someone will bring That '70s Show back to streaming, even if Topher Grace probably won't be rewatching himself.
