Netflix’s That ‘90s Show is set to introduce a new generation of viewers to the fictional Point Place, Wisconsin, though the spinoff should also draw in fans of That ‘70s Show as well. This is partly due to the fact that the show will feature appearances from a number of the parent show’s stars, including Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher. Up to this point, the real-life married couple – who played high school sweethearts Jackie Burkhart and Michael Kelso - hadn’t spilled too much about the fates of their characters. But that’s all changed, as Kunis has now dished on their statuses during the events of the new show. And apparently, the actress initially “called BS” when she learned about it.
Mila Kunis has shown to have a considerable amount of love for the characters that she and her husband played on the classic Fox sitcom. She also seems to be more than aware of how Jackie and Kelso’s relationship played out over the course of That ‘70s Show’s eight seasons. So when she revealed that the pair will actually be married by the time fans see them in the spinoff/sequel series, Kunis also revealed that the development left her a bit surprised:
[Ashton Kutcher’s Kelso] and I are together in it, which is weird because we shouldn’t have been. You know what, I called BS. I was like, my character would be with Fez. I think I ended up with Wilmer’s character, and I was like, ‘Why are you and I together?’ And also, [Kelso] married when ‘70s ended, to Shannon Elizabeth’s character, I think, and he was a cop. And now we’re like 16 years later, and we’re married with a kid.
As the Ted alum so astutely pointed out to Access Hollywood, Jackie was in a relationship with Wilmer Valderrama’s Fez by the tail end of Season 8. And while Kelso wasn’t actually married to Shannon Elizabeth’s Brooke, they did have a child together. The character also moved to Chicago to take a job and be closer to his and Brooke’s daughter, Betsy. With all of this in mind, it is surprising to hear that Kelso and Jackie end up together and with a child of their own.
This reveal makes one wonder whether the show will make any other retroactive changes to That ‘70s Show’s continuity. After all, there have been cases where TV follow-ups have ignored certain events of their predecessors. More recently, this has been the case with ABC’s The Conners, a spinoff of Roseanne and its 2018 revival. So in the case of ‘70s Show, one has to wonder if developments like Eric’s trip to Africa during Season 8 will remain intact. Only time will tell.
Despite any continuity changes though, Mila Kunis seemed to have enjoyed her time on set. In the same interview, he also called the show “very cute” and expressed her belief that it pays homage to what’s come before. Ashton Kutcher had similar thoughts on That ‘90s Show, as he said that he found it to be a “random” but “fun” experience that made him nostalgic. Topher Grace also relished the “family reunion” as did his co-star (and on-screen partner) Laura Prepon. Tommy Chong, who returns as fan-favorite stoner Leo, has also discussed his return.
There’s a chance that some fans may take issue with the fact that the spinoff has altered some things. But quite frankly, let’s just be happy that we get to revisit this world and that OG stars like Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher are in the fold once more.
A release window has yet to be announced for That ‘90s Show, but you’ll want to have a Netflix subscription so that you can check it out when it premieres.
