That ’90s Show season 2 has left a big That ’70s Show question a mystery, and it’s likely that audiences will never get the answers they are looking for. The Netflix spinoff did a great job overall filling in the details of what has happened to the That ’70s Show gang since the series concluded. This is especially true for season 1, which brought back most of the original cast for cameos. However, That ’90s Show has pushed the story forward, focusing less on the previous series and more on the new group of 1990s-era teenagers, hinting that questions about one original character won’t be answered.

Season 2 of That ’90s Show sees Leia return to Point Place, Wisconsin, for another summer with her grandparents, Red and Kitty Forman. Now 1996, this installment sees this new group of teens really come into their own. Leia, Gwen, Nate, Jay, Nikki, and Ozzie are all a little older now, which means more mature plotlines and jokes reminiscent of That ’70s Show. Now that this series has proven that it can stand alone, rather than depending on nostalgia for the 1970s-set stories, That ’90s Show can begin to really get good. However, this means leaving behind some That ’70s Show questions.

That ’90s Show Season 2 Doesn’t Explain What Happened To Hyde

Another Season Come & Gone Without Steven Hyde

There were many Easter eggs and references to That ’70s Show in That ’90s Show season 2, with some passing mention of characters like Midge or Laurie. However, there has continued to be no acknowledgment that a character named Steven Hyde ever existed. As one of the primary characters and members of Eric’s gang of basement-dwelling teenagers, there have been a lot of questions about what has happened to Hyde since That ’70s Show. While there has been no expectation for the character to appear, a passing mention would have been satisfying enough—but there has been nothing.

Hyde Is The Only Major Character Whose Fate Hasn’t Been Revealed

The ’90s Show Brought Back The Rest Of That ’70s Show’s Cast

There might have been hope that Hyde’s character would be referenced if That ’90s Show was slowly revealing what had happened to the original gang. However, season 1 revealed their fates fairly quickly. Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher’s Jackie and Kelso were brought in in the very first episode for quick cameos, revealing that the pair had been through several marriages and divorces since the ’70s. Wilmer Valderrama’s Fez owns a salon in Point Place, and Eric and Donna are obviously married and live in Chicago with their daughter, Leia.

Even some minor That ’70s Show characters have been referenced, with Seth Green’s Mitch seen to be the manager of a Hot Topic in That ’90s Show season 2. Laurie Forman’s fate hasn’t been revealed, but she was at least mentioned in the show’s second installment. However, Steven Hyde hasn’t even been given this type of small acknowledgment. Instead, it’s as if his That ’70s Show character has been forgotten entirely. Since Hyde wasn’t mentioned in That ’90s Show season 2, he’s unlikely to get any acknowledgment going forward, and this is probably for the best.

Why That ’90s Show Is Better Off Forgetting Danny Masterson’s Character

Making Jokes About Hyde’s Fate Would Inappropriately Make Light Of Danny Masterson’s Crime

It’s likely that Netflix has chosen to leave Hyde’s character out of That ’90s Show because the actor who played him in That ’70s Show, Danny Masterson, was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison after being found guilty of two counts of forcible rape in 2023. It’s understandable that That ’90s Show would want to distance itself from this, especially considering the controversy surrounding the trial and the letters of support from much of That ’70s Show‘s cast, made public following Masterson’s conviction.

Of course, Masterson’s life doesn’t necessarily have to reflect on his That ’70s Show character, and That ’90s Show could have chosen to offhandedly mention what had come of Steven Hyde. However, this would have been a tricky road to take. It could have easily felt that Netflix was making light of the very serious crime Masterson was found guilty of. Since That ’90s Show is more about the new crew of teenagers, it’s entirely acceptable that Netflix would choose to look forward rather than backward. Hyde’s story would only be a distraction, so it’s time to move on.