Warning: This article contains major spoilers for That ’90s Show season 2.

I knew Jay and Silent Bob would make a cameo in That ’90s Show season 2, but I couldn’t be prepared for how they would be woven into the plot. Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes, who played these iconic stoner-comedy characters in the 1990s, were teased to be in part 2 of the Netflix series prior to its official release, along with several other cameo actors. Like many online, I assumed his meant that Mewes and and Smith would be playing Jay and Silent Bob in That ’90s Show season 2, but their true roles were so much better.

Jay and Silent Bob are a duo of fictional stoners from the View Askewniverse, which includes movies like Clerks (1994), Mallrats (1995), Chasing Amy (1997), Dogma (1999), and more, all created and directed by Kevin Smith. Akin to Cheech and Chong from the 1970s, these characters are beloved figures of the ’90s, so I didn’t bat an eye when I saw Kevin Smith’s announcement on Instagram that he and Mewes would be taking part in the show. The pair didn’t appear until the final episode of That ’90s Show Part 2, but the way they were introduced was absolutely delightful.

I Was Not Expecting Kevin Smith & Jason Mewes’ That ’90s Show Cameo To Be Connected To Leo

That ’90s Show Part 2 Gave Kevin Smith & Jason Mewes The Perfect Connection To Tommy Chong’s Leo

As I was nearing the end of That ’90s Show season 2, episode 8, “Friends in Low Places,” I was worried that Netflix had cut Smith and Mewes from part 2, perhaps saving their cameo for part 3 (releasing on October 24, 2024) instead. However, in those final moments, the pair finally appeared when they drove a car into the Forman’s kitchen, cluelessly stumbled out, and began chatting with the gang. This was already a pretty hilarious entrance, but it was made even better with the final big reveal that Smith’s character, Sonny, is actually the son of Tommy Chong’s Leo.

Leo had mentioned earlier in the episode that he was retiring (and had hijacked the party for this purpose) and that his son was coming to town to take over for him, but this had seemed to me like negligible information at the time. After all, Leo says a lot of things, and most of it is complete nonsense. However, Smith appearing and revealing himself to be related to Chong’s character brought all the pieces together. Since these two actors’ most iconic characters were cut from the same cloth, it’s simply too perfect that That ’90s Show made them father and son.

Why That ’90s Show Season 2’s Ending Twist Is Better Than A Real Jay & Silent Bob Cameo

A Personal Connection To A That ’90s Show Character Is So Much Better

Ultimately, I’m much happier with Smith playing Leo’s son (with Mewes being his stoner pal) in That ’90s Show than I would have been with a more traditional Jay and Silent Bob cameo. This nostalgic franchise has a history of bringing in actors from the time period to play their memorable characters, often in daydreams. I assumed something similar would happen with Smith and Mewes, perhaps with Red discovering that Leia was smoking weed and daydreaming about her living her life out as a delinquent alongside Jay and Silent Bob.

Something like this would have been both on-brand and hilarious, but I’m much happier with Smith and Mewes leaving their Jay and Silent Bob personas behind to take on roles with a more personal connection to That ’90s Show‘s existing characters. Chong’s Leo worked so well in That ’70s Show because he and Cheech had been the iconic stoner duo of the 1970s. Since Jay and Silent Bob were basically the Cheech and Chong of the 1990s, the connection created by That ’90s Show season 2 is almost poetic. The proverbial next generation of stoner comedy was made more literal.

Kevin Smith & Jason Mewes’ That ’90s Show Cameo Continues A Fun Trend

That ’70s Show Also Made Creative Use Of Cameo Actors

These sorts of fun connections are something that That ’70s Show was known for. While there are plenty of guest stars who played themselves or their iconic characters in the original series, there were also those who were brought in to have more intimate connections with the characters. Brooke Shields played Jackie’s mom, Betty White played Kitty’s mom, and Mary Tyler Moore played Jackie’s TV host boss. There are several more examples, and it’s a delight to see this trend continued in That ’90s Show.

Like in the above examples, audiences unfamiliar with the cameo actors can still enjoy their characters and storylines. However, in the case of Smith and Mewes, those who recognize them can more appreciate their cameo roles in That ’90s Show and give an extra laugh at the prospect of seeing two generations of stoner-comedy icons together on screen. It’s a slap your knee, the point at the screen, and say, “Oh my god, yes, thank you!” kind of moment, all thanks to the clever writing of those behind That ’90s Show season 2.