Netflix’s trailer for That ‘90s Show revealed the returns of Jackie and Kelso, whose futures hilariously align with Eric’s dream from That ‘70s Show‘s “It’s a Wonderful Life” episode. That ‘90s Show, which premieres January 19 on Netflix, has given the first look at the original characters from That ‘70s Show in 1995, which confirms how substantially their lives have changed over the past 15 years. That ‘90s Show reveals that Eric and Donna return to Point Place to drop off their teenage daughter Leia for the summer, Jackie and Kelso have been married since That ‘70s Show’s finale and have a teenage son, Jay, and Fez owns a chic hair salon called Chez Fez.
Before That ‘90s Show, a dream sequence episode from the original series saw Eric predict how the lives of That ‘70s Show’s characters would turn out in the late 1980s. Following his breakup with Donna, Eric had an It’s a Wonderful Life-style dream that showed him how life would be different if he and Donna had never dated. While not all of his predictions were correct, such as Hyde marrying Donna, Fez becoming an amateur musician, and Kelso marrying Pam Macy and becoming a water bed salesman, certain details of That ‘90s Show’s grown characters do ironically align with That ‘70s Show’s alternate reality.
Kelso & Jackie Actually Mirror Eric’s Future Dream Sequence
The first look at Kelso (Ashton Kutcher) and Jackie (Mila Kunis) in That ‘90s Show’s trailer is highly reminiscent of their alternate futures in Eric’s That ‘70s Show dream. Kelso casually wearing a suit and tie, indicating he could be a businessman or in the mid-90s corporate world, looks just as unnatural in That ‘90s Show as it did in That ‘70s Show season 4’s “It’s a Wonderful Life” episode. Jackie’s return in That ‘90s Show depicts her look and style similar to her appearance in Eric’s That ‘70s Show dream, though she’s likely not a flight attendant. The one major detail that Eric didn’t predict for the couple was that they would have a teenage son.
In That ‘70s Show, Kelso wore suits for work when making his living as a news anchor and, later, a water bed salesman, but these likely weren’t the career paths that he took in That ‘90s Show. Still, seeing Kelso take a formal business attire path in That ‘90s Show is hilarious considering Eric’s That ‘70s Show’s dream was meant to be a bizarre take on their futures. However, Jackie’s businesswoman future isn’t surprising in the least given her upbringing and focus on her journalism and TV career in That ‘70s Show season 8.
Eric’s greatest prediction for Kelso and Jackie’s future was that they would still be soulmates and in love with one another years down the line. In That ‘70s Show’s alternate reality, Jackie and Kelso still loved each other but would never officially get back together, though That ‘90s Show has a more optimistic future in which they actually get married and have their son Jay. It’ll still be bizarre to see Kelso function as a parent of a teenager, businessman, and husband in That ‘90s Show, but it proves that Jackie finally got her dream for him to mature and be in a place where they can properly be together.
Eric’s That ‘70s Show Dream Could Reveal What Happened to Hyde
Given how well he foresaw Jackie and Kelso’s future, Eric may have also correctly predicted the fates of his other friends. While Eric’s dream incorrectly saw Hyde marry Donna, there may be one detail that still rings true, namely that Hyde is in prison. Steven Hyde isn’t returning for That ‘90s Show due to actor Danny Masterson facing a criminal trial for three counts of rape, so there’s been much speculation regarding how the Netflix series will handle the character’s absence. If Eric’s That ‘70s Show dream is any indicator, then That ‘90s Show could explain Hyde’s absence as being due to a stint in prison.
Donna & Eric’s Daughter Makes His Dream Fantasy Complaint Ironic
Another detail from That ‘70s Show season 4, episode 1, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” makes Eric’s own future incredibly ironic. When young Eric saw Hyde and Donna’s wedding in the alternate universe, he became increasingly upset when remarking to the angel, “Did you have to make [Donna] pregnant?” In the dream, Donna was heavily pregnant while marrying Hyde, which was meant to be a nightmare sequence for Eric. Of course, That ‘90s Show’s story for Eric and Donna indicates that this complaint reflected how his own future would turn out.
Since Donna and Eric’s daughter Leia Forman turns 15 during That ‘90s Show’s summer 1995 setting, Donna became pregnant immediately after That ‘70s Show’s finale. Donna and Eric hadn’t even officially reunited in That ‘70s Show’s ending, so this strongly implies that they weren’t married when she became pregnant with Leia. As such, Eric’s complaint about Hyde impregnating Donna before their wedding in the alternate timeline is ironic considering Donna was likely pregnant when marrying Eric in That ‘70s Show’s reality. While That ‘70s Show’s predictions for Donna and Eric were bleak, their future in That ‘90s Show appears far better after ending up together.
