That ’90s Show should flip one overused teen romance trope that season 1 already teased for season 2. Set 20 years after That ’70s Show, the Netflix spinoff saw Eric and Donna’s teenage daughter, Leia, making a whole new group of friends while visiting her grandparents, Red and Kitty, for the summer in 1995. That ’90s Show was a huge hit and got renewed for season 2 by Netflix shortly after season 1 premiered in January 2023. That ’90s Show season 2 will be released in June 2024, with Leia returning to Point Place the following summer.
Because of its premise, That ’90s Show was able to bring back original characters like Jackie, Kelso, and Fez, and return to some of the most iconic settings from That ’70s Show, like the Formans’ basement and the water tower. That ’90s Show also utilized some of the best teen comedy tropes that That ’70s Show was known for, like underage drinking, smoke circles, and first loves. However, there’s one teen romance trope in particular that season 2 should avoid, even though it was already set up as a future storyline by That ’90s Show season 1’s ending.
Every That ’70s Show Easter Egg & Reference In That ’90s Show Season 1
Netflix’s That ’90s Show season 1 features numerous Easter eggs and references to That ’70s Show, including visits to familiar locations.
That ’90s Show Season 1 Set Up A Love Triangle For Leia In Season 2
Season 2 will have to deal with Leia and Nate’s moment in the season 1 finale
The state of Leia’s love life remains the biggest mystery of That ’90s Show season 1 after an eventful finale. She spent almost the whole season dating Kelso’s son, Jay, until he broke things off at the beginning of the season finale because she was heading back to Chicago for the school year and he didn’t want a long-distance relationship. All of their friends came to Jay’s defence, making her feel alone and misunderstood. Leia ended up confiding in Jay’s best friend Nate about feeling this way, and they almost kissed, even though who’s dating Nikki.
After feeling sparks with Nate, Leia felt guilty and conflicted, which was only compounded by Jay asking her to give him another chance. Confused about her feelings, Leia didn’t confess to her moment with Nate but she also didn’t take Jay back before leaving. At this point, Nate is still dating Nikki, Leia and Jay are up in the air, and only Gwen knows about Leia and Nate’s almost-kiss. Given the way the finale left things, That ’90s Show season 1’s ending perfectly set up a love triangle between Leia, Jay, and Nate for season 2 to explore.
That ’90s Show Cast, Character & Cameo Guide
Here’s a breakdown of the cast, characters, and cameos of That ’90s Show season 1, including the returns of That ’70s Show’s original main teens.
Why That ’90s Show Season 2 Should Avoid Using The Love Triangle Trope
The trope is overdone, and the friendships are more interesting anyway
While the love triangle trope is pretty common for teen shows of both the comedy and drama varieties, that’s precisely the problem: it’s overused and a little played out at this point. Love triangles may be an easy way to stir up drama, but they risk becoming predictable, especially if one has already been set up by the previous season’s finale. That ’90s Show season 2 could pick up where it left off with Leia’s love triangle, or it could be bold and do away with the whole storyline altogether.
If That ’90s Show season 2 simply chose not to go down the love triangle route after teasing it at the end of season 1, it would completely subvert the audience’s expectations. It could be a risky move, but it could also be worth it to surprise viewers by pulling a 180 move like this. By avoiding the love triangle trope altogether in season 2, That ’90s Show could set itself apart from other teen shows and prove its above clichés.
That ’90s Show would shock its audience by doing the unpredictable, but it would also ultimately benefit the show to dismiss the love triangle storyline. Leia and Nate’s moment felt a bit random, like it was forced by the writers just to create conflict instead of being the natural progression of events. Plus, the friendships established in That ’90s Show season 1 are much more compelling, like Leia and Gwen, and should be the focus of season 2 instead of the romantic relationships.
This doesn’t mean season 2 should completely ignore Leia’s inner romantic turmoil and pretend it never existed. Leia will have a whole school year apart from Jay and Nate to sort out her feelings before she returns to Point Place. When she sees them again, she can tell them both where she stands, and depending on where they stand when That ’90s Show season 2 begins, Leia can either be with whichever one she chooses or remain single, sans love triangle.
That 90s Show
- Release Date
- January 19, 2023
- Cast
- Kurtwood Smith , Debra Jo Rupp , Mace Coronel , Callie Haverda , Ashley Aufderheide , Sam Morelos , Reyn Doi , Maxwell Acee Donovan
