That ’90s Show‘s popularity is driving viewers to rediscover That ’70s Show, but they may have a harder time finding somewhere to watch it than expected. That ’90s Show is a revival of its popular predecessor, revisiting Kitty and Red in Point Place, Wisconsin, as they deal once again with a group of teenagers invading their house. Leading this new pack of friends is Leia, Eric and Donna’s daughter, along with Jackie and Kelso’s son Jay, and some other new friends Leia makes along the way. That ’90s Show plays off of familiar That ’70s Show tropes and does so successfully if its trending status on Netflix is anything to go by.
That ’90s Show joins other Netflix sitcom reboots like Fuller House, both of which utilize beloved characters for cameos and recurring roles to invoke nostalgia in their viewers while trying to build something new. That ’90s Show appears to have been successful in this endeavor, as it’s managed to crack the Top 10 on Netflix US, UK, Canada, and Australia since it premiered on the streaming service on Jan. 26 (via What’s On Netflix). That ’90s Show’s success will undoubtedly lead to a spike in interest in That ’70s Show, but eager audiences will be surprised to find the show isn’t as readily available as they may have hoped.
Despite Being The Home Of That ’90s Show, That ’70s Show Isn’t On Netflix
Netflix owned the rights to stream all eight seasons of That ’70s Show from 2015. But, in 2019, Netflix declined to renew its license, despite That ’70s Show being one of its most-watched sitcoms – its popularity skyrocketed during the early days of the pandemic – and the series was taken off the streaming service in Sept. 2020. As a result, viewers eager to rewatch or discover That ’70s Show for the first time after watching That ’90s Show will have to turn to alternative sources, something that Netflix has been guilty of before. Netflix Original Fuller House and its predecessor Full House suffered from a similarly frustrating divide.
Considering the timeline of That ’90s Show’s release, it’s hard to believe that the streaming giant wasn’t already in talks to revive That ’70s Show somewhere in late 2020, making Netflix’s decision to take That ’70s Show off their catalog all the more baffling. But, of course, it’s only logical that an old classic would find renewed interest after being resurrected, and Netflix will undoubtedly have known this. Though licensing shows is expensive, the reward certainly would have been worth it, as fans of That ’90s Show, and by extension, That ’70s Show, are now forced to flock elsewhere to get their sitcom fix, leaving subscribers disgruntled – a problem that Netflix has already struggled with enough lately.
Why That ’70s Show Is Streaming On Peacock? (& Will It Return To Netflix?)
Instead of Netflix, interested viewers can find That ’70s Show on Peacock, which began streaming the entire series in Sept. 2022. It’s exclusively streaming on Peacock, leaving viewers who don’t have a Peacock subscription and want to watch all eight seasons to buy or rent it digitally on Amazon or purchase a physical DVD box set. However, audiences who use Peacock will have to be mindful as That ’70s Show is only available to members who subscribe to either of the Premium subscription plans. Though it was never announced precisely why Peacock was chosen to platform That ’70s Show, as with most things in Hollywood, money was likely the deciding factor.
It should be noted that Carsey-Werner, That ’70s Show’s title owner, doesn’t need to prop up a streaming service of its own, giving them more freedom to make these crucial licensing decisions. A classic sitcom like That ’70s Show is a big acquisition for Peacock, especially now with the renewed interest generated by Netflix’s That ’90s Show. Whether the original series will ever return to Netflix remains to be seen – Peacock’s streaming rights are unlikely to be indefinitely exclusive, and Netflix may be able to obtain the rights again sometime in the future. If That ’90s Show is set to run for more than one season, reacquiring That ’70s Show is certainly something Netflix should consider.
