Warning! Spoilers for That ’90s Show part 3 ahead!
Summary
That ’90s Showpart 3 dives into more misadventures for Point Place’s teens, with plenty of Easter eggs and references toThat ’70s Show. The Netflix series may be all about 1990s nostalgia, but it’s repeatedly clear that things haven’t changed much since Eric and the gang ruled the basement in the 1970s. AsThat ’90s Show’s tagline says, times may change, but teenagers don’t—and this goes for the experience of raising them, too. From classic foot-in-ass jokes to the return of memorable cameo characters,That ’90s Showhas brought back many of the bestThat ’70s Showfeatures.
Part 3 ofThat ’90s Showpicks up halfway through the summer of 1996, just after a house party results in a car being driven through the Forman kitchen. Of course, this is only the beginning of the chaos. The eight episodes of part 3 follow Leia and her friends, Gwen, Nikki, Nate, Jay, and Ozzie, through days of smoking weed, sneaking out, taking romance “to the next level,” and enjoying the perks of 1990s pop culture. Weaved throughout this arevarious references to the days of yore inThat ’70s Show, each a familiar reminder of how much things never really change.
That ’90s Show Cast, Character & Cameo Guide
Here’s a breakdown of the cast, characters, and cameos of That ’90s Show parts 1 - 3, including the returns of That ’70s Show’s many cameos.
20Red’s Creative Foot-In-Ass Jokes
Red Got The Ball Rolling With Another Classic Threat
That ’70s Showsaw the evolution of Red Forman’s foot-in-ass jokes. What started as a simple threat became an outlet for creativity for the man.That ’90s Showhas continued this, and it’s become a tradition for Red to yell a new version of his threat during his first moments on screen in a new installment. In the case ofThat ’90s Showpart 3,the existence of a hole in his kitchen wall was the perfect opportunity.
19Betsy Kelso All Grown Up
Michael Kelso’s Daughter Makes Her Big Appearance
Betsy Kelso was born inThat ’70s Showseason 7, but she had yet to be mentioned inThat ’90s Show—until part 3.Nate ran into Michael Kelso’s now adult daughter at the barwhile trying to get over Nikki, not knowing that his girl was Jay’s sister. Betsy seems to have inherited her mom’s intelligence and her dad’s promiscuity, making her a much brighter Laurie Forman inThat ’90s Showpart 3.
18Michael & Jackie’s Three Years Off
Betsy References The Kelso’s Tumultuous Relationship
Betsy’s return allowed for many excellent references to theKelso familyas a whole. When she and Jay argued over Nate inThat ’90s Showpart 3, they started taking stabs at one another in any way they could. Jay reminded his sister that their dad,That ’70s Show’s Michael, had stayed with his mom (Jackie) while he and Brooke (Betsy’s mom) didn’t last. As a retort,Betsy reminded Jay of the few years that Michael and Jackie hadn’t been together, referencing the period inThat ’70s Showwhen it seemed like they wouldn’t be endgame.
17Jay Delivering The Perfect BURN
Like Father Like Son
Netflix did a great job finding an actor who resembled Michael to play his son, Jay, and even his line delivery was nostalgically remniscent for the memorable character.
Ashton Kutcher had a memorable way of yelling “burn!” inThat ’70s Show, which is something thatThat ’90s Show’sMace Coronel has mastered. Netflix did a great job finding an actor who resembled Michael to play his son, Jay, and even his line delivery was nostalgically remniscent for the memorable character. InThat ’90s Showpart 3, Jay announces a particularly good burn in the basement, and for a moment, it could have been the 1970s all over again.
16More Circle Time In The Basement
That ’90s Show Has Continued The Circle
The Forman basement was the location of many"Circle Times" inThat ’70s Show, and this has continued on to the new generation. The parent series used the hilarious mechanic of placing the camera at the center of a circle of characters, spinning it to capture the high reactions of each as they discussed their woes or giggled over nonsense. It’s aThat ’70s Showstaple, soThat ’90s Shownaturally had to keep the tradition going.
15Kelso Family Insecurities
The Kelso Family Got A Lot Of Attention
The Kelsos were really front and center inThat ’90s Showpart 3. As Jay and Nate continued to fight about Betsy, the dynamics of the family as a whole came up a handful of times. At one point,Jay announced that the Kelsos had all once gone to family therapy. It apparently took the therapist only a few moments to sum up all their problems, including the deep insecurities that made each of them feel the need to sleep around.
Though frequently mentioned, Michael and Jackie Kelso have been absent since the first episode ofThat ’90s Showpart 1.
14Laurie Robbed A K-Mart With The Pastor
Laurie Was Always Up To No Good
What’s unclear is whether she is referring to Kevin McDonald’s Pastor Dave—a man who certainly could have been obliviously dragged into Laurie’s mischief.
It’s unlikely thatLaurie will ever appear inThat ’90s Show, but she hasn’t been forgotten. While giving advice to Sherri Runck about her teenage daughter, Kitty Forman referenced the struggles she faced raising her own. She mentioned a time thatLaurie robbed a K-Mart with their pastor, and while this isn’t something that happened inThat ’70s Show, it’s undoubtedly on brand. What’s unclear is whether she is referring to Kevin McDonald’s Pastor Dave—a man who certainly could have been obliviously dragged into Laurie’s mischief.
13Bob’s 1970s Time Capsule
A Throwback To Bob’s Best Era
Bob Pinciotti moved into the house across the street from the Forman’s inThat ’90s Show,part 2, but part 3 saw Gwen discover that the man had left a bunch of his junk in her attic. The gang took a trip up there to check it all out, whichmeant a lot of fun nostalgia forThat ’70s Showfans. At one point, Ozzie put on one of Bob’s old suits, reminding audiences of the eccentric 1970s garb Donna’s dad favored. It was, as Gwen called it, a 1970s time capsule.
12Donna’s 1970s Hats
Certainly Looks Similar To A Hat Donna Wore
Among the items the gang ofThat ’90s Showfound in the Runck attic was a box of hats. Nate is seen wearing one of these as his friends shuffle through the rest of Bob and Donna’s old belongings, andit looks quite a bit like the style of hat seen from time to time inThat ’70s Show. Though there are some differences here, the implication seems to be that this would have been Donna’s hat from back in the day. Of course, knowing Bob, it certainly could have been his as well.
11Confessions Of Love On The Water Tower
It’s A Great Place To Announce Love In Point Place
The Point PlaceWater Tower is another staple location ofThat ’70s Show, and it has been featured nearly as frequently inThat ’90s Show. Some of the graffiti from the old gang is still visible, with Kelso’s giant pot leaf and “Michael + Jackie” faded into the background of years of vandalism. TheThat ’90s Showgang had already left their mark on the tower, but just as Kelso and Jackie’s love was memorialized,Nate and Nikki officially have their names on the water tower after part 3.
