It’s a little disappointing when you binge a show about being a kid in the 1990s (which I was) and the content looks nothing like you remember. Now I get it, people have different experiences and there might be a lot of 40-something-year-olds who can relate to this show. But it definitely looks like a 2023 version of 1995, unfortunately.
I went into the “That ’90s Show” series as one who hasn’t ever seen a full episode of “That ’70s Show,” which is the prequel, if you will, to this new Netflix series. But on a weekend where I was under the weather, I thought watching this show was better than searching WebMD for what my symptoms meant. The enjoyment lasted two, maybe three, episodes. First of all, it’s not that funny. Thinking about the episodes now, I can’t recall laughing. But what stands out even more is that it seems to be focused mostly on sex among teens and putting the gayness of the gay friend on a pedestal. I’m not sure if Hollywood knows this, and I have serious doubts that they have any clue at all, but it’s very possible to be gay and NOT be extremely irritating. The problem with this homosexual kid on the show is that he’s both gay AND annoying, and I think that’s a pretty big error on the part of the creators of the show. Make the character gay, fine! I’ve had gay friends over the years and they are some of my favorite people. On TV, see Oscar in “The Office,” or the cast of “Glee.” Show creators can also create an annoying character, go for it! I’ve had annoying friends over the years and the are not some of my favorite people. On TV, see Urkel from “Family Matters” or to use “The Office” again, Dwight.
But there isn’t a show I can think of, or more specifically a successful show I can think of, where a character is both gay and irritating as h*ll. The closest match I can think of is Carol and Susan from “Friends.” Both of the women were gay and irritating, but notice how seldom they showed up in the episodes… very sparingly.
In “That ’90s Show,” the gay kid gets the most screen time apart from the main character. And even more noticeable is how he can do no wrong. He’s the smartest, the most clever, and he’s kind of treated as the guru of the group. But he’s just not at all likable. In my ’90s experience, there weren’t any, or at least not many, guys or girls as irritatingly gay as this kid.
With that and the constant sex innuendos, what’s billed as a situation comedy… the sit isn’t relatable and the com is missing.
-Out of the Wilderness
Out of the Wilderness 