direct sequel to That ‘70s Show, the early-2000s spinoff series That ‘80s Show was comparatively loose in its ties to its predecessor, as it only had one on-screen connection to the original. However, all three shows are linked by Eric Forman (Topher Grace) and his family , which is a point That ‘90s Show can use to amend the oft-forgotten That ‘80s Show.
With nothing truly tying That ‘80s Show's story to the original series, it wasn’t too surprising when the spinoff was canceled after only one season. The show followed a group of friends in their mid-20s living in 1984 San Diego, with the characters led by Corey Howard (Glenn Howerton), Eric Forman’s cousin. It’s unclear whether Corey is from Red or Kitty’s side of the family, but That ‘80s Show clearly didn’t utilize this on-screen That ‘70s Show connection enough to be deemed a proper, or successful, spinoff.
Rather than ignore That ‘80s Show from the canon completely, That ‘90s Show should work to amend its failure by bringing it back into the main story. The best way to accomplish this is with a cameo from Glenn Howerton’s Corey Howard, who could appear on That ‘90s Show while visiting his Aunt Kitty and Uncle Red. Corey’s close connection to That ‘70s Show’s Formans wasn’t entirely clear in That ‘80s Show, but Howerton reprising his role in the sequel series would strengthen his role in the larger story. Considering That ‘70s Show’s first spinoff, That '80s Show, was also helmed by the creators of That ‘90s Show, it would be worthwhile to acknowledge their mistakes with the series through a fun, semi-meta cameo.
Why That '90s Show Should Connect To That '80s Show
Although That ‘70s Show’s creators would perhaps like to keep That ‘80s Show in the past, bringing Glenn Howerton back for a cameo would be a great way to strengthen the overall story as a franchise. As more links grow between the series, That ‘90s Show has more opportunities to expand the story and unite the three decades that have been explored on-screen. If That ‘70s Show ever decided to go ahead with a "That ‘50s Show" prequel spinoff, perhaps following Red and Kitty Forman’s youth, it would make more sense to acknowledge and unify all the series that came before.
That ‘80s Show was certifiably not a success, but it can still be a fun form of world-building for That ‘70s Show to bring back into the fold. Since That ‘90s Show skips over a decade entirely, it would make sense for the sequel series to connect to That ‘80s Show and fill in that gap. Doing so would also deter any complaints that the franchise missed out on including the ‘80s, as Corey Howard’s story already covered this era in the Forman family’s extended narrative. That ‘90s Show is certain to make countless connections to That ‘70s Show’s original characters and storylines, so it may as well also have a brief and humorous link to the bad That ‘80s Show spinoff with Glenn Howerton.
