Summary
From the looks of things,That ’90s Showhasfound its Hyde Forman replacement. Asone of the things to remember beforeThat ’90s Showseason 2,the teenager’s dating life has left space for a new character to shake things up. Throughout season 1 of the show, the friend group of Point Place, Wisconsin is missing the dynamic of a rebellious and counter-cultural character. Gwen Runck’s interest in the alternative scene and creative streak create an interesting dynamic,but she still doesn’t fill the mold for Hyde’s replacement.
ThroughoutThat 70s Show,Hyde is known for being a complicated and dark character.He comes from a troubled home, making him an outsider within his friend group. He complements Eric Forman’s romantic and idealistic tendencies and offers protection to the more vulnerable characters like Kelso and Fez. He’s a source of tension for their character dynamics, often discussing conspiracy theories about outer space and extraterrestrial life. Without his character,That 70s Showpotentially suffers from being formulaic and boring. Hyde doesn’t make it toThat 90s Show,but another unseen character fromThat ’70s Showbegins some foreshadowing.
Every That ’70s Show Character Missing From That ’90s Show Season 2
While That ’90s Show season 1 was full of character cameos from That ’70s Show’s cast, season 2 left out most of those from the original series.
Sonny and Hyde Are Both Connected Through The Same Character
That ’90s Showlaunches Leo Chingwake’s return,making Hyde’s absence even weirder. In the show, Leo repairs his relationship with his son and mentors the other teenagers, offering unconventional wisdom and advice. This dynamic copiesThat 70s Show,which portrays Leo as a father figure to Hyde. Hyde’s reliance on Leo comes from his struggles with an absent father and self-centered mother,providing an opportunity forThat ’90s Showto take another direction.Sonny comes in abruptly at the end ofThat ’90s Showpart 2, which makes the fact that Sonny is Leo’s long-lost son even more surprising.
Leo’s Son Replacing Hyde Would Be Ironic After That ’70s Show
That ’70s Show Places a Focus On Leo’s Missing Son
Leo’s strained relationship with Sonny fromThat ’70s Showhighlights the strategy of Hyde’s relationship with Leo. The former show presents Hyde as a replacement son for Leo, ironically setting the stage forThat ’90s Showto replace Hyde’s character with Leo’s real son. Leo’s reunion with Sonny helps him come to terms with his troubled past and also removes some of the mystery from Leo’s backstory. He’s no longer a character with some missing pieces,but someone that can make peace and enjoy his retirement.These big changes for Leo may hint that anotherThat ’70s Showcharacter is leaving for good.
Sonny helps driveThat ’90s Show’sdevelopment as a sequel to the original show,highlighting problemsThat'70s Showalways avoided.The passage of time leaves the show an older and more settled Leo after the years he spent dealing with financial instability and unstable romantic pursuits.That ’90s Showalso shows Sonny and the other characters healing some of the emotional baggage from Hyde’s generation, specifically the emotional strain Leo’s ex-wife left in the aftermath of their separation.Sonny introduces an interesting take on a remake of Hyde’s character, adding some intrigue in preparation for season 2 on Netflix.
