The Real Reason That '90s Show Was Canceled By Netflix

When "That '70s Show" premiered in 1998, the nostalgia-based series quickly became a cultural phenomenon with its hot up-and-coming cast and wistful reminiscing of a bygone era known for bellbottoms and pot-smoking. It made household names out of Ashton Kutcher, Topher Grace, and Wilmer Valderrama, among several other cast members, with a storyline revolving around high school friendship and the ongoing courtship of Eric (Grace) and Donna (Laura Prepon).

So, when Netflix released a 2023 sequel to the popular series, titled "That '90s Show," there was a lot of excitement from fans of the original, which ran for eight seasons and 200 episodes until 2006. With now-grandparents Kitty and Red Forman (Debra Jo Rupp and Kurtwood Smith) at the helm, a fresh new cast of relative unknowns was brought in (including Callie Haverda as granddaughter Leia Forman) to try to catch lightning in a bottle again. But with just two truncated seasons and 26 episodes under its belt, "That '90s Show" subsequently crashed, burned, and got canceled just one year later — with low viewership being the culprit.

Two contributing factors to its low viewership could have been that original star Danny Masterson, who played Steven Hyde, was convicted of rape in 2023 after a lengthy court process and that the series relied too heavily on cameos from original castmembers in Season 1 and then drastically pulled back on familiar faces in Season 2 hoping viewers would stick around. It didn't happen, and "That '90s Show" became a forgettable footnote to the "That '70s Show" legacy.

In the end, the cancellation of "That '90s Show" was simple: Not enough people streamed the second season for Netflix to keep it afloat. It barely broke into the Netflix Top 10, unlike the first season that maintained a presence there for two weeks. While some of that may have had something to do with Danny Masterson, it's also likely it was because there was a steep drop in original cast members making cameos in Season 2, which was much of the charm and hype of the first season.

Netflix didn't announce the cancellation, instead franchise star Kurtwood Smith revealed the news in October 2024 on his Instagram account, saying: "I've loved every minute of getting to bring Grandpa Red to life for you all ... this show had so much heart behind it." As of April 2025, there's been no word about "That '90s Show" ever being resurrected again.

Of course, this wasn't the first time "That '70s Show" tried to expand its brand and failed. In 2002 the short-lived spin-off "That '80s Show" lasted just one season and was quickly forgotten. Now, "That '90s Show" can be boxed up and neatly packed away too.

For all eight seasons of "That '70s Show," Danny Masterson portrayed sarcastic stoner Steven Hyde, known for his signature afro and sideburns, round-the-clock sunglasses, and suspicions about the government. His absence from "That '90s Show" was glaring, with not a single appearance or mention of Hyde throughout the series' two seasons. This was presumably due to the fact that the actor was embroiled in controversy at the time.

Just a few months after "That '90s Show" premiered in January 2023, Masterson — a life-long Scientologist — was tried and convicted of rape, sentenced to 30 years to life in prison after a years-long investigation that began in 2017. But while this firestorm may have soured some viewers from streaming the reboot, it wasn't the main reason the show was canceled.

The first season of "That '90s Show" — which consisted of 10 episodes that were released in bulk on Netflix — came after Masterson's first trial, which ended with a hung jury in 2022, and before the media circus of the retrial and his subsequent conviction. That public lull in Masterson's legal challenges probably helped the show initially achieve buzzworthy heights based on nostalgia for "That '70s Show."

It's hard to gauge how much of an affect Masterson's 2023 conviction had on viewership when it came to Season 2 of "That '90s Show," however, because there's never been any official word from Netflix or anyone associated with the show. It was revealed in September 2023 that Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, and franchise co-stars Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp wrote letters of support defending Masterson's character that were submitted to the judge before Masterson's sentencing, and this seemed to be the final straw for the rebooted sitcom.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).