That ‘90s Show Ignored That ’70s Show’s Worst Twist

The revelation of Hyde’s biological father was the worst twist in That ’70s Show, which made That ‘90s Show’s decision to retcon the story a good choice. By the show’s final seasons, That ‘70s Show was running low on inspiration. Like many hang-out sitcoms before it, That ‘70s Show had become a victim of its success. When That ‘70s Show debuted, few could have guessed that the nostalgic comedy would still be on-air six years later. Unfortunately, it seemed as though the writers had not prepared for that eventuality either.

As a result, That ‘70s Show seasons 7 and 8 were a famously messy end to the series. Attempts to replace Topher Grace’s Eric led to the darkest That ‘70s Show storyline while, elsewhere, all manner of absurd twists vied for viewer attention. Jackie ended up with Fez, of all people, while Donna abandoned her series-defining relationship with Eric to hook up with his replacement, Randy. This resulted in worsening reviews, although few of That ‘70s Show’s worst plot lines earned as much ire from critics and fans as the revelation of Hyde’s biological father.

That ‘90s Show Avoided Hyde’s Father Reveal (Because Hyde Wasn’t In It)

Early in That ‘70s Show’s run, Hyde’s deadbeat father was played by Robert Hays in a memorable cameo. However, That ‘70s Show season 7 effectively retconned this plot with the bizarre, misguided revelation that Hyde’s father was Black, even though Hyde’s actor was not biracial. Luckily, this revelation was itself retconned when Netflix revival That ‘90s Show ignored Hyde completely. Since Hyde does not appear in the reboot, there is no mention of his father, William “WB” Barnett. This would have been fairly unavoidable if Hyde had returned, since the character inherited a record store from Barnett in That ’70s Show’s final season.

While sitcom veteran Tim Reid is likable as ever in his appearances as Barnett, this does not redeem the misjudged That ‘70s Show plot. The story itself failed to add up, as WB was a successful businessman but never sought out contact with Hyde until years after his birth. However, this was only a minor issue in a story defined by bad decisions. The biggest problem was that Hyde was not played by a biracial actor, and That ‘70s Show did not show any interest in exploring the character’s reaction to his racial identity revelation. While not all That ’90s Show retcons of That ’70s Show work, this one was a merciful change.

The Real Problem With That ‘70s Show’s Worst Hyde Story

That ‘70s Show’s weakest plot mostly revolved around cringe-worthy gags about Hyde and everyone else being uncomfortable and awkward around people of color. This might have worked if his actor was biracial but, instead, the scenes seem insensitively handled and embarrassing in hindsight. In an attempt to show how much American society had changed in the decades since its setting, That ‘70s Show’s WB plot played up the ignorance of its core cast and made for uncomfortable viewing as a result. As such, the decision to retcon That ‘70s Show’s most misguided plot in That ‘90s Show proved a wise one.