In 2006, That ‘70s Show came to an end when its characters… well, reached 1980. But thanks to Netflix, we’ll be reuniting with many of these faces in 2023 with That ‘90s Show, which began production in February. 2022 saw multiple That ‘70s Show vets confirmed to return in guest spots, and now we can add another name to that list: Don Stark’s Bob Pinciotti.
The father of Laura Prepon’s Donna Pinciotti, and annoying next door neighbor to Kurtwood Smith’s Red Forman and Debra Jo Rupp’s Kitty Forman, it turns out that Bob Pincioitti is still living in Point Place, Wisconsin during the mid-1990s. EW revealed that Don Stark will reprise his role in That ‘90s Show’s sixth episode. With Danny Masterson not returning as Steven Hyde, Stark noted to the publication that he thinks he’s the “last” That ‘70s Show alum who was brought back for the sequel series, as he had not been looped in when Netflix officially announcedT That ‘90s Show.
Bob Pinciotti was a main character throughout the entirety of That ‘70s Show’s run, with the late Tanya Roberts playing Donna’s mother, Midge, alongside him as a series regular for the first three seasons, and then in guest/recurring capacities in Seasons 6 and 7. The first pictures of Bob’s appearance on That ‘90s Show include him holding a giant bag of oranges in front of Kitty and speaking into a microphone while wearing a black sequin jacket (which he dons to impress Red) during the birthday party for Kitty and Red’s granddaughter Leia, played by Callie Haverda. Don Stark said that getting back into character after almost 20 years away from Bob “was like riding a bike,” adding:
Bob exists in me. As soon as the clothes came on, and the wig came on, and the sideburns, and the jewelry, everything just kind of snapped. It was great. It was seamless. There was nothing to do, my Bob accent was right there at the ready, and it was fantastic. Bob is still that same guy: He means well, and he's got a big heart, but doesn't always think things through completely or at all.
Don Stark also mentioned that reuniting with Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp, both of whom are series regulars on That ‘90s Show, was a “highlight” of his filming experience, with both of them being excited to see him back, and vice versa. Stark also shared how impressed he was with the That ‘90s Show crew recreating the original That ‘70s Show sets, saying it was “amazing” and “really brought back a flood of wonderful memories.”
That ‘90s Show sees Leia Forman visiting her grandparents in the summer of 1995 and making new friends in Point Place. At the end of April, it was confirmed that Topher Grace, Laura Prepon, Mira Kunis, Ashton Kutcher and Wilmer Valderrama will reprise their roles from the original series. Then in May, Tommy Chong shared that he would return as Leo, and judging by Don Stark’s comment, it sounds like those are all the old characters who will be back for the revival. But who knows, if Season 2 is ordered, maybe even familiar faces might stop by Red and Kitty’s house.
The first trailer for That ‘90s Show dropped last month, and Netflix subscribers will be able to watch the show starting on January 19, 2023. Look through our 2023 TV schedule to learn what other programming is coming up soon.
