Fans of Fox’s beloved sitcom hit That ‘70s Show have been able to go back in time anew, thanks to the recent release of Netflix's That ‘90s Show. The generation-jumping spinoff centers on Eric and Donna’s daughter Leia during a summer spent with her grandparents in Point Place, and it definitely includes cameos from the majority of the original That ‘70s Show stars. The most obvious absence is, of course, Danny Masterson as Hyde, and the sitcom doesn't really delve into any big reveals about the character's "current" situation in 1995. However, star Debra Jo Rupp has some thoughts on where her surrogate second son is.
Debra Jo Rupp, who reprised her role as the beloved Kitty Forman on That ‘90s Show, spoke to Vulture about returning to the Forman house for the new Netflix series, and about her life and career That ‘70s Show. While fans know how most of the characters turned out by the mid-'90s, Hyde was purposefully left out, due to Danny Masterson being charged with rape and legal issues surrounding those allegations. Still, that didn’t stop Rupp from gamely offering up her take on where Steven Hyde may be, and it seems pretty on point. In her words:
I think Hyde is traveling overseas somewhere and involved in some conspiracy theory.
Hyde traveling overseas would definitely make sense as to why he wasn’t in Point Place with the rest of his friends. Being more of a free-minded person, with and without marijuana involved, he probably wanted and/or needed to figure some stuff out, and just went wherever life took him.
All things considered, Hyde likely hasn't spent the prior 15-20 years toiling away over manual labor. When asked if she thought he might have landed in jail, Debra Jo Rupp shared a slightly more specific outlook, saying:
He’s involved in some political thing. Let’s say that.
It was definitely unfortunate that That ‘90s Show didn’t really explain where Hyde was, thought it might’ve been for the best in the long run, since it allows fans (and the stars themselves) to come up with their own creative ideas about what Hyde's been up to. Hopefully, if there is a second season - and that’s a big if considering Netflix's cancellation habits lately - it’s possible that we’ll get a mention or two of him at that point. So, for now, we’ll just have to go with the flow and theorizeabout just what he’s been up to since the 1970s wrapped up.
After Netflix ordered That ‘90s Show to series, Danny Masterson opened up about the sequel series, showing his support for the show, as well as Debra Jo Rupp and Kurtwood Smith. He clearly wasn’t able to be part of the Netflix spin-off, but at least he's seemingly kept it cordial on social media. He likely has his own thoughts about where Hyde is, though many fans may not want to hear it.
Meanwhile, after the stars reunited on the red carpet for That ‘90s Show, it was like nothing had changed, and the nostalgia was at an all-time high. Although reviews for That ‘90s Show have been mixed, no one can truly deny the show has a knack for nailing the nostalgic vibes. It should be interesting to see what will happen in a potential second season and just who else could pop up via cameo or namecheck.
Stream the first season of That ‘90s Show now on Netflix with a subscription! Check out the Netflix 2023 TV schedule to see what else is dropping on the streamer this year.
