That ’80s Show is the failed spin-off of That ’70s Show. Set in 1984, the series follows a group of 20-something adults living in San Diego, and was canceled after only 13 episodes due to very poor ratings and failing to gain a large audience on Fox. Ever since, That ’80s Show has become synonymous with failed spin-offs, being the best example of what not to do. Considering the fact that the show had the same creators as its more successful predecessor, many have wondered what the real issue was.
Gaining traction with a new TV show is difficult, let alone one that already has a dedicated fanbase. Indeed, expectations are certainly higher for a crew that put together the legendary That ’70s Show. That ’80s Shows is now a hidden secret that even die-hard ‘70s Show fans don’t like to bring up. It is a dark corner of the world that is cringe-worthy and hard to watch. Especially so now that That ’90s Show debuted to acclaim on Netflix last year (and will return with a 16-episode second season). While most feel a type of way about That ’80s Show, very few can actually name the reasons why the show flopped so hard. So, what exactly went wrong with That ’80s Show?
Boring Characters
The eclectic cast of characters in That 70s Show, along with their chemistry, is what made the show so iconic and memorable. That ’80s Show, however, did not feature interesting characters that developed at all, but depended on stereotypes. That 70s Show had a group of teens and their middle-aged parents at the center of it, where lives get complicated and adulthood begins to creep in. That ’80s Show revolved around older adults with no more mature perspective. This yielded a lack of interesting character perspectives and overall direction in the series.
Very Little Connection with That ’70s Show
While That ’80s Show was technically a spin-off of the extremely popular That ’70s Show, one of the biggest reasons that the former flopped was because the shows did not converge at all. Unlike That ’90s Show, That ’80s Show did not feature any of the previous characters seen on That ’70s Show and had no connection with them. This is arguably the biggest reason why the show did not take off. All the characters that we had come to love from That 70s Show were completely neglected in this spin-off. Without such beloved characters, viewers quickly lost interest.
Poor Timing and a Lack of Nostalgia
One of the biggest appeals of That ’70s Show was that it was a time that viewers were nostalgic for. This helped carry the show. That ’80s Show attempted to achieve the same level of nostalgia, but considering the fact that That ’80s Show was released in 2002, the general public had not yet developed nostalgia for the decade as it was still too close in history. While the creators put their work into recreating an 80s-inspired aesthetic, viewers just weren’t interested. As Stranger Things has proven, it wouldn’t be until the 2010s — a decade after That ’80s Show‘s release — that nostalgia for the 80s would be in-demand.
It Just Wasn’t Funny
While most of the creators of That ’70s Show came on to create That ’80s Show, they missed the mark. The majority of the comedy written for the show was based around the era, a predictable choice, mocking the decade in some way, shape, or form. This gag got old fast and, judging by the tanked ratings, there was little for viewers to latch onto and invest in, emotionally speaking. While That ’70s Show is known for its tongue-in-cheek style of comedy, the attempt to recreate that just wound up cringe-inducing rather than actually funny.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
