That '90s Show Retconned One of the Best '70s Show's Betty White Twists
The television industry has always been fond of utilizing retcons to freshen up a franchise or reconcile continuity errors.
One of the newer examples of this is the retcon that took place in the recently released sitcom, That '90s Show, which is a spin-off of the earlier series That '70s Show, and it involves the iconic late actress Betty White's character.
Betty White was an actress, comedian, and icon of American television. Her career in show business spanned over seven decades, making her one of the longest-working entertainers in Hollywood history.
White was widely recognized for depicting sweet and innocent characters like Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls.
Now, in the world of entertainment, few shows have been as beloved and iconic as The Golden Girls from the 1980s.
But what many fans may not know is that White also made a few memorable appearances on That '70s Show, which aired between 1998 and 2006 and became a cultural phenomenon, influencing a generation of viewers.
In the sitcom, White portrayed Bea Sigurdson, the rude and nagging mother of Kitty Forman.
And although it was a substantial departure from White's usual roles, it was a subversive twist that kept viewers hooked as it was surprising to see such a contrast.
The last time we saw Bea in the original series was when Kitty's father had recently passed away, and Bea wasn't treating her daughter well – though they did, sort of, have a heartfelt moment about their shared loss.
However, despite this moment of vulnerability, Bea remained hard on her daughter even after her husband's passing, and Kitty ended up hiding from her mother's mean-spirited tirades.
However, producers of the recently launched spin-off series, That 90s Show, decided to take a bold step and retcon this twist.
In the new show's pilot, there's a moment between Kitty and Red when she tells him about how she visits her late mother's grave and tells her how much "fun it was when the house was full."
This may imply that there was an offscreen resolution between Kitty and her mom and that maybe – just maybe – Bea had changed her ways and finally softened up and became a more loving mother to Kitty.
It's amazing how a series can make us care so much about the lives of its characters. We become invested in their journeys, their relationships, and their hardships.
And with the retcon of Bea's character, fans were left with even more questions and speculations about what could have changed offscreen.