So to state the obvious right away, the roles played by the original cast are great. In the original series they really captured lightning in a bottle and each member of the original cast who appeared in the show played their roles so well, it's hard to believe that it's been 2 and a half decades since they were originally cast.
The new cast members are the source of many viewers' gripes but I will say they're not all THAT bad. Kelso and Foreman's characters are actually quite good and they did give me the same vibes that their parents did - I really can't complain about the writing nor acting here. It's the rest of the new cast that are hit or miss. While they do have their moments, the acting at times feels wooden and many of the scenes, jokes, interactions and storylines feel quite forced to say the least.
And there we have what leads into the biggest problem that this show suffers from, with things being forced. You can probably guess what the cause is, but if not, here is your spoiler alert: It's woke culture. Where things go drastically wrong here is that there's a modern idea of political correctiveness inserted into a show that takes place in 1995. The result is the total loss of a genuine 90's feel. This doesn't fit right as the original cast brings an element of nostalgia which fails to be matched by the rest of the setting and cast. The lightning in a bottle which was captured in the original series is reduced to a few fireflies. While there are some good 90's references, some spot on haircuts and a few satisfying scenes here and there, it ultimately feels more like a modern day group of kids at a 90's themed party than anything else. And that just doesn't do the original the proper justice that it deserves, which is unfortunate.
I'd still rate this show somewhere around a 65-70 out of 100. The performances of Red and Kitty are more than worthwhile to watch and the rest of the original cast in their brief appearances pay off as needed but I'd be surprised if it's enough to merit a second season. I wouldn't mind seeing the new cast come back for round 2 but its not something I would be eagerly awaiting.
