Summary

• That '90s Show season 2 brings back Wayne Knight from That '70s Show, setting up a nostalgic sequel to a classic episode.
• The trailer teases the return of fan-favorite characters like Mitch, Kitty, Red, Leo, and Bob, with new guest stars like Lisa Loeb and Carmen Electra.
• Speculation rises on Knight's role in season 2 - will he reprise his Angel role or pay homage to his iconic '90s characters like Newman from Seinfeld?

The news that That ‘90s Show season 2 will bring back That ‘70s Show guest star Wayne Knight sets up a perfect sequel to a classic episode. That ‘90s Show season 2 arrives on Netflix in June 2024 and the sitcom reboot already promised to bring back plenty of fan-favorite supporting stars from the original show. Although Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher reportedly won’t return, season 2 of the series will feature the return of Seth Green’s Mitch. Season 2’s trailer also implies that Donna will play a bigger role after That ‘90s Show season 1’s ending.

However, these aren’t the only familiar faces who will return to Point Place, Wisconsin. Kitty and Red remain the biggest link between That ‘90s Show’s cast of characters and the original series. Tommy Chong’s Leo and Don Stark’s Bob Pinciotti will also return, with the trailer featuring a moment where Bob and Red angrily confront Kelso and Jackie’s son Jay. Among other new guest stars are ‘90s singer Lisa Loeb, MTV mainstay Carmen Electra, and Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes as the iconic stoner duo Jay and Silent Bob. There will also be a returning guest star.

Wayne Knight Is Appearing In That '90s Show 23 Years After His '70s Show Episode

The Seinfeld Star Appeared In Season 4’s "It's a Wonderful Life"

Wayne Knight appears in That ‘90s Show season 2 trailer, and this isn’t the first time that the Space Jam actor showed up in the series. The comedy veteran played the Angel in That ’70s Show season 4, episode 1, “It’s A Wonderful Life.” This spoof of the classic Christmas movie saw a despondent Eric wish he never began dating Donna after their bad breakup. Knight appears as the Angel who shows Eric the error of this wish. Although Eric and Donna’s That ‘70s Show relationship was messy, the pair were always destined to end up together eventually.

Knight's Angel showed Eric how life would pan out for the entire gang if his relationship with Donna never happened.

Like his counterpart in the festive movie that gave the episode its title, Knight’s Angel didn’t just show Eric what his life would be like without Donna. Instead, he showed him how life would pan out for the entire gang if his relationship with Donna never happened. This facilitated a flash forward to an alternative version of the ‘80s, allowing the show to mock the infamous excesses of the decade. This could explain why That ‘90s Show season 2 is bringing back Knight’s Angel, as the spinoff could replicate this gag with one of the show’s romances and mock the ‘00s.

Is Wayne Knight Playing The Angel In That '90s Show Season 2?

A Christmas Special Would Allow Knight To Reprise His Role

It is not clear from the trailer whether Knight will play the Angel again in season 2. That ’90s Show season 2’s other returning character, Mitch, is still the same person, but Knight’s brief appearance implies that he could be playing another unrelated character in the spinoff’s second outing. After all, it's worth noting that one of Knight’s most famous roles was Newman, the villainous mailman who resented Seinfeld in the seminal sitcom of the same name. As such, Knight’s season 2 role could instead be an homage to one of the most quintessentially ‘90s sitcoms.

Similarly, Knight’s scene-stealing supporting roles in cult classics like Basic Instinct and Jurassic Park made him a ‘90s icon. Thus, Knight could appear in a parody of one of his famous ‘90s roles instead of reprising the role he played in That ‘70s Show. A nod to Jurassic Park, Basic Instinct, or Seinfeld would all make sense in season 2 since, like That ‘70s Show, That ‘90s Show frequently references and parodies movies and TV shows from its eponymous era. Despite this, That ‘90s Show season 2’s ongoing teen romance makes Knight playing the Angel more appealing.

Why A Follow-Up To "It's A Wonderful Life" Would Be Fun For That '90s Show

The Original High-Concept Holiday Special Was A Fun Outing

Like the heroes of the original series, That ‘90s Show’s main characters are already stuck in a messy romantic quandary. Leia, Jay, and Nate’s love triangle could be solved by Knight’s Angel if the returning character gave the show’s heroine some clarity on which (if either) of her potential love interests she should pursue. It’s not yet clear whether Leia has a future with either of the show’s heroes, but it is worth noting that Eric, Donna, Jackie, Fez, Hyde, and Kelso all dated each other in various configurations before settling on their eventual pairings.

Recreating “It’s A Wonderful Life” would allow That ‘90s Show to solve its love triangle, or set up a new one, much like the original episode proved Donna’s importance to Eric. Early season 4 was far from the last time that the couple broke up, with That ‘70s Show’s disastrous final season almost separating them for good before its finale. That ‘90s Show can now avoid That ‘70s Show mistake by setting up a central couple and not breaking them up countless times, and Knight’s Angel could intervene to achieve this feat.