That '90s Show's Nod to Patrick Swayze Is Even Better After 2024's Massive Streaming Hit
That '90s Show season 2 dropped a fun reference to one of Patrick Swayze's movies, and it's even better now after a massively successful movie from earlier in 2024. That '90s Show is packed with references to the late 1980s and early 1990s, especially the popular culture from that time. It was pretty much guaranteed that some of Patrick Swayze's work would come up, but the timing of That '90s Show's reference to one of his movies couldn't have been better.
Patrick Swayze was a huge movie star in the late 80s and early 90s, and he made a ton of movies during that time. From Dirty Dancing to Ghost, Swayze made some of his best movies in those few years. Several of Swayze's movies have even been remade, and That '90s Show picked the perfect one to use as an Easter egg. This Patrick Swayze movie became a massive streaming sensation, and its newfound popularity made That '90s Show's reference even more perfect.
Road House Was One Of That '90s Show Season 2's Big Pop Culture References
During the party at the Forman house in That '90s Show season 2, episode 8, Jay and Nate acted as bouncers and kicked one of the uninvited guests out of the house. When they did that, Jay said "It's my way, or the highway," which is a reference to the 1989 Patrick Swayze movie Road House. Swayze's character, Dalton, said the same thing when he introduced himself to the Double Deuce's bouncers. Road House is iconic in its own right, but it's become even more relevant because of one movie that dominated Amazon Prime Video this year.
Road House Is Relevant Again After Jake Gyllenhaal's Streaming Hit
The reason That '90s Show's reference is so topical again is because Jake Gyllenhaal made a remake of Road House that was released in March 2024. While Jake Gyllenhaal didn't actually say "It's my way or the highway" like Swayze's version of Dalton did, the remake still brought the original Road House back into pop culture in a major way. The Road House remake shattered Prime Video streaming records, and introduced millions of people to Dalton and the Double Deuce. It was so popular and so recent that it seems That '90s Show couldn't have timed its Road House reference better.
That '90s Show's reference to Patrick Swayze is also interesting because the Road House remake is so similar to the show. They're both updated reboots of a beloved story, and they both introduced their respective originals to a new generation. They also have both enjoyed quite a bit of success both critically and with wider audiences. The Road House remake's Rotten Tomatoes score was much better than the original's, and That '90s Show's Rotten Tomatoes score is even more impressive. It seems Road House and That '90s Show are a perfect pairing, even if it is only in the form of a small reference.
That '70s Show returns set two decades later with That '90s Show, acting as a sequel but bringing back old cast favorites. Led by Red (Kurtwood Smith) and Kitty (Debra Jo Rupp) Forman, the new cast arrives as the next generation, with the daughter of Eric and Donna, Leia Forman, leading the charge. Spending the summer with her grandparents, Leia makes new friends and forges new bonds in Point Place, Wisconsin. That '70s Show series regulars make cameos in the show to maintain that sense of familiarity, and the show adopts the conventions of the '90s as expected. That '90s Show first aired on Netflix with a total of ten episodes.
