Bob Pinciotti is back! Here's a first look at Don Stark's return on That '90s Show
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"Hey there, hi there, ho there!"
Don Stark lost count of how many times he said Bob Pinciotti's iconic greeting while filming That '70s Shows. For eight seasons from the late '90s to the early '00s, he played the well meaning yet totally cringeworthy next-door neighbor to the Formans and father to Donna (Laura Prepon), and when the retro sitcom wrapped in 2006, he thought he hung up Bob's curly wig and sideburns for good. But EW can exclusively reveal that Bob is officially back for Netflix's revival/sequel That '90s Show — check out the first look photos of his return in episode 6 below.
Patrick Wymore/Netflix Kurtwood Smith as Red Forman, Don Stark as Bob Pinciotti, Debra Jo Rupp as Kitty Forman in 'That '90's Show'
When Stark saw a press release announcing the new series starring original cast members Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp as Red and Kitty Forman, he still didn't think he'd be back in their kitchen. "I had family saying, 'Oh, wow, that's great,' and I said, 'Let's just pump the brakes because you don't know exactly what this means,'" Stark tells EW. "It was a long time before I was approached on whether or not I would be coming back, so when they let me know, I was really excited about that and to see everybody again."
That '90s Show once again takes place in the Forman household as Eric (Topher Grace) and Donna's daughter Leia (Callie Haverda) decides to spend the summer of '95 with her grandparents in Point Place. The new series had to recreate all the sets from the original, and Stark was blown away by how perfect every single detail was when he stepped on set to film his episode. "They had to build all new sets but they looked exactly like they were back then. It was just like going home," Stark says. "It was amazing, it really brought back a flood of wonderful memories. All the young people who were in the new cast were terrific, and it mirrored what it was like when we started."
Patrick Wymore/Netflix Don Stark as Bob Pinciotti, Debra Jo Rupp as Kitty Forman in 'That ‘90s Show'
Even though he hadn't played Bob in almost 20 years, Stark says getting back into character was "like riding a bike," and didn't require any preparation. "Bob exists in me," he says with a laugh. "As soon as the clothes came on, and the wig came on, and the sideburns, and the jewelry, everything just kind of snapped. It was great. It was seamless. There was nothing to do, my Bob accent was right there at the ready, and it was fantastic. Bob is still that same guy: He means well, and he's got a big heart, but doesn't always think things through completely or at all."
Stark especially loved the black sequin jacket he wears in the episode — "It's like a giant mirror ball," he says with a laugh — as Bob tries to out-impress Red at their granddaughter's birthday party. "My dynamic with Red was such a favorite of mine, it was just this perfect connection," he says. And reuniting with Smith and Rupp was a highlight of his filming experience. "When we would shoot [the original series], we would always go to lunch one day a week and get together. They were both very happy to see me again, and I was ecstatic to see them."
Patrick Wymore/Netflix Don Stark as Bob Pinciotti in 'That ‘90s Show'
While Stark doesn't know if his return as Bob will extend beyond this one episode, he sees a bright future for That '90s Show as it plays on the nostalgia that made the original series a hit for eight seasons and also features cameos from Eric, Donna, Kelso (Ashton Kutcher), Jackie (Mila Kunis), and Fez (Wilmer Valderrama).
"I think I was the last one to come back," Stark says. "Everybody was back on the show except for Danny [Masterson], given the circumstances." Masterson is currently on trial on three counts of rape; the actor has denied all charges. "I'm looking forward to seeing what they did with all the different characters and I'm just so proud of all the people that were in the show and how well they've done since."
Patrick Wymore/Netflix Kurtwood Smith as Red Forman, Don Stark as Bob Pinciotti, Debra Jo Rupp as Kitty Forman in 'That '90's Show'
That '90s Show premieres Jan. 19 on Netflix.
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