Between Full House, Roseanne, and That ’70s Show, there’s a number of beloved sitcoms from the ’90s that have been revived for modern audiences, leading some audiences to wonder if the critically acclaimed 3rd Rock from the Sun could ever return. Creators Terry and Bonnie Turner recently recalled that, while there aren’t currently any plans of a revival, the success they’ve found in bringing back other beloved properties could see them exploring opportunities for the intergalactic characters to come back to Earth for an all-new series. They also pointed out how they originally balked at the idea of a That ’70s Show revival, only for them to develop That ’90s Show for Netflix.
“Actually, we were in London at the same time that John Lithgow was there doing The Crown,” Terry Turner shared with Variety. “We were sitting with John, and I thought, there’s no reason why the aliens can’t come back to London.”
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Bonnie Turner added, “It may be, it may not be. It’s the same way that if somebody had asked, three or four years ago, ‘Are you going to reboot the ’70s show?’ We would have said no way. But it turned out well. If the story is there, then it’s there. But you’ve got to be really careful about this stuff.”
The series focused on a group of four aliens who embark on an expedition to Earth and, to avoid detection, take on the personas of a family. In addition to Lithgow, the series starred Kristen Johnston, French Stewart, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as well as Jane Curtin as the human love interest of Lithgow’s alien.
Over the course of its six seasons, 3rd Rock won a number of major awards, including accolades from the Emmy Awards and Golden Globe Awards. Most notably, Lithgow took home the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series six times. While his accolades on the program could mean he had exhausted his energy for the premise, Lithgow shared in 2019 that he would be open to a return.
When pitched a 3rd Rock from the Sun big-screen reboot by Deadline, Lithgow reacted, “As soon as I’m available.”
Also in 2019, Lithgow was asked more directly about whether he would do a revival series, with him voicing similar concerns to the producers.
“I would never say no to anything,” Lithgow explained to BuzzFeed’s AM to DM. “My only hesitation is that it was the perfect experience, and I’m a little wary of returning to anything and having it be less than what it was. It was a perfectly wonderful six years.” ย
Stay tuned for possible updates on a 3rd Rock from the Sun revival.
Would you like to see the sitcom come back? Let us know in the comments!
