That ’90s Show season 1 episode 5 recap: Step by Step

On this episode of That ’90s Show, Red and Kitty are getting their very first home computer. In traditional, sitcom setup, Kitty is excited about their new computer while Red complains that they don’t need it as his newspaper works just as well.

Ozzie agrees to help them learn how to use the computer, because even though Kitty is excited, she still doesn’t know anything about them and thinks the President might be using it to spy on their home.

That 90s Show season 1, episode 5 recap – Leia likes Jay

Meanwhile, downstairs in the basement, Leia is pining over her crush, Jay. Despite ending the last episode telling Jay that she just wanted to be friends, she reveals to Gwen that it was all part of her master plan to be in control of the relationship.

The plan seems to be working, as Jay can’t stop thinking about Leia, as he hangs out with Nate and Nikki. Nate tries to take Jay’s mind off of Leia, by suggesting they go and pick up a hot tub.

It’s either that or a goat, since those are the two items in the classifieds being offered for free. While tries to pick up the hot tub, the owner offers to let the boys try it out.

While in the hot tub, Jay gains perspective on his relationship, or lack thereof, with Leia. But when the granddaughter of the hot tub seller comes out to yell at her grandmother, the boys realize the promise of a “free hot tub”, was a ploy all along.

Meanwhile Ozzie confesses to Leia that the reason he is helping Kitty with her computer is that he wants to come out as gay to her. Telling an adult is part of his multi-step process to eventually come out to his parents.

Leia covertly brings up the topic with Kitty, but due to vague language and miscommunications, Kitty thinks the conversation is about Leia about to have sex for the first time. She calls Donna in a panic who shows up to stop Leia from having sex.

Leia pretends to go along with the story to protect Ozzie, but later confesses to her mom that while she does like a boy, sex isn’t anywhere in her near future.

That 90s Show season 1, episode 5 recap – Ozzie tells Kitty

Ozzie tries to come out to Kitty with an email, but despite his best instructions, she is unable to open the email without accidentally shutting down the computer. This forces Ozzie to come out to her verbally.

Kitty is appalled, because Ozzie’s boyfriend is Canadian, and Kitty has a friend who had a bad experience when dating a Canadian. Other than that, she’s fully accepting.

Gwen and Nikki, who have had nothing to do with any of the other stories in this episode, end up hanging out together even though they have nothing in common. Except for, it turns out, the classic ‘70s Show circle.

After a day of having lots of fun hanging out together, both of them are embarrassed and vow never to speak about it again. Leia’s talk with her mother has inspired her to be clear with Jay about her feelings.

But before she gets a chance, Jay reveals that he’s on a date with another girl, the granddaughter of “hot tub lady,” leaving Leia alone as the episode ends.

That 90s Show season 1, episode 5 recap – Set in the 90s…

Despite the show being very deliberately set in the 1990s (hence the name of the show), it hasn’t spent a whole lot of time making 90s references. Getting their first home computer and hooking up to the internet for the very first time, is really the biggest storyline so far that could only work by setting the show in the 1990s.

In addition, this is the first time Ozzie has had a really meaningful storyline in the show. Up until now, he’s always felt like the odd character out in the group.

He’s always been there, but there’s never been enough time to focus on him and let him develop a character of his own. This episode does a lot to rectify that.

Pairing him up with the main character, Leia, as well as with Red and Kitty’s story, is a smart way to help put the episode’s main focus on Ozzie that works. In a lot of ways, this is the first time Ozzie has gotten to feel like a real part of the show, and not just a one or two-line side character, waiting for his turn to have a story.

The Gwen and Nikki storyline also helps to make the main cast start to become a group of characters and not several small pairs of characters that sometimes hang out near each other. It’s only been five episodes, so it’s not necessarily taken a long time to get here.

But it feels like we actually have a complete group of characters now. For the first time, we could have a story develop with any two of the main cast.

What did you think of That ’90s Show season 1 episode 5? Leave your answers in the comments below!

You can watch That ’90s Show season 1 on Netflix.