Danny Masterson, known for his role in the hit TV series ‘That ’70s Show,’ has not been seen in a new episode since 2006. However, following his recent conviction on rape charges and subsequent sentencing to 30 years to life in prison, his connection to the beloved sitcom has come under renewed scrutiny.
Masterson spent eight seasons portraying the character Hyde on the Fox series. While his ongoing legal issues prevented his inclusion in the cast of the rebooted series ‘That ’90s Show,’ which premiered on Netflix in January, his presence still lingers in reruns of the original show, available on Peacock and Laff. Additionally, episodes can be purchased on Prime Video.
Yahoo Entertainment has reached out to the networks to inquire about their plans regarding the continued availability of the series in light of Masterson’s recent sentencing, but as of now, no responses have been received.
There has been a growing outcry from viewers demanding that the show be removed from the airwaves—a move that has occurred with other productions featuring disgraced stars.
Notably, in 2014, TV Land removed episodes of ‘The Cosby Show’ from its lineup after Bill Cosby faced numerous accusations of sexual assault and harassment from over 60 women. Although Cosby was initially convicted of sexual assault, his release in 2021 on a technicality altered the status of the iconic series about an upper-middle-class Black family. Episodes of ‘The Cosby Show’ are still available for purchase on Prime Video, as is ‘Seventh Heaven.’
In 2014, ‘Seventh Heaven’ star Stephen Collins confessed to child molestation, leading to the swift removal of reruns from the airwaves. However, the show eventually returned to broadcast the following summer and is currently accessible on Hulu.
Several of Masterson’s former ‘That ’70s Show’ co-stars, including Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Kurtwood Smith, and Debra Jo Rupp, penned letters to the court seeking leniency ahead of Masterson’s sentencing. These actions, in turn, sparked backlash, with notable criticism from Kathy Griffin and Christina Ricci directed at the couple.
One day after the letters came to light, Kutcher and Kunis issued an apology for their initial support of Masterson. While they previously referred to Masterson as a “role model” in their letters to the judge, they now emphasized their empathy for the individuals affected by his actions.
“We support victims,” stated Kunis solemnly in their apology video, “We have historically done so through our work and will continue to do so in the future.”
However, this apology did not sit well with at least one of Masterson’s accusers. Chrissie Carnell Bixler, Masterson’s ex-girlfriend and one of the three women who accused him of rape, took to her Instagram Story to indirectly criticize Kutcher. She shared a clip from a 2003 episode of Kutcher’s prank series ‘Punk’d,’ in which the then-25-year-old actor talked about his anticipation for child actresses Hilary Duff (then 15) and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen (then 17) to turn 18.
