Wilmer Valderrama Is A Love Interest, But Also A NY Yankee On 'Are You There, Chelsea?' (VIDEO)

With the debut of "Awake" on Thursday, March 1, Wilmer Valderrama will be a regular castmember on a television series for the first time since "That '70s Show." He's certainly been busy with guest appearances across television in the intervening years. And in a nice bit of scheduling synchronicity -- that was surely orchestrated by NBC -- he spent the eve of his debut in a sort of mini-reunion with his old "'70s" co-star Laura Prepon on "Are You There, Chelsea?" (Wed., 8:30 p.m. EST on NBC).

It was as if in some twisted alternate reality, Fez got to live out one of his fantasies by finally scoring with Donna. In this reality, he played minor league baller Tommy, who actually managed to sweep Chelsea (Prepon) off of her feet. Theirs was a whirlwind romance that was perhaps going along too well. Her fears that he may stray while on the road were put on the backburner when he told her he wasn't going on the next road trip. He'd been called up to the major leagues.

But that set off a crisis she could never have anticipated, as Tommy had been called up to join the New York Yankees. Chelsea and her father were such die-hard Red Sox fans, they had developed family traditions around their hatred of the Yankees. But Chelsea wanted to be supportive, so she hid her allegiance to the Sox from Tommy, and even wore the Yankees jersey he gave her to attend a game in support of him.

A game, of course, against the Boston Red Sox. And it proved too much for Chelsea, who couldn't bring herself to root for the Yankees. After she got escorted from the game, Tommy asked her if she could root for him hitting a home run. But when Chelsea lashed out in retaliation against a young Yankees fan for throwing a milkshake at her, Tommy realized this could never work.

"Call me if you ever get traded," Chelsea said to him in parting. Between love and baseball, for both of them the baseball proved too much to overcome.

Valderrama is a co-star in "Awake," premiering Thursday, March 1 at 10 p.m. EST on NBC. "Are You There, Chelsea?" airs Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. EST, also on NBC.

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Comments

[takethetime]

06:45 PM on 03/01/2012

I didn't care for the 70's show all that much to begin with so I doubt bring these two together with make that much of a diff.

[hg2dean]

04:15 PM on 03/01/2012

Which is less funny: Are You There Chelsea or Two Broke Girls? They're both canned as hell, both seem written by a comedy software program, but I'd say the latter is never funny, therefore less funny.

[George Hensler]

03:40 PM on 03/01/2012

I can't believe this awful show is still on the air.

[Blonde4eva7]

03:18 PM on 03/01/2012

That's kinda cool. I wonder if I'll remember it's on tonight?

[ae12wrangell]

03:46 PM on 03/01/2012

I am sorry to say, but, yes. It will be on, unless there is a real emergency. Please! Let there be an emergency!

[Daniel Velasquez]

02:03 PM on 03/01/2012

Prepon = beautiful.

[ptrgamb]

12:50 PM on 03/01/2012

They seem like decent people, but the show is stunningly unfunny

[Jacqueline Morrison]

11:51 AM on 03/01/2012

Actually Wilmer has been a "regular castmember on a TV series" for the 2nd time since That 70's Show. He has been the voice of Handy Manny on Disney for many years now.

[nbart71]

10:40 AM on 03/01/2012

All 3 viewers of this travesty will be very excited!

[sherylann522]

10:44 AM on 03/01/2012

LOL! I actually watched some of it last night, and it is definitely a travesty! Unfortunately, there's nothing on in between The Middle and Modern Family.... guess I'll do my dishes during this time slot next week. :)

[nbart71]

11:39 AM on 03/01/2012

I love The Middle. The Hecks are the most realistic portrayal of an American family on a sit-com since the first few seasons of Rosanne.

[rbearfield]

10:31 AM on 03/01/2012

who is she and who cares?

[Blonde4eva7]

03:19 PM on 03/01/2012

Did you not read the article? Or ever watch TV?!

[rbearfield]

03:35 PM on 03/01/2012

yes i read the article, but i don't watch tv that doesn't matter.
i also don't watch any reality shows, as they're all scripted, and only for people that don't have real lives. i watch to be entertained, but i don't watch garbage.