The past few months now I've been watching That 70s Show on Netflix. I remember this show first came out when I was in high school and always found the show to be very funny. The premise is about a group of high school friends and their shenanigans set in the mid to late 1970s in a small town in Wisconsin. It was a very popular show and ran from 1998 to 2006 for 8 seasons. After recently watching all episodes from beginning to end, I can say it's become one my favorite sitcom comedy series.
The Premise
The series begins in 1976 in a fictional town called Point Place, Wisconsin. The central character is Eric Foreman a cliche smart-allic teenager. His mother, Kitty babies him, while his father Red is very hard on him. His love interest is his next door neighbor Donna Pinciotti a free-spirited character. She lives with her flamboyant parents Bob and Midge. Beside Red and Donna are their group of friends including Hyde, a rebellious teenager who eventually moves in with the Foreman family. Then there is Kelso, the loud and obnoxious one of the group; Jackie the spoiled one of the group; and Fez, the unique foreigner of the group.
Each character compliments one another quite well to make for many hysterical situations. The characters grow with the storyline as they date one another and get thru high school together. Donna and Eric date for the first few seasons then take a break, then get back together. Meanwhile Jackie dates Kelso in the first few seasons, and then Hyde for the next few seasons, and ends up with Fez in the end. Fez is the sole loner thru most of the series.
Season 7 was perhaps my favorite as the characters were out of high school and beginning their transition into adulthood. This was perhaps where Eric Foreman was at his funniest a complete bum without a path. By season 8 the actors who played Eric and Kelso chose not to return, thus making for a sub-par final season. The series finale ended with Eric and Donna getting back together, Kelso becoming a father in Chicago, Hyde owning a record business, and Jackie and Fez getting together.
The characters
Eric Foreman (played by Topher Grace) His is a very skinny smart allic character. His dad refers to him constantly as a dumbass since he really doesn't have much ambition. However his relationship with Donna is the stuff of dreams, merging a best friend with a lover. He is arguably the leader of the group, and hosts the social gatherings in his basement. He bounces around from multiple jobs yet stays committed to Donna thru most of the series. He however completely flakes out towards the end of the series as he leaves Donna at the alter and later leaves for Africa. How Donna stays with him at the end makes zero sense to me.
Donna Pinciotti (played by Laura Preppon) She is a free spirited tall somewhat tomboyish girl, and yet very attractive in my opinion. Its her eyes, long legs, and personality I always found to be very enticing. She is always by Eric's side yet also plays the mature one of the group. In the later seasons she struggles with her parents divorce yet lands a good job as a radio DJ. In the final two seasons she changes her hair to blonde and becomes more of a feminist. Even after Eric leaves her at the alter and leaves for Africa, she still somehow ends up with him.
Stephen Hyde (played by Danny Masterson) He is the rebellious stoner of the group, and arguably their mature leader. He comes from a dysfunctional parenthood, and later moves in with the Foreman family. In the first few seasons he plays a strong independent character and a mentor role to Fez. He also gets a job at the photo booth owned by a old hippy named Leo. By the fifth season he begins dating Jackie after she breaks up with Kelso. He later meets his father who happens to be a weathly record store owner, and gives him a job as a manager.
Michael Kelso (played by Ashton Kutcher) He is the ridiculous clown of the group, perhaps the shows biggest break out character. While he begins dating Jackie he is notorious for his cocky, flirting ladies-man personality. He is also extremely dimwitted making for great humor. He coins the catchphrase, "Burn" after always poking jokes at others in the group. After dating Jackie for the first few seasons, they break up and Kelso bounces around with different girlfriends. He later gets a girl pregnant and moves to Chicago to help raise the kid and work as a security guard.
Jackie Burkhart (played by Mila Kunis) She is the very spoiled brat of the group, also the youngest being a grade below the rest. In the first few seasons she dates Kelso, always arguing with him and demanding attention. She is very unlike her grungy best friend, Donna, yet much more prissy. By the 4th and 5th season she breaks up with Kelso and begins dating Hyde, making for a much more mature relationship. Hyde however has no plans to get married, while Jackie wants the cliche marriage and a family. In the later seasons she begins making her own path, getting an office job and moving in with Fez. Towards the last few episodes she surprisingly decides she wants a relationship with the creepy Fez.
Fez (Wilmer Valderamma) He begins as the innocent foreign exchange student, and somewhat of a footstool to the group. He starts off in the series as a bit awkward of a character, yet still charming and fashionable. He eventually begins to date around and even lose his virginity which is a big deal for him. He lands several jobs throughout the series working at the DMV and later at a hair salon. Towards the later seasons his character gets extremely creepy and odd, an example being him frequently hiding in Donna's closet or spying on other people. By the 8th season however is somehow able to get his own apartment with Kelso and Jackie moves in with him. By some strange conclusion the writers thought it would be a fitting closure to have Jackie and Fez end up together, which I thought was a bit unbelievable.
Red Foreman (Kurtwood Smith) He is a cliche blue collar hard-ass father. As a military vet, he shows a very strict and dispiclined demeanor. He's especially hard on his son, Eric, who he feels is a slacker and often refers to him as a dumbass. He does however have a soft side for his wife, Kitty, and their elder daughter, Laurie. In the later episodes he has a heart attack, of which Eric skips out on college to help his parents financially. Red manages a store and later opens his own muffler shop until he retires.
Kitty Foreman (Debra Jo Rupp) She is the cliche loving mother and expert home-keeper who often babies Eric. She's also a nurse and a very good cook. She is the structure of the family, very loyal to her husband, and very protective of her son. She also enjoys to drink and have a good time with Eric's friends.
Bob Pinciotti (Don Stark) He is the neighbor of the Foreman family and the father to Donna. His personality is a lovable yet dimwitted figure. He is also a very emotional person which often gets on Red's nerves. In the third season he seperates from his wife Midge and later dates around with other women. At the end of the series he decides to move to Florida.
Midge Pinciotti (Tanya Roberts) She is the extremely ditsy wife to Bob and mother to Donna. She's very open-minded and begins to feel that her husband Bob is too possessive and later divorces him by the third season. She however reappears in the 6th and 7th season to offer support to her daughter and rekindle things with Bob.
Leo Chingkwake (Tommy Chong) He is a hippy business owner of a photo hut that employs Hyde for a while. He often joins the gang in their random shenanigans. His character is always stoned and lost out of his mind, making for very hysterical dialogue.
Randy Pearson (Josh Meyers) He appears only in the 8th season as a new friend to the group, mostly just to take the place of Eric and Kelso. He works for Hyde's record store, and later has a brief fling with Donna. His character is somewhat of a boring one and he wasn't even included in the series finale.
The production
The show became quite popular for introducing many new original film techniques. One of the most iconic elements of the show was the film-circle which panned from character to character usually while the characters were smoking marijuana. The smoking of marijuana was of course never shown however it was obviously displayed in the characters outlandish dialogue and expressions. The show also introduced elements of split screen dialogue and dream sequences.
The show is infused with 70s references from the music, the cars, the clothes, to the general pop culture. The group of friends all enjoy rock and disco music. Eric is obsessed with Star Wars and also collects GI Joe action figures which both made their debut at the time. Many of the characters often wear the bell bottom jeans and the big collar shirts. Finally they all have similiar personalities of free spirited 1970s hippies.
The Premise
Each character compliments one another quite well to make for many hysterical situations. The characters grow with the storyline as they date one another and get thru high school together. Donna and Eric date for the first few seasons then take a break, then get back together. Meanwhile Jackie dates Kelso in the first few seasons, and then Hyde for the next few seasons, and ends up with Fez in the end. Fez is the sole loner thru most of the series.
Season 7 was perhaps my favorite as the characters were out of high school and beginning their transition into adulthood. This was perhaps where Eric Foreman was at his funniest a complete bum without a path. By season 8 the actors who played Eric and Kelso chose not to return, thus making for a sub-par final season. The series finale ended with Eric and Donna getting back together, Kelso becoming a father in Chicago, Hyde owning a record business, and Jackie and Fez getting together.
The characters
Donna Pinciotti (played by Laura Preppon) She is a free spirited tall somewhat tomboyish girl, and yet very attractive in my opinion. Its her eyes, long legs, and personality I always found to be very enticing. She is always by Eric's side yet also plays the mature one of the group. In the later seasons she struggles with her parents divorce yet lands a good job as a radio DJ. In the final two seasons she changes her hair to blonde and becomes more of a feminist. Even after Eric leaves her at the alter and leaves for Africa, she still somehow ends up with him.
Stephen Hyde (played by Danny Masterson) He is the rebellious stoner of the group, and arguably their mature leader. He comes from a dysfunctional parenthood, and later moves in with the Foreman family. In the first few seasons he plays a strong independent character and a mentor role to Fez. He also gets a job at the photo booth owned by a old hippy named Leo. By the fifth season he begins dating Jackie after she breaks up with Kelso. He later meets his father who happens to be a weathly record store owner, and gives him a job as a manager.
Jackie Burkhart (played by Mila Kunis) She is the very spoiled brat of the group, also the youngest being a grade below the rest. In the first few seasons she dates Kelso, always arguing with him and demanding attention. She is very unlike her grungy best friend, Donna, yet much more prissy. By the 4th and 5th season she breaks up with Kelso and begins dating Hyde, making for a much more mature relationship. Hyde however has no plans to get married, while Jackie wants the cliche marriage and a family. In the later seasons she begins making her own path, getting an office job and moving in with Fez. Towards the last few episodes she surprisingly decides she wants a relationship with the creepy Fez.
Red Foreman (Kurtwood Smith) He is a cliche blue collar hard-ass father. As a military vet, he shows a very strict and dispiclined demeanor. He's especially hard on his son, Eric, who he feels is a slacker and often refers to him as a dumbass. He does however have a soft side for his wife, Kitty, and their elder daughter, Laurie. In the later episodes he has a heart attack, of which Eric skips out on college to help his parents financially. Red manages a store and later opens his own muffler shop until he retires.
Kitty Foreman (Debra Jo Rupp) She is the cliche loving mother and expert home-keeper who often babies Eric. She's also a nurse and a very good cook. She is the structure of the family, very loyal to her husband, and very protective of her son. She also enjoys to drink and have a good time with Eric's friends.Bob Pinciotti (Don Stark) He is the neighbor of the Foreman family and the father to Donna. His personality is a lovable yet dimwitted figure. He is also a very emotional person which often gets on Red's nerves. In the third season he seperates from his wife Midge and later dates around with other women. At the end of the series he decides to move to Florida.
Midge Pinciotti (Tanya Roberts) She is the extremely ditsy wife to Bob and mother to Donna. She's very open-minded and begins to feel that her husband Bob is too possessive and later divorces him by the third season. She however reappears in the 6th and 7th season to offer support to her daughter and rekindle things with Bob.
Leo Chingkwake (Tommy Chong) He is a hippy business owner of a photo hut that employs Hyde for a while. He often joins the gang in their random shenanigans. His character is always stoned and lost out of his mind, making for very hysterical dialogue.
Randy Pearson (Josh Meyers) He appears only in the 8th season as a new friend to the group, mostly just to take the place of Eric and Kelso. He works for Hyde's record store, and later has a brief fling with Donna. His character is somewhat of a boring one and he wasn't even included in the series finale.
The production
The show became quite popular for introducing many new original film techniques. One of the most iconic elements of the show was the film-circle which panned from character to character usually while the characters were smoking marijuana. The smoking of marijuana was of course never shown however it was obviously displayed in the characters outlandish dialogue and expressions. The show also introduced elements of split screen dialogue and dream sequences.
The show is infused with 70s references from the music, the cars, the clothes, to the general pop culture. The group of friends all enjoy rock and disco music. Eric is obsessed with Star Wars and also collects GI Joe action figures which both made their debut at the time. Many of the characters often wear the bell bottom jeans and the big collar shirts. Finally they all have similiar personalities of free spirited 1970s hippies.
