That 70s Show

I recently finished watching Season 8 of this show, which ended over a decade ago (2006).  Of the actors, Ashton Kutcher (Kelso) has been most successful, with Laura Prepon (Donna) doing well as a character on “Orange is the New Black”.  I see Wilmer Valderrama (Fez) is on NCIS.

The show takes place in the 1970s in fictional Point Place, Wisconsin, starting in 1976, with the series finale, Season 8, Episode 22, taking place on December 31, 1979.  I started watching it when it originally came on (1998) and eventually lost interest, only picking it up again on Netflix Streaming pursuant to my inclination to “finish what I started”, although the only one putting his foot up my ass to do so is yours truly.  My own father was never as nasty and unpleasant as Red Forman.

Myself, I can remember the 1970s in the US, though I was younger (born in 1969) and not privileged to enjoy the perqs of being a teenager: underage drinking, marijuana consumption, and sexual activity.  My teenage years were spent in Paris, France, doing none of that.  But I remember many of the topics, issues, and celebrities who appeared on the show, sometimes (Ted Nugent) portraying themselves, or sometimes (Barry Williams and Christopher Knight, better known as Greg and Peter Brady) simply playing other people. 

Characters

Eric Forman (Topher Grace).  Skinny, shy, and loves “Star Wars”.  Since we’re before 1980, this is the first movie (SW IV) and not even “The Empire Strikes Back” (SW V).  Naturally we have an episode (S1/E20) which pays tribute to the famous sci-fi movie of 1977 which grabbed us all by the [unmentionable parts] and took us to a galaxy far, far away.  That was a movie which people actually saw in the movie theater multiple times, unheard of.   Eric is too shy to be much of a jerk, though he does behave that way occasionally.

Michael Kelso (Ashton Kutcher).  Tall, handsome, but not particularly bright.  For much of the series he’s hooked up with Jackie, but eventually has a kid with Brooke (Shannon Elizabeth).  Given that we know – from “Two and Half Men” and other roles – that Kutcher is actually quite sharp, I’d say that’s good acting on his part.  Luke Wilson plays his older brother Casey.

Steven Hyde (Danny Masterson).  My least favorite character.  Wearing dark glasses, has a “fro”, and varies from having a beard, mustache, or clean-shaven, usually wearing Led Zeppelin or other t-shirts yet rarely making any specific references to any of those bands.  For awhile he’s hooked up with Jackie.  I noticed that from start to finish he is almost always an asshole.  From what I can understand of Masterson’s behavior in real life, it seems he wasn’t really acting. 

His mom is played by Katey Sagal (aka Peg Bundy and Leela), his father is played by various actors (e.g. Robert Hays) until his true father is finally determined (Tim Reid). 

“FEZ” (Wilmer Valderrama).  A foreign exchange student (FES, switched to FEZ) from God knows where, his real name is never revealed, nor is his country of origin – even at the very end when his comrade Andrew (Justin Long) comes by to visit.  He loves candy but is usually on the receiving end of various jokes.  He’s actually pretty handsome.

Donna Pinciotti (Laura Prepon).  Initially a redhead, later a blonde, for the most part Eric’s girlfriend.  She’s tall, well endowed, but still very friendly – easily highly likable.  I much preferred her over Jackie.  With Eric gone in Season 8, she hooked up briefly with Randy (Josh Meyers, younger brother of Seth Meyers).

Jackie Burkhart (Mila Kunis).  I have to laugh that years after the show ended, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis actually hooked up in real life.  Jackie is a brunette and very high maintenance.  Her mother is played by Brooke Shields.  Initially Kelso’s girlfriend, eventually she hooks up with Hyde, then Fez. 

Red Forman (Kurtwood Smith).  Eric’s intimidating and domineering father, calls everyone a “dumbass” and threatens to kick their asses.  Veteran of WWII and Korea, factory worker for AMC, then a manager at Price Mart, and later runs his own muffler shop.  Leave it to Red to have zero empathy or compassion.  His mother Bernice is played by Marion Ross, best known as Marion Cunningham on “Happy Days”.

Kitty Forman (Debra Jo Rupp).  Eric’s mom, providing the love and affection he won’t get from Red.  Proud of her cooking.  Basically acts as a sit-com mom.  Betty White plays her mom.

Laurie Forman (Lisa Robin Kelly, RIP; Christina Moore).  Eric’s older sister, somewhat of a notorious slut, even to the point of hooking up with Kelso.  Not really much of an important character.

Bob Pinciotti (Don Stark).  Donna’s dad.  Chubby and not particularly bright.

Midge Pinciotti (Tanya Roberts).  Donna’s mom. Basically hot but stupid.

Leo (Tommy Chong).  A regular character in Season 8, he makes his debut in S2/E8.  As you would expect, he’s zoned out, says bizarre things, and has plenty of drug references.  I found him consistently entertaining.  Late in the series it turns out he was a truck driver in WWII.  After being discharged at Fort Dix in 1945, he hitches a ride with jazz musicians in a smoky car, and….we can figure out what happened.     

Drugs make frequent appearances, mainly marijuana, which the teens smoke in a circle.  In S2/E1 the parents accidentally eat Eric’s pot brownies – making Red high; Kitty later samples a stash to “determine what the fuss is all about” and mainly simply laughs at everything.  S3/E1 is called Reefer Madness.  I seem to recall an episode when Eric took acid, and Red is bitching at him (“dumbass” as usual) in the kitchen, Eric having trouble concentrating on the substance of Red’s complaining because the wallpaper is actually scrolling behind Red.  It seems the writers didn’t care to constantly refer to acid or shrooms, but were confident enough in the harmlessness of marijuana to consistently portray the teens’ enjoyment thereof in favorable terms.  Hell, Kelso even paints a pot leaf on the water tower, though the general consensus is that it more closely resembles a hand giving someone the finger...

 

Cars.  The Forman family car is an Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser (station wagon).  Some gay guy whose GAYDAR erroneously identifies Eric as a potential boyfriend drives a late 70s Trans Am – complete with shaker hood and Screaming Chicken hood bird.  Fez has an AMC Gremlin.  Hyde gets Leo’s El Camino.  Classic 70s cars make a range of appearances, though not as many as I would like. 

Guest Appearances.  The Rock (plays his own father in S1/15); Maud Adams, Kristina Wayborn, Barbara Carrera (Bond girls like Tanya Roberts, playing other roles) (S2/E16); Ted Nugent, as himself (S3/E24); Mary Tyler Moore (playing a bitchy TV host in Season 8). 

The episodes from Seasons 1-4 have names describing the events of that episode.  After that, they take names of rock bands’ songs, with a band per season: Season 5: Led Zeppelin; Season 6: The Who; Season 7: The Rolling Stones; Season 8: Queen.