Yes, That ‘70s Show has extra comedic ammunition in the form of the adults - namely, the Formans and the Pinciottis - who are expertly used as a study in ‘70s contrasts and as a (mostly) more stable, domestic unit that gives the show increased narrative dimension (closer to Carsey-Werner’s norm), and a regular distraction from the teenagers’ romantic angst. Second, because they’re teens, a large part of the show - and its conflict - comes from their relationships with their parents. First, these six characters are teens, meaning that their emotional immaturity is vital to their depictions, and it’s able to justify some of the foolish choices that they’ll be forced to make. Even though character is theoretically paramount and rom-coms make emotional investment easy, often the relationship story machinations take precedence, forcing the characters into scenarios that might not make the best sense given their definitions… Fortunately, ‘70s has several foundational qualities that both make this design more palatable and help differentiate it from, say, Friends. It doesn’t take long to realize that tracking the growth of these characters is going to be largely synonymous with following their romantic pursuits… and naturally, these interests bring their own pluses and minuses. This is clear right from the pilot, as That ‘70s Show introduces us to a group of six teenagers two are in a relationship, and another two want to be. It owes much more to the trends of the latter than the former, and in fact, if there’s anything that That ‘70s Show seems wont to emulate, it’s Friends, the popular rom-com that married the notion of theoretically character-driven “arcs” (predicated on growth/evolution) with the soapy, predictably plotted relationship twists and turns that otherwise defined its long-term storytelling.
THAT 70S SHOW SEASON 1 A NEW HOPE SERIES
Oh, the series does a fine job of physically suggesting the 1976-79 era in which the action is set - or at least, enough so that we neither doubt the universe or regard its existence as a joke (the ‘70s isn’t being parodied it’s being evoked) - but the writing is very much of the late ‘90s period in which it was launched. And, as usual, these beliefs all stem from the beginning, with how That ‘70s Show defines itself…įirst, That ‘70s Show is NOT a ‘70s show.
So, you’ll know exactly when I believe this to be the case - and why. (Am I ever?) The quest for quality is ruthless, and I think this show fails to deliver its best too often. It’s well-built, and when things are great, they’re great when things are not great, they’re… well, VERY not great… But again, I’m not sure that its descent in quality is as devastating as other shows’ - we just can’t take it as seriously - and true to the laid-back spirit of the ‘70s, I think coverage of That ‘70s Show is much more about finding what works than harping on what doesn’t… That said, I’m not going to be easy.
It’s populated by well-defined characters, most of whom are extraordinarily well-cast, and boasts a low-concept premise that makes story generation easy. We’re dealing with something that might be on the proverbial second-tier: a fun, easy to like comedy that reflects its genre well, but mostly in the very basic sense: it gets its laughs and makes us feel good… Okay, I don’t want to undersell the show either. This is a delicate way of saying that That ‘70s Show isn’t a staple of the genre, and my coverage has to begin with the assumption that you all know we’re NOT dealing with a Seinfeld or a Frasier or an Everybody Loves Raymond. But otherwise, its charm is not necessarily enhanced by intense scrutiny rather, to maintain a general appreciation for this series and what it offers, one has to be relatively forgiving… whenever possible. That is, there are dramatic particulars that we can and will use to both define the show and establish how it delivers its episodic successes. However, I want to preface our coverage with the understanding that formal analysis, as with the recently discussed The King Of Queens, can only be taken so far. With a mischievous laugh-oriented sensibility inspired by a 1970s setting that invokes equal parts silly irreverence and romantic nostalgia, That ‘70s Show is such an easy show to enjoy, and I’m thrilled to see it finally get its due here. That ’70s Show stars TOPHER GRACE as Eric Forman, LAURA PREPON as Donna Pinciotti, ASHTON KUTCHER as Michael Kelso, DANNY MASTERSON as Steven Hyde, MILA KUNIS as Jackie Burkhart, WILMER VALDERRAMA as Fez, KURTWOOD SMITH as Red Forman, DEBRA JO RUPP as Kitty Forman, DON STARK as Bob Pinciotti, and TANYA ROBERTS as Midge Pinciotti. Welcome to a new Sitcom Tuesday! This week, we’re launching coverage on the best of That ’70s Show (1998-2006, FOX), which is available on DVD, Blu-ray, streaming, etc.!