That '70s Show

As the title suggests, this comedy takes place in the 70's (one of my favorite musical decades). It revolves around a group of friends which are all late teenagers and covers all of their daily hassles with friends, parents work and love. There is a variety of different and real characters here, plus the one that no comedy can work without it seems: the incredible dumb-ass. In this series this person is Kelso (Ashton Kutcher). Then there is Eric (Topher Grace), whose basement is the place where the main characters usually hang to avoid their parent and Erics sister. Eric is an OK guy, whose girlfriend Donna (Laura Pepron) lives in the same street as he does. The relationship between the two is very well worked out and they behave in a way I think is appropriate for serious couples of that age. The rest of the crew are Jackie (Mila Kunis) who is really self absorbed and not one of the favorite's of the group, although she belongs there. Then of course there's Fez (Wilmer Valderrama) the foreigner, who is thinks very highly of himself at times, but who is also naive and shy in a way. The crew is completed by my favorite character, Hyde (Danny Masterson). The reason I like him so much is that he is very easygoing. Plus he is extremely cool, I mean when he cracks a joke or makes a remark it always strikes a chord, whether it is a wise or a mean statement. Overall this is a good show with some great and some standard comedy characters (of which not all are mentioned here).

8 out of 10

I guess that one might say that "That '70s Show" is to the 1990s what "Happy Days" was to the 1970s: a look at how cool things were twenty years earlier in Wisconsin. And they do a great job with it. The characters are: Eric Foreman (Topher Grace), a sometimes clueless high school student; Donna Pinciotti (Laura Prepon), Eric's strong-willed friend; Michael Kelso (Ashton Kutcher), a complete imbecile; Jackie Burkhart (Mila Kunis), the vain, egotistical member of the group; Steven Hyde (Danny Masterson), the cynical member of the group; Fez (Wilmer Valderrama), a foreign exchange student who always tries to be cool; Red (Kurtwood Smith), Eric's hard-ass father; and Kitty (Debra Jo Rupp), Eric's jolly mother.

Tommy Chong occasionally appears as Hyde's stoner boss Leo. Throughout the series, the circle of friends comes across all sorts of situations, which usually end up accentuating Kelso's stupidity or Hyde's distrust of authority. Oftentimes, they assess everything through popular culture (namely disco or any TV show that had existed up to that point). But no matter what happens, it's always safe to assume that Red will threaten to kick someone in the ass, or at least call someone a dumb-ass.

Either way, it's a great show. You gotta see it.

Along with reruns of "Seinfeld", of course, and maybe some "Friends" reruns.

We all know the plot by now: life in the 70s. My mom says that some of the characters actually remind her of people she knew when she was in high school then.

Lots of great pokes at the decade here, from disco to streaking to Star Wars to Charlie's Angels (and yet no jokes about TV's "M*A*S*H"), and all the usual coming of age jokes (men VS women). The beautiful red haired, deep voiced, 5-foot-10-inch Laura Prepon, who plays Donna (and was also the main reason I started watching this show), is probably the most normal character on the show (the only time she ever really got colorfully bent out of shape about something was when she found another woman's underwear in Eric's car, which is understandable for any woman, only to find out that her mom and dad were back there one night) with Topher Grace's Eric in second place. Danny Masterson is great as the dead pan conspiracy theorist Hyde. I don't see what's so great about Ashton Kutcher, but I will give him credit for giving his all in the role of the male bimbo, same to Mila Kunis (who's finally making the transition from simply cute to actually being beautiful) as the self-absorbed Jackie and Wilmer Valderamma (or however you spell his name) as Fez. However, this show has ruined my ability to enjoy the 1987 hit "Robocop" because I've come to enjoy Kurtwood Smith so much in the role of Eric's cranky dad Red Foreman that I can't stand to see him as the evil Clarence Boddicker who helps mutilate Peter Weller's Murphy in "Robocop". It's a shame they had to replace Lisa Robin Kelly as Lori, even though the new actress Christina Moore is prettier.

I will say this though: the show has now exhausted and run all good ideas, and yet it's still more endearing than TV's "M*A*S*H". Here's the rule for watching the reruns: if Donna's mom Midge (former Bond girl Tanya Roberts, who rallied a few other former Bond girls together for an episode) is there, you're good. However, if Eric and Donna have broken up, change the channel immediately (it's just not right, those two not being together) or if Donna is sporting blonde hair, or if Eric and Kelso just aren't there at all, also change the channel. The fifth season shows where Jackie starts dating Hyde are pretty much reliable. But all in all, it's a great watch, certainly a lot better than current "Friends" and "The Simpsons".

Unlike the 70s sitcom it sometimes mocks (Happy Days), this show has no peaks and valleys, and never "jumped the shark". It's just a rock solid, funny show and has been for the duration of its run (so far). I have watched just about every episode since the beginning, and have never been let down. It's an extremely underrated show which could reach ledgendary status if it runs for a few more years. Everyone in the cast is very funny and endearing in their own way. The best thing is that they never stray from the original characterizations. And you never doubt for a minute that you're back in the seventies, unlike Happy Days, which was set in the 50s yet much of the cast (Scott Baio anyone?) sported contemporary haircuts. This show is a gem. Watch. You won't be disappointed.

This show has come so far. At first EVERYONE in the cast from Eric to Fez, they were all new actors and actresses, fresh faces, and just look what they accomplished. They stuck with the show and it was a success. Its one of the best shows ever made and its probably the funniest sitcom I've ever seen in my life. It will be sad to see it end but if they end this show, I hope to God that the series finale goes out with one of the biggest bangs that any season finale has ever had. I don't care if the whole season sucks because they save all the fuel for the final episode. Go down swinging, get one last punch in. The show deserves it, the fans deserve it, if they go, let everyone know its going to end, like on Friends, and let the finale be huge. I say get Donna and Eric married, I say have Hyde and Kelso fight and become friends again, I say have something interesting happen between Fez and Jackie because Fez has been trying for so long, but of course it wont work out for him. JUST CLOSE OUT THE SERIES BIG TIME GUYS!

That 70s Show will always be the best in my eyes. Eric, Kelso, Donna, Jackie, Fez, Hyde, I wish I had you guys as friends. You are the best!

10/10...