That '80s Show

While That '70s show relies a lot on wit, funny flashbacks, interesting historical references and real charactar growth, plus the great acting, this show mostly relied on the shock of the bad clothes and everyone's sexuality. The jokes weren't great and the charactars were boring. I'm glad it got canceled......but I wish FOX would bring back "Undeclared". That was a really funny show, but it was a timeslot victim :(

Network: Fox; Genre: sitcom; Content Rating: TV-PG; Classification: Contemporary (Star range: 1 - 4)

Season Reviewed: series (1 season)

'That 80s Show' is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. A copy of a copy, faded slightly from the original where creators Bonnie and Terri Turner take another trip back in time in the clearly network mandated vein of roping in the young crowd that currently watches their hit 'That 70s Show'. It's an odd line of logic: do networks think just setting a show in a different time period is enough of a gimmick for people to flock to it with nostalgic interest? The show plays out like a 'SNL' skit about the 80s. The characters in this live action comic strip work in a vinyl record store, have spiked punk or 'Flock of Seagulls' hair, serve in the military against the Ruskies, watch Dynasty religiously (taking a drink every time someone gets slapped) and, in a throwback to Alex Keaton, are go-go Reaganaut business tycoons. Its a TV time capsule broadly playing off, and laughing at, only the most easily and instantly recognizable fads, attitudes and events of the decade so that the younger crowd (which this is geared toward) can watch the show and not be left in the dark by a lot of nuance and in-jokes before their time. If you want nuance and a show speaking directly to you, best stick with Paul Fieg's 'Freaks and Geeks'.

Ah, but wait, almost the exact same thing can be said about the fast and loose way the 70s are treated in 'That 70s Show'. But '70s' rises above it. With the talent preoccupied with working on '70s' everything in this show is taken down a peg. It lacks the comic timing and imaginative direction of '70s' helm David Trainer so the series is only marginally as funny. It lacks the veteran acting, instead of Kurtwood Smith we have Geoff Pierson ('Unhappily Ever After', one of the very best bad shows ever). Pierson is quite good, one of the highlights of the show actually, but it's an noticeable down step from a veteran like Smith. Most notably is that '70s' quickly transcended it's time period jokes and has become something with a genuine heart. That show, and this is rarely reported, is the semi-autobiographical story of creator Mark Brazill. '80s' lacks that feeling of experience and honesty. Do we really care if opposites attract and Corey (Glenn Howerton) and Tuesday (Chyler Leigh) get together?

What keeps the show's head above water – it is quite watchable – is once again an excellent casting department. In addition to the usually reliable Pierson (cornering the market in his dead-beat-father role, in a time when networks would TV fathers be harmless, overgrown children), the kids form a likable ensemble. While there aren't quite any Topher Graces in this lot of kids, there aren't any Ashton Kutchers either (if you know what I mean and I think you do). Tinsley Grimes (as the adorable Katie), Chyler Leigh (deserving every second of screen time she gets) and Eddie Shin (honestly, getting almost all of the show's laughs) stand out as the show's breakout stars. The banter between Roger (Shin) and R.T. (Pierson) is the highlight of the series.

Based on the potential strength of the cast is have a sneaky suspicious this show would have gotten better as it went along. But, either way, audiences flocked away from it like a swarm of bees, which probably has more to do with sending a message that we don't want this kind of franchise series than anything the show could have done - despite the best efforts of the cast. I suspect, Brazill and co. thought that the acceptance of 'The Wedding Singer' and other related products opened the door and declared it was now acceptable to treat like a cartoon this period in people's childhood. But by 2002, the 80s are still to recent and people's minds. It was a doomed concept from the start and people don't want to start down a slippery slope that will one day lead to a show, that solely stands out because it's set in "the 00s".

* * / 4

After watching the trailer for "that 80's show" i thought it might be a nice evening filler,it looked funny and witty.NOT! I was seriously dissappointed upon watching the actual show.If you want my advice,this show sucks!Its not funny and totally not amusing.I'd stick with the 70's show if I were you.

I am a child of the 1980s. I was 7 years old in 1980 and 16 in 1989. This show is terrible. All it does is try to find humor in mocking every fad and fashion of the 1980s. If That 70's Show relied on this, it would have been off the air quickly.

Let me explain... That 70's Show uses the 1970s as a backdrop for a sitcom about people. The oddities of the 1970s are secondary to the story line. (Much like Happy Days was with the 1950s.)

That 80's Show uses the 1980s as it main focus of humor by making fun of everything. And unfortunately, they don't do that funny either. Seeing people sing along to Pat Benatar, talk about having a cell phone, and wearing zebra pants is funny? After the first episode, I said to my wife, "Well, it won't be long until they have a scene where the people are singing alone to Dexy's Midnight Runners." And guess what, I was proved right by week #4 where three of the main characters drive in a car and sing along to "Come On Eileen".

FOX should be ashamed of itself if it leaves this crap on the air. It is amazing that this piece of junk will probably survive, yet FOX will probably cancel a great and funny show called "Undeclared". But then again, we've learned many times that network executives don't know anything about funny and good shows.

By the way, does That 80's Show have the most loud and obnoxious laugh track you've ever heard?

It really wasn't all that different from "That 70s Show". Just about every joke was thrown in, some funny, some not. I admit I only tuned in to see the adorable Tinsley Grimes. I think this show could've become something better than it was if it had been given more of a chance, and also if the writers had taken it more slowly with things like the love/hate relationship between Corey (Howerton) and Tuesday (Leigh). I think another problem with the show was the lead character of Corey himself: the writers weren't sure what to do with him. Was he supposed to be a nice guy, was he supposed to be a jerk, they hadn't figured him out. But that's why you have to give a show like this time, so you can flesh out your characters and figure out who they really are.