That 70s Show: The Best Teen Sitcom
How many of you remember this show?
I hope a lot of you guys
That 70s Show was quite popular, not only among teenagers but also adults.
This show revolves around a group of high school friends:
- Eric
- Donna
- Michael
- Fez
- Hyde, and
- Jackie
There were a lot of other lead characters in this show, but the main story revolved around these six silly and cute friends. Each one had a different personality, and we can all relate to them in our own ways.
Unlike other sitcoms, this one is also pointed out by some of the viewers as very childish or even lame.
That’s so not true.
As I already mentioned in the title, it is a TEEN SITCOM.
It is all about the lives of teenagers.
The challenges we all have faced in that age are shown to us via this show in a totally hilarious way.
This show can’t be compared to the others as it has a totally different topic and is set in the 1970s.
I would love to talk about some of the best moments and characters in this lovely show.
I would love to take it step by step.
So, let’s follow the order and start with the heart and soul of this show:
Eric and Donna
There is another couple as adorable as they are.
You can’t say No to that so easily.
We must remember the starting seasons in which their relationship was building in such a cute manner that whenever they were together on the screen, we all cheered up for them.
Eric, being a simple and innocent kid, and Donna, being a masculine girl, make a perfect couple.
From the first moment they had in the show, they became the cutest couple for the teens out there.
There’s nothing more magical than falling for your childhood bestie.
There are a lot of beautiful moments between these two, but my favourite is the Prom Night episode.
What a beautiful episode it was. The tension, chemistry, hesitations—everything they had was so touching. It totally reflects the lives of teenage guys and the challenges they face when they are in their first relationship.
Apart from this, there are a lot of other adorable moments, like:
- Their conversation when Eric fooled around with some other girl (Season 1),
- When they both were playing together (from basketball to multiple games they used to play since their childhood),
- The first time they get physical (Donna’s Parents’ Wedding),
- The First Valentine's Day Dinner (Donna got drunk) and many other moments
To mention all of them altogether is not possible, so I mentioned my favourite ones.
As we are talking about a Sitcom, we can’t go away without mentioning the hilarious moments.
For me, this one is something I can’t ever forget:
This scene can never get old.
The moment these two broke up was one of the saddest moments of the show.
There are a lot of moments in sitcoms where you simply forget that they are a comedy show. It was one of those moments.
Even though many viewers hate Donna over here, we must understand her point of view. Also, they were so young at that time, so we can’t expect so much maturity from any of them.
Stuff like this happens.
I felt so bad for Eric over here. Both the actors performed with heartbreaking expressions and great dialogue delivery. Donna’s hesitation and Eric’s anger were quite obvious in that scene.
Donna was crying on the screen, and all of us were off-screen.
Eric was heartbroken and angry on screen, and so were we off the screens.
After that, at least I was eagerly waiting for these two to get back together.
Eric and Donna are the epitomai of a couple that restores our faith in the notion that your childhood crush can evolve into a lifelong endgame.
After that, I would like to talk about another one of my favourite couples:
Hyde and Jackie
Of course, they never became good friends; however, they became something more than that.
As per Jackie herself:
Original video link:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Prv_uQIKN4w
I've shipped them since Season 3, especially after the scene when Hyde punched the guy who said bad things about Jackie.
Even though that was her plan, Hyde was such a cutie over here. That season gave us all such memorable moments with these two.
The best and funny moments were:
- Hyde is talking to Kitty about Jackie.
- Jackie is annoying and is holding Hyde’s hands in front of Leo in the cafe.
Those were the times when Hyde kind of hated Jackie and never liked her presence around him.
But things changed later.
Hyde and Jackie became one of the best couples, with a huge fan base.
The chemistry between them could be seen clearly since Season 1 in the episode:
When they both go to Prom together,
All those little moments they had in the beginning seasons are still precious.
Finally, in Season 5, they officially started dating and gave us such beautiful and heartbreaking moments.
That’s right!
There were indeed a lot of happy moments, along with many other moments that were more than enough to bring tears to our eyes.
Two of those moments for me were:
- When Jackie finds that Hyde cheated on her with a nurse, which led them to break up,
- Jackie crying over Hyde (Season 7, Game Episode)
These two were the saddest moments.
I do believe that Jackie was the person who was unlucky when it came to her partners. During her time with Kelso, he cheated on her a lot of times, and later, Hyde also did the same thing, even though it was a result of some misunderstanding.
On the other hand, she was loyal to her partners.
Yes, her personality was a bit weird, but she was still honest in her relationships.
I was very angry at Hyde when he cheated, but this scene melted my heart.
As Eric once said:
Before Jackie, you were just some pissed-off guy in my basement. But with her... I mean, you seemed happy, man.
They both got something really positive out of each other.
It’s a shame that they didn’t end up together at the end.
They were right for each other, and we all loved them as a couple.
Remember this scene?
I am still not over the fact that these two didn’t become the endgame. Their whole relationship had a lot of ups and downs, but there was nothing that could stop them from being a nice couple.
Instead, the writer chooses Fez and Jackie to be something that doesn’t make any sense.
I mean, we love Fez, but not him and Jackie as a couple. Their connection as friends was undeniably beautiful, but when it came to romantic love, their paths just didn't intertwine.
On the other hand, Jackie and Hyde belonged to each other.
I remember the scene where Jackie said regarding Kelso in front of Hyde:
Get off my boyfriend!
It was something unexpected for her too but Hyde's expressions and silence were something.
He did love Jackie a lot and he hated the fact but he got really jealous
That’s not only me; many viewers feel the same. Even after so many years, the fans of this show would love to see an alternative ending in which these two were together and had a good life.
But that’s all we wanted; the writers did something totally different.
Let’s move on to something else.
Let’s talk about one of the evil and favourite characters of the show:
Laurie Foreman
There are so many characters who are loved by the audience, even if they are complete nightmares.
Laurie was someone like that. She was one of the most dangerous people on this show, but she was still our favorite. She was hilarious, and we all missed her badly when she was not on the show.
That role was initially played by Lisa Robin Kelly and then by Christina Moore.
Which one played better?
Of course, Lisa Robin Kelly
It’s not that Christina didn’t play well, but she was simply not able to take the place of Lisa as Laurie.
She was perfect for this role. Even after so many years, we still miss and remember her as Laurie Foreman.
Choosing her best moments is not an easy thing, as she made her scenes memorable and extremely funny.
Everybody knew who she was except her father.
Remember this scene:
Mr. Foreman calls everyone a dumbass, but deep down he was one of them too.
She was a disappointing daughter, an unreliable sister, an inherently flawed individual, and yet an incredibly captivating character.
She was badly missed in the last few seasons by everyone.
This reminds me of his pastime buddy and another important and entertaining character:
Michael Kelso
An idiot with great looks.
We can’t deny that he was dumbest of all, but strangely enough, that was the very quality that captivated us as viewers the most.
His character is a complete reflection of a lot of teenage boys who might have great looks but a very small brain. Through the show, his character remained almost the same, even after he became a father.
If I have to be honest, I enjoyed his character, as he was carefree and fun-loving.
Even though he didn’t have a proper love life, let’s take a look at the main three of them:
If we talk about Kelso and Jackie, I can say with confidence that we were not a great couple but still better than Jackie and Fez.
Don’t you agree?
Well I would love to highlight some of their best moments:
1st one:
Now, 2nd one:
Michael and Kelso had a toxic relationship, with Michael being stupid and Jackie being bossy and materialistic. However, if we take an honest look at these two, keeping the jokes aside, Jackie was a good one in this relationship. She never cheated and tried to cooperate with Michael in the best possible way she could.
Seriously they might not be a perfect couple, but they were one of funniest.
On the other hand, Michael never appreciated her, and many times he cheated on her. This brings me to Kelso and Laurie.
This was one of the most fun parts of the show for all the viewers. They shared the same toxicity, and it seemed that they could have become an endgame.
What is your opinion on this?
They were both the worst people when it came to relationships, and when he cheated on Jackie, deep down I believed that Kelso and Laurie deserved each other. They are so much alike.
However, we saw a different version of him, and this brings me to Kelso and Brooke.
No matter how stupid he was in his relationships, we simply loved his character here. He was so young and becoming a father at that stage was something he never expected and even wanted but still put himself out there was so sweet of him.
Before saying anything more, let’s take a look at one of the iconic scenes from the show:
This scene can never get old. He was so happy and proud at the first minute but surprised as hell at the very next minute.
He got the ultimate burn over here rather than elsewhere. But I am happy that he managed it pretty well, which was quite a surprise for all of us. He never became a good partner, but he did become a good, fun, loving, and caring father.
Among all of Michael Kelso's relationships, Brooke was the one who truly had the potential to inspire him to be a better person as a partner. Unlike his other girlfriends, she had a unique influence that made us believe in his growth and development.
When talking of relationships and couples, we cannot ignore:
Kitty and Red
The most adorable one!
They loved, supported, and respected each other at every moment.
Kitty, being a sweet and caring person, not only loved Eric alone but also the rest of the group. Her laughter was both amusing and comforting at the same time.
Talking about Red, this word immediately comes to mind:
DUMBASS
The way he constantly spoke was more humorous than humiliating.
No matter how much Red was pissed at all of them, he still cared for each and every one. Though his style was different from Kittys, he always loved the group and especially his son, Eric.
They both acted as great parents to each member of the group.
If I have to highlight the best moments of Red and Kitty with the group, the following are my favourites:
- Kitty talking to Hyde about Jackie in Season 3
- Kitty and Donna talk about when she started dating another guy in the Last season.
- Red talks to Eric after his breakup with Donna.
- Red with Jackie in Season 1 on car repair and maintenance
- Fez told Red his dream about Kelso and more.
It looks like a lot of them belong to Red. Well, he was always so angry, so to see him bond with the group felt like such a delight to watch.
If we talk about the most beautiful scene, here it is:
Such an incredibly adorable family!
When you are talking about parents, never skip:
Bob Pinciotti
A father like him is truly a blessing. Despite not being the wisest man, he possessed a delightful sense of humour and immense love, making him a caring individual. Donna often found her parents annoying, yet deep down, she remained grateful for them. Bob's relentless efforts to bring laughter through his quirky habits and cheesy jokes often fell short on screen, but he found tremendous success in entertaining the audience.
Not only was Bob himself a source of amusement, but his wife Midge was also a vibrant character, bringing even more fun to the show. However, her surprising disappearance left a noticeable void that was hard to ignore.
Leo
I wish to have a boss like him, and I am pretty sure I am not alone in this.
What a hilarious character he was! I still remember that sometime in between when he disappeared from the show, we all missed him so much. He was a captivating character, effortlessly bringing a smile to our faces the moment he graced the screen and invoking laughter with every word he uttered.
Just take a look:
I always liked the bond and friendship he shared with Hyde. It made me feel really sad when Hyde found out that he was gone without even saying goodbye. That was surely a tough moment for him, as Bob played an important part in his life. He was like family to him. It was a great thing he came back on the show and reminisced there.
Hyde might not be a lucky person when it comes to family, but his luck was good when it came to his bosses. He worked under another boss too, who was as funny as Leo.
Earlier, when we were talking about good couples and awkward couples, I don't know why these two came to mind:
Kelso and Fez
Of course, they were never a couple on the show, but there are so many funny and awkward moments between these two. Fez was such a hilarious character with a very funny love life. Out of all the relationships Fez had, Nina was one of my favourites.
Fez and Nina should have had more screen time, and they could even become an endgame, but unfortunately, that didn’t happen. She was an interesting character, and her moments with Fez were truly amazing and funny.
Anyway, I am talking about Kelso and Fez because of that dream Fez had regarding Kelso.
More than the dream itself, Red nailed it by making it even more funny than before.
His reaction was too funny.
Fez's character often hinted at gay undertones, but to my relief, those expectations were not fulfilled. Nonetheless, those awkward moments he encountered along the way provided endless amusement.
Talking about some love triangles, my favourite one was:
Hyde and Kelso Over Jackie
Before coming to Jackie, let’s talk about just Steven Hyde and Michael Kelso.
Their silly fights were an absolute delight to witness. Kelso's relentless attempts to provoke Hyde, only to face the consequences with a satisfying blow from him, encapsulated the essence of their dynamic perfectly.
No matter how hard Michael tried, he always suffered the consequences of challenging Hyde. Let’s take a look at one of those moments:
Such friends are a nightmare when they are around you, but a dream when they are gone. They were the friends who just tried to torture each other.
They never got along with each other before, and then their battle over Jackie started. Even though I loved Jackie and Hyde, I still felt bad for Kelso when he found out about them. I can totally understand how awkward such love affairs can get. But as a sitcom and keeping Kelso’s personality in mind, their fight over Jackie was really funny and tense.
Two of those top moments for me were:
- Kelso gives Jackie a pink sweater as her birthday gift.
- All of the group in the woods (Season 5)
In the first scene, the dialogue between Kelso and Hyde was so good.
Hyde warned Kelso that no matter how hard he tries, he can’t win.
On the other side, Kelso was quite confident.
The dialogue delivery, humor, and everything else in that scene was perfect, making it a genuine scene.
Now, let’s take a look at the second scene:
This love triangle was so funny and kept the audience entertained till the last moment.
That 70s Show is an exceptional sitcom that skillfully tackles the rollercoaster of teenage drama with an incredible dose of humor.
Covering every character and moment altogether is not possible, so let’s wrap it up by coming to the:
The finale of That 70s Show
I am a devoted fan of this show, but when discussing the last season, I must admit it fell short of expectations. The absence of two lead characters, Eric and Kelso, left a noticeable void, and the episodes and storylines lacked the captivating charm of previous seasons. Consequently, the overall quality of the show suffered in comparison to its previous seasons.
Now, let’s quickly come to the end of the show.
No matter how much we disliked the last season, we must agree that the last episode of the show was good.
It was such a relief to see Kelso and Eric back on screen for the finale. Without them, it can’t end well enough.
The thing that made the end so magical was because of the following reasons:
- Eric and Donna get back together.
- The whole group is together again.
- The show ends with the arrival of 1980.
Let’s talk about them a little more.
Their innocent love story has always been a highlight of the show. Seeing them apart from each other never seemed right. We all always wanted to see them together. Thus, it was such a relief when Eric realised this and came back to his home and Donna. Of course, throughout the whole last season, we were unable to see their complete circle as two of their important members were gone. Thus, seeing them all together chilling in Eric’s basement having their circle discussions was a complete treat to watch.
Moreover, the entire group being reunited for the New Year's Eve Celebration added to the enchantment. With the arrival of the 1980s, a new era was dawning, signifying the end of the 1970s. As the countdown came to an end, the show concluded on a clever note. Since it was, after all, "That '70s Show," it wouldn't have been a seamless fit for the '80s. Thus, the show's conclusion coinciding with the transition between decades was a smart and fitting way to end the series.
That’s what made it a smart way of ending this show, which will always be one of the best sitcoms of all time.
Let’s take a look back at that scene:
This show will always be memorable. Each character in this show is amazing and really close to reality.
I would also love to mention the Intro Song to the show.
Throughout Seasons 1 to 7, I never once skipped it, as it provided an enjoyable and nostalgic experience. Teenage is a beautiful phase of life if you have great friends and family members around you. It is a phase where you make the best memories of your life.
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