That brilliant 70s Show (That 70s show)

Member Name: crazyminx

Product:	That 70s show
Date:	16/10/08 (231 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great acting and casting, hilarious jokes, original setting, touching romances

Disadvantages: None

I have a lot of 'favourite' TV shows that I love, but if I had to choose to watch just one show for the rest of my life, 'That 70s Show' would be it.

The showwas created by the masterminds behind '3rd Rock from the Sun', and it ran from 1998 to 2006, for 8 amazing seasons (all with around 21-26 episodes in). In the UK it's never achieved mainstream popularity, probably because it has been shunted around from Channel 5 to various Sky channels including Trouble, VH1, Bravo 2, and currently Paramount. This is a shame because it truly deserves to be up there with 'Friends'.

It is the best sitcom I have ever come across, combining great jokes, hilarious one-liners, lovable characters, romance, family relationships, great friendships, and some really quirky, original ideas. Oh, and it's set in the 1970s!

The show revolves around the central character, Eric Foreman, his girlfriend, his crazy friends, and his parents. Eric and the gang spend a lot of time in his basement hanging out, making fun of each other and smoking marajuana (which leads to some truly brilliant scenes!). They also get themselves into the usual amusing sitcom situations, but all with a 70s edge.

THE CHARACTERS:

Eric Foreman (Topher Grace)

Eric is the sweet-natured, smart, Star-Wars-obsesed, slightly geeky and scrawny boy-next-door. He is the character that we get to know best, and the majorty of the action is set inside his home. He begins the first season with a huge (and obviously reciprocated) crush on the girl next door, Donna, and their on-again-off-again relationship becomes the focus of the show for the first 7 seasons, though miraculously never gets boring. Topher Grace plays Eric with such charm and sincerity that it's difficult not to love him. Since the show Grace has had a reasonably successful film career.

Donna Pinciotti (Laura Prepon)

Donna is a fiesty, intelligent, burgeoning feminist who lives next door to Eric with her crazy parents, Bob and Midge. She very much wears the trousers in her relationship with Eric, and is not your typical girly girl, mostly prefering to be one of the guys. Since the show Laura Prepon's career has not really taken off, unfortunately, though she has done a few films.

Michael Kelso (Ashton Kutcher)

Kelso is a handsome but extremely dumb friend of Eric's who is constantly doing and saying stupid things. He is pretty good-natured which means you don't start to hate him even when his penchant for hot girls means he cheats on his girlfriend with everyone going. Kutcher is arguably the biggest star to come out of the show and has done loads of successful films (and is now married to Demi Moore).

Steven Hyde (Danny Masterson)

Hyde is another of Eric's friends. He is a conspiracy theorist, convinced the government is always after him, and he is very fond of the marajuana! He begins the first season with a crush on Donna which causes some trouble within the group. Hyde's father is mostly absent, and his mother is an alcoholic, which sets the scene for Hyde moving in with the Foremans towards the end of the first season. Masterson's career hasn't really progressed much since the show which is a pity as I think he's a fantastic actor.

Jackie Burkhart (Mila Kunis)

My personal favourite, Jackie is a spoilt rich girl who knows how pretty she is and isn't afraid to tell everyone in earshot. She is Kelso's longsuffering girlfriend and although she starts off in the first season as somewhat annoying, her character develops a lot and definately grew on me. Though she seems to have the perfect life at first, this doesn't remain the case through all the seasons and Jackie deals with the problems that befall her very well. Mila Kunis is a fantastic little Russian actor, who unlike the others was only 13 when the show began (despite the producers demanding someone who was at least 16). To get the part she told producers she would be 16 on her birthday, not specifying which birthday! Recently Kunis has starred in 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' which I am hoping will kickstart her film career.

Fez (Wilmer Valderama)

Fez is a foreign exchange student. The gang call him Fez because they can't pronounce his actual name! We never learn where Fez is from, which becomes a running joke, and his attempts to understand American culture provide much of the programme's humour. Fez is also obsessed with candy and women! Valderama is pretty well know around Hollywood now, with his own TV gossip show and high profile relationships with Lindsay Lohan, etc.

Kitty Foreman (Debra Jo Rupp)

Kitty is Eric's mother and is a typical 70s housewife. She is devoted to her family and is often in the kitchen. However she also has her own eccentricities, and these are amplified when she goes through the menopause in season 5! Kitty spends much of her time trying to get her husband Red to be more lenient towards Eric. One of the lovely things about the show is that Kitty and Red's relationship gets a lot of airtime as well as the younger characters, giving the show a very balanced and family-like vibe.

Red Foreman (Kurtwood Smith)

Red, an ex military man, is a very stern father to Eric and is constantly telling his son he's a dumbass! He spends a great deal of time shouting, though always in an amusing way. He has a heart of gold really.

Laurie Foreman (Lisa Robin Kelly)

Laurie is Eric's older sister. She is not in every season but flits in and out, though is a regular in seasons 2 and 3. She is a little bitchy and...slutty, and will sleep with pretty much anyone, including Kelso, which causes various problems and amusing situations when Kelso decides to date both her and Jackie at the same time. Lisa Robin Kelly had various drug related problems during the show which is why her appearances are sporadic, and she is replaced by Christina Moore in season 6.

Bob and Midge Pinciotti (Bob Stark and Tanya Roberts)

These are Donna's parents, and they spend a lot of time trying out the latest 70s trends (nudist parties, feminism classes, chakra alligning, etc) and arguing with each other. The gang's male members are very partial to Midge's breasts and everyone is scared of Bob's disturbing afro haircut and unpleasant outfits!

There are various other recurring characters (Tommy Chong as Leo, Hyde's stoner boss, for example), and a few notable guest stars (Alyson Hannigan, Jessica Simpson, Brooke Shields, Seth Green, etc), but most of the drama centers on those listed above, and between them they hold the show together brilliantly.

All 8 seasons of 'That 70s Show' are now available on DVD, rated with a 12 certificate, and you can pick them up for between around £11 and £18 from any of the online stores, and I'd say this is definately worth doing. My 70s Show boxsets have bee watched over and over again and I've never tired of them. Whenever I have a spare 22 minutes I put an episode on!

Also available are 2 soundtracks, calling 'Rockin' and 'Jammin'.

In conclusion, I can't rate this show highly enough if you like quirky comedies with a bit of heart.

Summary: Watch it now!