When the show first began with seasons 1 thru 3, it was an amazingly effective mixture of innocence and decadence. The characters were discovering themselves and we were discovering them simultaneously. The innocence was amazing to behold. Many of them were sexually active, yet so unknowing of the much more difficult and complex terrain of falling in love and committing to one another.
Each character brought something unique to the table. Certain shows are really successful because instead of one character in the center of attention while everyone else is sort of "reactionary", each character, whether adult or teen, commands attention. Two of my favorite characters are Red (Kurtwood Smith) and Kitty (Debra Jo Rupp), the caring but overly authoritarian father and the nervous-natured, peacemaking mother of Eric Forman (Topher Grace), a sweet, slightly built boy who is falling in love with longtime neighbor and friend Donna Pinciotti (Laura Prepon), a tall, athletic, beautiful redhead who loves and appreciates Eric as much as he does her, especially his understanding of her embarrassment about her parents, two sexually adventurous sometimes- swingers, the hilarious Bob (Don Stark), and the dizzy but very loving Midge (Tanya Roberts).
As Eric and Donna shyly tiptoe into a romantic association, they spend much of their time in Eric's basement hanging out, watching TV (and frequently indulging in smoking weed) with their childhood friends Steven Hyde (Danny Masterson) an intelligent but rebellious boy who habitually wears sunglasses indoors and often discusses conspiracy theories; Jackie Burkhart (Mila Kunis), a beautiful petite brunette who is self-centered and bitchy and starts out as an unwanted "Yoko" in the group; Michael Kelso (Ashton Kutcher), Jackie's boyfriend, who is just as beautiful as she is, but much less snobby, and unfortunately, a little light in the brain; and Fez aka F.E.S. (the Foreign Exchange Student)whose birth name and country of origin remain unknown (I'm currently watching season 8 and I'm not sure if these 2 items will ever be divulged :). It is a delight whenever Red Forman calls the boy "Sabu" or "Haji". Like Archie Bunker, Red Forman is a bit on the close-minded side, but he is still very lovable :D
This show was at its finest during the first 4-5 seasons, with genuinely funny and nostalgic story lines and storytelling styles. Around seasons 5-7 it began to lose steam. Eric Forman goes thru a transformation from a nervous wreck living in fear of the wrath of Red to a lazy and unfunny smart-mouth. In truth, Eric always had a "porky" mouth, but it was in a hilarious way in the early days. Red's "foot in your ass" liners became more and more infrequent. Kitty went through a disappointing change from a delightful basketcase with that unforgettable giggle to a rather mean, judgmental woman, drinking more and more and calling Donna a whore after Eric ends their longtime relationship and Donna begins dating Randy (the character meant to replace both Eric and Kelso after Grace and Kutcher left in season 8). No offense to the actor who plays Randy, but with Grace and Kutcher gone, there is just nothing much to be fired up about, and Randy is just annoying. His delivery of the lines seems more like those actual cheesy, unfunny 70s shows.
I didn't hate ALL of the story lines from the later seasons: Hyde's discovery that he is biracial; Hyde's competetive half sister Angie, Kelso fathering a baby, Fez and Kelso trying to share an apartment, and Hyde's drunken marriage to a Las Vegas stripper were all pretty decent. Still, without Eric's centering presence and Kelso's hilarious goofiness, it's just tolerable. I also greatly missed the hilarity that Lisa Robin Kelly (RIP) brought to this mix as the promiscuous and devilishly funny Laurie Forman.
If they are doing a reunion show or movie, it will be interesting to see what has transpired in the early 80s :D
Each character brought something unique to the table. Certain shows are really successful because instead of one character in the center of attention while everyone else is sort of "reactionary", each character, whether adult or teen, commands attention. Two of my favorite characters are Red (Kurtwood Smith) and Kitty (Debra Jo Rupp), the caring but overly authoritarian father and the nervous-natured, peacemaking mother of Eric Forman (Topher Grace), a sweet, slightly built boy who is falling in love with longtime neighbor and friend Donna Pinciotti (Laura Prepon), a tall, athletic, beautiful redhead who loves and appreciates Eric as much as he does her, especially his understanding of her embarrassment about her parents, two sexually adventurous sometimes- swingers, the hilarious Bob (Don Stark), and the dizzy but very loving Midge (Tanya Roberts).
As Eric and Donna shyly tiptoe into a romantic association, they spend much of their time in Eric's basement hanging out, watching TV (and frequently indulging in smoking weed) with their childhood friends Steven Hyde (Danny Masterson) an intelligent but rebellious boy who habitually wears sunglasses indoors and often discusses conspiracy theories; Jackie Burkhart (Mila Kunis), a beautiful petite brunette who is self-centered and bitchy and starts out as an unwanted "Yoko" in the group; Michael Kelso (Ashton Kutcher), Jackie's boyfriend, who is just as beautiful as she is, but much less snobby, and unfortunately, a little light in the brain; and Fez aka F.E.S. (the Foreign Exchange Student)whose birth name and country of origin remain unknown (I'm currently watching season 8 and I'm not sure if these 2 items will ever be divulged :). It is a delight whenever Red Forman calls the boy "Sabu" or "Haji". Like Archie Bunker, Red Forman is a bit on the close-minded side, but he is still very lovable :D
This show was at its finest during the first 4-5 seasons, with genuinely funny and nostalgic story lines and storytelling styles. Around seasons 5-7 it began to lose steam. Eric Forman goes thru a transformation from a nervous wreck living in fear of the wrath of Red to a lazy and unfunny smart-mouth. In truth, Eric always had a "porky" mouth, but it was in a hilarious way in the early days. Red's "foot in your ass" liners became more and more infrequent. Kitty went through a disappointing change from a delightful basketcase with that unforgettable giggle to a rather mean, judgmental woman, drinking more and more and calling Donna a whore after Eric ends their longtime relationship and Donna begins dating Randy (the character meant to replace both Eric and Kelso after Grace and Kutcher left in season 8). No offense to the actor who plays Randy, but with Grace and Kutcher gone, there is just nothing much to be fired up about, and Randy is just annoying. His delivery of the lines seems more like those actual cheesy, unfunny 70s shows.
I didn't hate ALL of the story lines from the later seasons: Hyde's discovery that he is biracial; Hyde's competetive half sister Angie, Kelso fathering a baby, Fez and Kelso trying to share an apartment, and Hyde's drunken marriage to a Las Vegas stripper were all pretty decent. Still, without Eric's centering presence and Kelso's hilarious goofiness, it's just tolerable. I also greatly missed the hilarity that Lisa Robin Kelly (RIP) brought to this mix as the promiscuous and devilishly funny Laurie Forman.
If they are doing a reunion show or movie, it will be interesting to see what has transpired in the early 80s :D