#that70sshow

Hi everyone! I have returned

While on the subject of 1970s culture following my previous post, I thought that I would talk about That '70s Show. I watched it a lot in high school and I've decided to rewatch the series for the millionth time. Now that I got the first few episodes down, let's get into it.

That '70s Show follows a group of six friends who navigate their teenage and adult years in 1970s Point Place, Wisconsin: Eric, Donna, (Steven) Hyde, (Michael) Kelso, Fez and Jackie. The group normally hangs out in Eric's basement, where the majority of the show takes place as well as the hub, which is a restaurant that is considered to be one of their hangout spots. Fez is short for foreign exchange student because they could never find out his actual name or where he is from. Also, I could never understand the machoness of guys preferring to be called by their surname.

I think out of the bunch, my favorite characters would have to be Eric and Donna. Eric is a smart, respectable goody two shoes who wants to stay out of trouble and tends to be socially awkward. I could easily relate to him without the socially awkward part because I was a goody two shoes myself in school and struggled to stand up for myself, so I hated feeling confined to that particular image. I also love his smart aleck personality because I tend to be the same way. Donna is tomboyish with a feminist outlook who isn’t afraid to speak her mind and believes that women are more capable than being housewives or stay at home moms, which is the reason she is one of my favorite characters. For a fictional character in the 1970s, I have mad respect for her.

I love Donna and Eric's relationship, but the girl best friend/girl next door is an absolute cliché. I also feel like that it is very overrated, but thinking about it, it is set in a time period where cell phones were unheard of and apps like Tinder didn't even exist. They have so much chemistry especially at the very start of the show and it becomes obvious that they have feelings for one another before they become official. Today it's amazing to see how the girl best friend or girl next door storyline can be found through fanfiction or other parts of pop culture media. But then, dating your best friend or someone you have known all of your life creates a positive outlook because they would already know you and your personality. At least they didn’t bring in the “meeting through mutual friends” storyline since they’re already part of the same friend group.

While on the subject of couples, I'm not a big fan of the Kelso and Jackie storyline. They are constantly off and on that they're gonna break up one minute and stay together the next. Not to mention that it's very high school, while they're in high school ironically. I'm not saying that they're incompatible, but it's clear that commitment strains their relationship. Kelso is the dumb pretty boy while Jackie is bossy and high maintenance, so their personalities make them an odd pairing. I find it kind of ironic that they got married in real life, so it is definitely a small world after all.

The show follows various mainstreams of 1970s culture mostly through fashion, music, furniture and psychedelia as they are the components that make the show more realistic and culturally accurate. The phone on the kitchen wall and psychedelic features are dead giveaways to the show's description. Just by observing the fashion in the first few episodes, the colors are loud and a lot of the design patterns are very unappealing. This would be the kind of fashion where you have to wear something like polka dots in order to fit in. It is safe to say that 1970s fashion trends are questionable and out of date in some ways. The prop that is considered a staple is the Vista Cruiser, which is the kind of car that Eric drives throughout the show.

Not to mention that the show is historically inaccurate, but if it fell under a nonfiction-like genre, then that would give the show a dull storyline as if it is based on a true story. Documenting every minute of a random Saturday in the mid 1970s would be a waste of time and the show would lose its purpose of entertainment and possibly audience engagement. Not to mention that airing the pilot and bringing this friend group together one by one would also lack interest. There are gender roles and stereotypes set in the show to make the setting accurate and traditional, but it also sends an empowering message that women can do both: work and provide for the family. I can understand how producers believe in using fashion or furniture trends to make the show look more appealing and realistic. This would not be the kind of show to learn about 1970s culture as it can carry an inaccurate representation of an era that a lot of us have never physically experienced. I would solely recommend this show for good laughs.

That '70s Show is an excellent comedy. It is the kind of comedy where it is so stupid it's funny, but it's stupid in a good way and also a classic. I love the tight-knit friendship bonds between them and how the show teaches that no matter how we screw up, we’re still friends at the end of the day. I have seen it more times than I can count and it's still as funny as the first time I watched it. If you're interested in watching the show, it is streaming on Peacock. I guarantee that you will laugh.

There is also a sequel called That '90s Show on Netflix if you're interested in that as well. I have yet to see it, but I heard mixed reviews about it

Thanks for reading! See you next time

Image Source: US Magazine. 'That '70s Show' Cast: Where Are They Now? From Ashton Kutcher to Topher Grace

Top: Jackie

Middle: Hyde (left), Fez (right)

"Share an example of your experience as a fan of a show that was cancelled. Help us feel the feels."

There haven't necessarily been any shows that were cancelled while I watched them, but there were shows that were removed from streaming services while I was watching/rewatching them.

Psych and That '70s Show were removed from Netflix, and while I had already watched both of them all the way through, they were still comfort shows that I would enjoy every now and then, or just in the background while doing other tasks. Now, I can still watch them elsewhere, because both shows have been finished for years, but It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is still going (since 2005). Before season 12 had made it to Netflix, they decided to remove it. Now it's on season 16, and the only way for me to watch it is on Hulu... (with ads!)

These are just three examples of shows that escaped my reach because of greedy streaming services, though none of them have been cancelled or ended unexpectedly.

Stone Ocean is the most recent part of the 6-part anime (9-part manga) of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. In the summer of 2019, part 5 had concluded, and so we all waited for the announcement of the beginning of production for part 6.

Then, COVID-19 happened. And nobody knew how long the delay would be for Stone Ocean to start production.