# That 70's Show: bad actors or is it supposed to be that way?? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 18, 2001, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-bad-actors-or-is-it-supposed-to-be-that-way/88302 "2001-10-18T21:19:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ozonebaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/eb8c5e/32.png) [@ozonebaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ozonebaby)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2001, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-bad-actors-or-is-it-supposed-to-be-that-way/88302/1 "2001-10-18T21:19:18Z")
I watch That 70’s Show and I think it’s very funny but. . .some of the actors are pretty bad. Donna, Laura Perpon, isn’t going to win an Emmy anytime soon, I’ll tell you that. Eric, Topher Grace, is, well. . .kind of wimpy it seems to me, unless that’s the way his character is supposed to be, and in that case it’s kind of sad. The rest of the cast is kind of like that. The only really good actors are, I think, Fez, Hyde, Jackie and maybe Kelso, not that I have a crush on any of them because I don’t. Of course this is all my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2001, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-bad-actors-or-is-it-supposed-to-be-that-way/88302/2 "2001-10-18T21:38:53Z")
The guy who plays eric plays a pretty good part in Traffic as the rich boy drug dealer friend fo Douglas’s daughter. ---
**Author:** ![Iguana\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@Iguana\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iguana_Boy)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2001, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-bad-actors-or-is-it-supposed-to-be-that-way/88302/3 "2001-10-18T21:42:16Z")
If you think the actors are that bad, you should see the British version that they made - it sucked big time! The US version is so much better than the UK one (and I’m **not** going to get into a discussion about the difference between the UK and Great Britain :p) that I am almost blind to its faults. I have seen the “same” episode in both versions, and despite knowing exactly what was going to happen (the UK version was an exact remake, with almost identical - other than cultural alterations - scripts) I found the US one surprisingly funny. Channel 5 shows the US version over here. The UK one, which was on ITV, has disappeared without trace, and I, for one, will not be looking for it. IMO Topher Grace is **meant** to be a bit wimpy. He is the “normal” personality against which the somewhat stereotypical personalities of the others are shown up. Laura Prepon is also a “normal” personality, but she is more level-headed than Eric (Topher) and shows up his stupidities and insecurities. Man, I never realised how deep this show is…😃 And what the hell kind of name is **Topher** anyway?? ---
**Author:** ![ozonebaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/eb8c5e/32.png) [@ozonebaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ozonebaby)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2001, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-bad-actors-or-is-it-supposed-to-be-that-way/88302/4 "2001-10-18T21:51:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Iguana Boy \* > \*\*Laura Prepon is also a “normal” personality, \*\* Define normal. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2001, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-bad-actors-or-is-it-supposed-to-be-that-way/88302/5 "2001-10-18T22:19:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Iguana Boy \* > \*\* > > And what the hell kind of name is **Topher** anyway?? \*\* I’m guessing it’s the other half of “Chris,” much as Xander is the other half of “Alex.” ---
**Author:** ![Stella\_Fantasia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@Stella\_Fantasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stella_Fantasia)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2001, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-bad-actors-or-is-it-supposed-to-be-that-way/88302/6 "2001-10-19T01:17:54Z")
It wouldn’t matter how good the actors were. They have NOTHING to work with. That show is so poorly written, even Meryl Streep couldn’t do anything with it. ---
**Author:** ![Eternal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@Eternal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eternal)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2001, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-bad-actors-or-is-it-supposed-to-be-that-way/88302/7 "2001-10-19T01:29:14Z")
That movie may not be written well, but if it’s not than it must be the execution which makes it so funny. Because something makes it freakin hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![nineiron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e56c9b/32.png) [@nineiron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nineiron)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2001, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-bad-actors-or-is-it-supposed-to-be-that-way/88302/8 "2001-10-19T01:55:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by voguevixen \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Iguana Boy \* > > \*\* > > > > And what the hell kind of name is **Topher** anyway?? \*\* > > I’m guessing it’s the other half of “Chris,” much as Xander is the other half of “Alex.” \*\* Yep. I had a college housemate named Topher. Rather than drop the “topher” from “Christopher,” he dropped the “Chris.” I rather liked the name. He was called “Toph” for even shorter. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2001, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-bad-actors-or-is-it-supposed-to-be-that-way/88302/9 "2001-10-19T02:11:25Z")
I completely agree with the OP. Laura Prepon (Donna) is one of the worst actresses I’ve ever seen. Everything she says is in a monotone. She also doesn’t fit with the rest of the cast. While actors older than her have been able to pull off playing the part of a teenager (e.g. Matthew Broderick), she is completely inept. The best part of the show are the adults. Maybe I’m just getting old… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![aramis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@aramis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aramis)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2001, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-bad-actors-or-is-it-supposed-to-be-that-way/88302/10 "2001-10-19T03:58:54Z")
Kurtwood Smith is one of our best character actors and IMHO, the best part of the show. I can’t help but drool over Laura Prepon though. “The reason that bad things happen to you… is because you’re a dumbass.” – Red ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2001, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-bad-actors-or-is-it-supposed-to-be-that-way/88302/11 "2001-10-19T07:00:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by da’ cook \* > \*\*Donna, Laura Perpon, isn’t going to win an Emmy anytime soon, I’ll tell you that \*\* She could win one for the racy erotic role she plays in my dreams… [sub]mmmmm Laura… ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2001, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-bad-actors-or-is-it-supposed-to-be-that-way/88302/12 "2001-10-19T12:29:57Z")
What about Jackie, that no talented whining worst-actress-I-have-ever seen in my life? Donna needs to get a higher class of friends. However, the characters of Fez and Hyde are great, and the interplay between the two is hilarious. And Tommy Chong is great! ---
**Author:** ![nineiron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e56c9b/32.png) [@nineiron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nineiron)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-bad-actors-or-is-it-supposed-to-be-that-way/88302/13 "2001-10-20T02:03:57Z")
I don’t get why everyone’s so down on the actors of this show. Donna is monotone? That’s how her character is supposed to be. Jackie is whiny? That’s how her character is supposed to be. Would you expect a bunch of Wisconsin semi-stoners to speak like Olivier or something? ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-bad-actors-or-is-it-supposed-to-be-that-way/88302/14 "2001-10-20T04:17:31Z")
Love the show. Can’t wait until next year when it is eligible for syndication. Kurtwood Smith is great. Too bad there is no more Tanya Roberts… Also, Liam (ala Liam Neeson) is a second form of William. watsonliam