# That 70s Show discussion thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 3, 2014, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-discussion-thread/682740 "2014-03-03T09:07:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Brynhildr\_Budladottir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Brynhildr\_Budladottir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynhildr_Budladottir)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-discussion-thread/682740/61 "2014-03-14T07:05:10Z")
> [@nevadaexile](#): > > Let’s see: > > 1. More people smoked during the 70s. Not just weed. > 2. People didn’t have 90s social attitudes in the 70s ( Racial and ethnic slurs were still common in daily speech and women weren’t treated as equals) > 3. Economic times were much harder for people. When Red got laid off or Bob’s store closed things would have been much grimmer than they were portrayed. > 4. Families were a lot more traditional. Not better, mind you; just a lot more set in their respective roles. > 5. **The episode with the guy who was secretly and hitting on Eric would have had a far less pleasant ending.** Why do you think San Francisco and New York became gay Meccas? Because people definitely weren’t accepted at home. > > First season was the best. Debra Jo Rupp really gets overlooked for her performance as Kitty. Kurtwood Smith is always good. The “kids” were a mixed bag. And Tanya Roberts was beautiful but useless as always. On Eric’s Buddy: I’m probably not explaining myself all that clearly here, but isn’t in possible that in-universe, Eric hadn’t really thought about how he would feel if he found out someone he knew was gay so the way he reacted isn’t the way he thought he would react (ie “stop being friends now that I know he’s gay” versus “Oh, you’re gay? Oh, _right_.” Basically maybe Eric didn’t think he’d react that way because he never thought “one of my friends turns out to be gay” would happen to him. Yes, as a woman of colour I personally wouldn’t want to live in the 1970s but AFAIK there was a little more equality then than in (say) the 50s. I especially liked the nice touch of references to the women’s liberation movement and the rise of modern feminism. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-discussion-thread/682740/62 "2014-03-14T17:52:14Z")
I was in high school in the 70s. I had friends that I knew were gay. No big deal. But this was in the suburbs of L.A. ---
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-discussion-thread/682740/63 "2014-03-14T19:30:21Z")
They used “Wisconsin” as a generic backdrop just to establish something the unwashed masses outside of the major urban areas of the east coast and L.A. could identify with, much like the Simpsons Springfield. The first few seasons were the best for 70s nostalgia. The main relationship of the show, between Eric and Donna, seems kind of phony as the series continued because not many chess club geeks are romantically inclined enough to go steady for the duration of their high school years. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-discussion-thread/682740/64 "2014-03-14T22:32:16Z")
> [@Morwen Edhelwen](#): > > Debra Rupp actually sounds a bit like one of my high school history techers at times. Frank Jr. Jr. from _Friends_ would more than agree with you. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-discussion-thread/682740/65 "2014-03-15T00:56:18Z")
> [@Yookeroo](#): > > I was in high school in the 70s. I had friends that I knew were gay. No big deal. But this was in the suburbs of L.A. (I had a boyfriend for a short time in high school, late '60’s, gayer than a Prada spring frock. He was from one of the town families who’d been there forever though, so no one picked on him.) I always liked Kelso. He was not only cute, but sweet. I always thought he and Rose Nyland on Golden Girls could be related, life for them was pretty much sunny and bright. ---
**Author:** ![Brynhildr\_Budladottir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Brynhildr\_Budladottir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynhildr_Budladottir)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-discussion-thread/682740/66 "2014-03-15T01:28:41Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Frank Jr. Jr. from _Friends_ would more than agree with you. Correction to post: _teachers_. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-discussion-thread/682740/67 "2014-03-15T16:49:54Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Frank Jr. Jr. from _Friends_ would more than agree with you. Oops. Frank Jr. married DJR, his former high school teacher. They had triplets, one of whom was called Frank Jr. Jr. ---
**Author:** ![Brynhildr\_Budladottir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Brynhildr\_Budladottir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynhildr_Budladottir)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-discussion-thread/682740/68 "2014-03-15T21:31:50Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Oops. Frank Jr. married DJR, his former high school teacher. They had triplets, one of whom was called Frank Jr. Jr. DJR played a former history teacher on\* Friends?\* ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-discussion-thread/682740/69 "2014-03-15T21:38:24Z")
> [@Morwen Edhelwen](#): > > DJR played a former history teacher on\* Friends?\* Home Ec. Not sure about the “former” but it seems unlikely she would keep her job once she started dating a very recent student. 6 episodes total. ---
**Author:** ![Brynhildr\_Budladottir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Brynhildr\_Budladottir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynhildr_Budladottir)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-discussion-thread/682740/70 "2014-03-16T01:08:24Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Home Ec. Not sure about the “former” but it seems unlikely she would keep her job once she started dating a very recent student. 6 episodes total. Oh thanks for the explanation. But seriously, my teacher’s voice really did sound like that. Except she wasn’t American (I went to a girls’ school here in Australia). ---
**Author:** ![Brynhildr\_Budladottir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Brynhildr\_Budladottir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynhildr_Budladottir)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-discussion-thread/682740/71 "2014-03-18T10:32:57Z")
So I’ve recently started rewatching episodes online. So far I think my favourite episode has to be a toss-up between “Cat Fight Club” and “The Pill.” Does anyone else have favourite episodes? ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-discussion-thread/682740/72 "2014-03-18T13:51:03Z")
I like that episode where Kelso said something really stupid, Hyde said something really snarky, and Donna had large breasts. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-discussion-thread/682740/73 "2014-03-18T13:55:28Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > I like that episode where Kelso said something really stupid, Hyde said something really snarky, and Donna had large breasts. Hear, hear! A favorite of mine, as well. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Brynhildr\_Budladottir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Brynhildr\_Budladottir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynhildr_Budladottir)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-discussion-thread/682740/74 "2014-03-18T21:26:34Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Hear, hear! A favorite of mine, as well. 🙂 Does anyone else love the one where Donna and Eric argue and then make up? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![nevadaexile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb8c5e/32.png) [@nevadaexile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nevadaexile)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-discussion-thread/682740/75 "2014-03-18T21:33:00Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > I like that episode where Kelso said something really stupid, Hyde said something really snarky, and Donna had large breasts. My favorite was the episode where Red was disgusted by something that Eric did and Kitty defended him. My next favorite one was where the made a topical 70’s reference that no one born after that era would understand. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-discussion-thread/682740/76 "2014-03-19T01:20:47Z")
> [@Morwen Edhelwen](#): > > Does anyone else love the one where Donna and Eric argue and then make up? 🙂 That was a great one! Does anyone remember the one where Red threatened to kick someone in the ass? ---
**Author:** ![Brynhildr\_Budladottir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Brynhildr\_Budladottir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynhildr_Budladottir)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-discussion-thread/682740/77 "2014-03-19T05:24:45Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > That was a great one! > > Does anyone remember the one where Red threatened to kick someone in the ass? On a more serious note: why does it seem as though in every episode long after Eric and Donna get together, one of the problems is “Eric does something insensitive and he and Donna fight and then they make up”. Speaking hypothetically if I were in Donna’s place I wouldn’t put up with constantly having arguments with my hypothetical boyfriend and then making up. Plus it just makes it so obvious that the scriptwriters were short of ideas. ---
**Author:** ![Brynhildr\_Budladottir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Brynhildr\_Budladottir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynhildr_Budladottir)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-discussion-thread/682740/78 "2014-03-20T00:15:16Z")
Another note, this time on historical accuracy: I discussed this show with another one of my history teachers once (not the one whose voice sounds like DJR) and she said that although the show is funny, it’s not historically accurate. She also made a remark about people who smoked pot back then probably not remembering it. Also, when I was in Year 9 I took compulsory Australian history including a section on the 70s… now that there was a British remake of T7S I’m wondering what the hypothetical Australian take would be like. Here are some ideas: \*Point Place would still be a regional/rural town \*Eric’s friends would still be hanging out in his basement \*Red would call everybody a dumbarse \*Donna would probably face ethnic prejudice due to being Italian \*Don’t know if Eric would still have a Vista Cruiser \*Hyde’s biological father might be Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Any other Australian Dopers had the same thought? ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-discussion-thread/682740/79 "2014-03-20T01:50:38Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > That was a great one! > > Does anyone remember the one where Red threatened to kick someone in the ass? Was it before or after the one where he threatened to put a foot in someone’s ass? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-discussion-thread/682740/80 "2014-03-20T03:47:24Z")
I love the one where Jackie acts like a spoiled little brat and you can see Donna wanting to clean her clock. Ahh, good times. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-discussion-thread/682740.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-70s-show-discussion-thread/682740.md?page=5)