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Oh, the series does a fine job of physically suggesting the 1976-79 era in which the action is set - or at least, enough so that we neither doubt the universe or regard its existence as a joke (the ‘70s isn’t being parodied it’s being evoked) - but the writing is very much of the late ‘90s period in which it was launched. And, as usual, these beliefs all stem from the beginning, with how That ‘70s Show defines itself…įirst, That ‘70s Show is NOT a ‘70s show. So, you’ll know exactly when I believe this to be the case - and why. (Am I ever?) The quest for quality is ruthless, and I think this show fails to deliver its best too often. It’s well-built, and when things are great, they’re great when things are not great, they’re… well, VERY not great… But again, I’m not sure that its descent in quality is as devastating as other shows’ - we just can’t take it as seriously - and true to the laid-back spirit of the ‘70s, I think coverage of That ‘70s Show is much more about finding what works than harping on what doesn’t… That said, I’m not going to be easy.
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It’s populated by well-defined characters, most of whom are extraordinarily well-cast, and boasts a low-concept premise that makes story generation easy. We’re dealing with something that might be on the proverbial second-tier: a fun, easy to like comedy that reflects its genre well, but mostly in the very basic sense: it gets its laughs and makes us feel good… Okay, I don’t want to undersell the show either. This is a delicate way of saying that That ‘70s Show isn’t a staple of the genre, and my coverage has to begin with the assumption that you all know we’re NOT dealing with a Seinfeld or a Frasier or an Everybody Loves Raymond. But otherwise, its charm is not necessarily enhanced by intense scrutiny rather, to maintain a general appreciation for this series and what it offers, one has to be relatively forgiving… whenever possible. That is, there are dramatic particulars that we can and will use to both define the show and establish how it delivers its episodic successes. However, I want to preface our coverage with the understanding that formal analysis, as with the recently discussed The King Of Queens, can only be taken so far. With a mischievous laugh-oriented sensibility inspired by a 1970s setting that invokes equal parts silly irreverence and romantic nostalgia, That ‘70s Show is such an easy show to enjoy, and I’m thrilled to see it finally get its due here. That ’70s Show stars TOPHER GRACE as Eric Forman, LAURA PREPON as Donna Pinciotti, ASHTON KUTCHER as Michael Kelso, DANNY MASTERSON as Steven Hyde, MILA KUNIS as Jackie Burkhart, WILMER VALDERRAMA as Fez, KURTWOOD SMITH as Red Forman, DEBRA JO RUPP as Kitty Forman, DON STARK as Bob Pinciotti, and TANYA ROBERTS as Midge Pinciotti. Welcome to a new Sitcom Tuesday! This week, we’re launching coverage on the best of That ’70s Show (1998-2006, FOX), which is available on DVD, Blu-ray, streaming, etc.!