Is this the end for "That 70's Show"? (1 Viewer)

[Ocean Phoenix]

I was reading on Wikipedia about how there are a lot of parallels between the shows, and references to Happy Days on That 70's Show. The gang watches the show many times and talks about it, they did a skit with Fez spoofing the shark jump episode (after which Hyde called it the worst moment in the history of television), and on one episode, Kelso tried to be cool by wearing a leather jacket and acting like The Fonz. Also, both shows had the cool rebel kid being adopted by the main character's family (compare Hyde to The Fonz), and when Kelso got the leather jacket, Hyde was the only person that everyone agreed looked cool in it.

 

[Sam Favate]

Here are two quotes from this week's TV Guide (May 15 issue):

[Valderrama's] co-stars - including Grace and Kutcher, who return to the show for the finale - share his sentiments.
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Prepon is equally thrilled about Donna's love life. Asked whether Grace's return means Donna and Eric will reunite, she just laughs. "I can't give too much away," she says with a mischievous grin. "But I hope that we do our jobs and wrap up the way the audience would like."

 

[Jeff Jacobson]

Funny how a show about the 70s ended up mimicking the trajectory of the most popular show from the 70s - Happy Days, when Richie left the show.

Not to mention mysteriously disappearing siblings.

 

[Sam Favate]

TV Guide gives the finale 'jeers' for including clips from past episodes, especially when the show had returning stars Grace and Kutcher and was tying up storylines.

 

[Sam Favate]

I liked it. I thought the finale touched on the various plotlines well, although of course I wish Grace had more screen time. Still, his scene with Prepon was very good, and her performance was touching.

The one plot line I didn't care for was Jackie/Fez. It was only a year ago that she and Hyde were together and talking marriage. It was too quick to suggest she'd be over him and ready to fall for Fez. Logically, it seemed she and Hyde belonged together.

Still, it was a good 8 years. Hard to believe it has been that long.

 

[LarryDavenport]

At least Kitty asked if anyone had seen Laurie. (Also, since this is the first episode since Topher left the show, I can say Roger replaced Ritchie a lot better than Mr. Mullet replaced Eric).

It was a pretty decent episode, but I wish Topher was in it more, and we didn't see him have a final scene with Red.

 

[Rob Willey]

Yeah, it seems like an oversight not to shoot a Kitty/Eric reunion scene.

It was fun to see Kitty's tour of the "house" with walls closing in the usually open sets. It looks so much smaller that way.

Rob

 

[Greg.K]

Good day to you, That 70's Show.


I said good day!

 

[Rhett_Y]

I really like the last episode....

Agreed to what has already been said..

More Eric
Scene with Eric and family.........

Sad to see it go..... Both me and the wife love this show!!!!!

The scene with Kitty and Donna...... Donna wasn't acting.. she looked truly sad..... Man I had to run out and grab a glass of water...lol...

I liked the fact they ended on New Years too......

R~

 

[Jeff Jacobson]

At least Kitty asked if anyone had seen Laurie. (Also, since this is the first episode since Topher left the show, I can say Roger replaced Ritchie a lot better than Mr. Mullet replaced Eric).

It was a pretty decent episode, but I wish Topher was in it more, and we didn't see him have a final scene with Red.

I was actually referring to Donna's sister. (And according to Wikipedia, she actually had two sisters that disappeared.)

 

[Sam Favate]

I remember one sister in the first season, but don't recall mention of another. I would have to check the season 1 DVDs to be sure.

 

[Ocean Phoenix]

Aside from Eric's return being ridiculously rushed (he could only get off the set of Spider-Man 3 for 5 minutes? ) and the Jackie/Fez situation seeming awkward to me (mostly because I hadn't seen the last few episodes, although even if I had, I still don't think it would have seemed quite right), I thought the finale was well done. I don't like the fact that the Jackie character ended up being paired with every male on the show except Eric at some point...that reeks of the writers lacking creativity.

I think it's telling of the state of modern comedy that all of the emotional moments had to be underscored by some ironic joke to keep them from being too sentimental (i.e. Kitty saying Hyde looks like a porn star with his mustache after saying that he's like a son to her, or Red saying "I was talking to the tickets" after he and Kitty have their conversation about loving each other) instead of being played straight, like they would have been in a sitcom from a different era. It was so obvious that Laura Prepon was not acting when she was told "you will always be like a daughter to me", which made the scene a little weird, but it was nice to see that geuine emotion anyways. I also liked the mention of Laurie, which I interpreted as a sly reference to all the disappearing siblings that people in this thread have been discussing.

I didn't mind the use of clips from previous episodes...in fact, if anything, I thought there should have been more. I would have appreciated some old clips of Fez, as a reminder of the fact that he was really sweet and caring towards Jackie in previous seasons (one situation that stands out in my mind was him telling her that she's "like a flower" that should be treated and cared for tenderly, after which Kelso told her "what he said" and got to kiss her ). The finale was a little uninspired with its "quickly tying up all the loose ends" formulaic ending that conveniently and implausibly put Donna and Eric back together with just one kiss so that (as Homer Simpson would say) "everything is wrapped in a neat little package!", but ultimately I was won over by the episode's sweetness just because I have a lot of affection for the series and its characters since I discovered them as a teenager and never totally lost sight of them over the years, in spite of the flaws they accumulated towards the end.