Posted on 11/02/2005 10:33:42 AM PST by Chi-townChief
In tonight's episode of Fox's "That '70s Show," almost everybody gets stoned. Again. That's how you can tell "That '70s Show" is still stuck in the spirit of the "Me Decade." If the characters were to live it up '80s-style, they'd all be snorting coke and wearing yellow Izods.
You can't really blame the writers of the show (7 p.m., WFLD-Channel 32) for holding off the "Decade of Greed." If you had to pick between living forever in the late '70s or the early '80s, the Carter years would be your winner. Politicians living in a state of red-baiting moneyism might opt for the go-go Reagan years. But they'd have to be high to make that margin call.
The late '70s was about mellowing out, getting laid and watching "MASH" and good movies. The early '80s was about buying stocks, lovingly conditioning the leather seats of your bitchin' Honda Prelude, and wearing argyle sweater vests. That's not even a fair fight.
That said, "That '70s Show" may have run its tie-dye course. It's been kind of an amusing sitcom. But tonight's hourlong eighth-season premiere is saddled with the chore of keeping the ensemble cast busy while making up for the exit of lead actor Topher Grace, who has played the pothead ringleader Eric.
With Eric gone as a regular character, distractions abound. Someone gets punched; someone dies; a stripper paints her toenails in the kitchen. The episode doesn't reek. I laughed two little laughs, chuckled twice and smiled three times. I kept count. Basically, an hour passes without incident.
Also, there is a serious logistical discrepancy. The mom, Kitty (Debra Jo Rupp), gets baked on buds, making her see walls rock as if they were storm-tossed ships. This is filmed funny. But she also thinks people's heads are super big, atop squiggly bodies. Methinks she dropped acid and PCP, too, because that is not a pot high, dudes. Get your drug interactions straight.
If "That '70s Show" is more quickly passing into the great hereafter of creativity, it deserves credit for having provided more humor than most sitcoms, and for being cast well. Some of the actors are making strides elsewhere.
*Grace is scheduled to play a villain in "Spider-Man 3," after turning in critically acclaimed performances in "Traffic" and "In Good Company."
*Ashton Kutcher -- who will appear this season in only some episodes, including tonight's -- hooked up with Demi Moore and made a name for himself, as himself, in MTV's prank-pulling "Punk'd." Then again, he was in the movies, "Dude, Where's My Car?" (eh), "Just Married" (chafe) and "Cheaper by the Dozen" (I think I'm gonna be sick).
*And Wilmer Valderrama presumably engaged in the steamier methods of animal husbandry with Lindsay Lohan when he was briefly her boyfriend, as noted wildly in the media for about five minutes, a million tabloid-years ago.
Maybe the show that made them stars and semi-stars will keep growing, like a sticky stalk of herb in a high schooler's closet. I wouldn't count on it. But better that than a mirror and a razor blade. The '80s can go binge-drink some bong water.
mailto:delfman@suntimes.com
LOL! You forgot MADONNA!
Well, music is a personal taste thing, so we'll just have to disagree on that. I didn't dig much of the 80s music. I like 60s and 70s music.
Even John Lennon said the 70's were awful.
Inflation, oil shocks, Jimmy Carter, the Iranian revolution, the Soviets on the march, and Disco. No thank you.
Regards, Ivan
Or Tom Wolfe.
I imagine he wasn't too thrilled with the early 80s, either....
Well he didn't exactly get a chance to try them out.
Regards, Ivan
Ping list for the discussion of the politics and social (and sometimes nostalgic) aspects that directly effects Generation Reagan / Generation-X (Those born from 1965-1981) including all the spending previous generations (i.e. The Baby Boomers) are doing that Gen-X and Y will end up paying for.
Freep mail me to be added or dropped. See my home page for details and previous articles.
Early Eighties. No question.
I've got 'em all from #1 up through about 1985. Gathering dust in the attic...
Don't forget about the movie Heavy Metal...
Perhaps the last decade of good music.
Wrong. See post 50.
I remember being unemployed, going to a WIN office(Whip Inflation Now)...boy that Ford program helped me out...sarcasm off. The eighties were better though, I began to accumulate money, and lovely children...along with my wife of course. The nineties were rough though, three teenaged girls at once does something to your psycheeeeeee. The new century is awesome though. Interest rates are low, grandchildren to spoil, and my wife still rocks me. The 70's sucked, believe you me, when compared to here and now.
The latter part of the 70's was hideous, music wise. 1980 was the turnaround year. I was in college during the mid/late 70's and it was hard times.
The best part was that no one cared what we did. You smoke anything in a dorm today and you are out on your ear.
The real early 70s were cool but by '73 and '74, things started to suck decidedly. But the Liberal Golden Age ended in Novemeber of '79 and the early 80s rocked!!!
I said "decade". The music of the decade of the 70's was better than the 80's or 90's IMHO. Take a look at the "charts" and they will prove me right. I think RAP led the charts from 85 to today.
I'll take the 00's.
See post 36. Laura at her best. YUM!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.