Teenagers learn
life lessons while going through high school in the 70’s.
CRITIQUE
That 70’s Show
is a mediocre idea that occasionally sparkles with brilliance. It is a
show that is very annoying and unfunny, but at the same time has well
conceived stories and some extremely clever bits. The show is centered
around a group of high school friends living in Wisconsin in the 70’s
who, in order to fight the boredom, hang out, smoke pot, and make out
as well as learn important life lessons. Unlike the creator’s previous
show, 3rd Rock from the Sun (which was brilliant, but
occasionally marred by weak storylines), this show never really comes
together.
The characters are
all well defined, but the actors chosen for the roles do not always
succeed in bringing these characters to life. Eric, played by Topher
Grace, is nothing more than the typical teenager. He is played well,
but it is a role that pretty much anyone could fill. Donna (Laura
Prepon) is the girl next door that Eric has known for years and loves
with all his heart, but is a bit of a tomboy. Hyde (Danny Masterson)
is the rebellious type, a pseudo-anarchist with a soft side. Kelso
(Ashton Kutcher) is the idiot of the group, and is the weakest
character. While occasionally fun, Kelso more often than not ends up
being far more annoying than cute.
Jackie (Mila Kunis)
is Kelso’s girlfriend and master. Her character type (the bitchy
girlfriend) grows old quickly and I found myself tuning her out. Fes
(Wilmer Valderrama) is the foreign exchange student who is learning
the ropes of America. His entire reason for being seems to be the
gateway for audience members unfamiliar with the 70’s. Through him,
the audience can learn something about the world 30 years ago.
Finally, there are Eric’s parents, Kitty and Red, played by Debra Jo
Rupp and Kurtwood Smith, respectively. Both are sympathetic characters
and understand their child, but also do what they can to control him
and his raging hormones.
Sadly though, the
show never rises above the typical TV comedy. The humor is nothing
more than the typical TV quips and sight gags. The show does have a
good heart, which is fine, it’s just a shame that it never tries too
hard to be anything more than average.
THE VIDEO
The show is
presented in the standard 1.33:1 television aspect ratio and looks
fine. The colors are balanced and the black levels are consistent.
Overall, it looks wonderful.
THE AUDIO
That 70’s Show
is presented in 2.0 Dolby Surround and sounds fine. The dialogue is
clear and the laugh track never becomes a burden.
THE EXTRAS
Hello Wisconsin!
- A featurette with cast and creator interviews. However, it is very
basic and uninformative.
That 70’s Trivia
Show -
Trivia bits that aired on TV. Lame.
Promo-Palooza
- The Fox TV spots promoting the show. Really lame.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This DVD is for
fans only. If one has never seen the show, it would be best to sample
before buying. The lack of interesting extras is a shame, too. I would
have loved to have heard the creators go in depth into why the chose
this to be their next project after the success of 3rd Rock.
