After this week, there will be a two week break on the blog for the holidays so the next Thursday "Episode Guides" post will be on January 7.
THAT 70s SHOW: SEASON FIVE
2002-2003
25 episodes
Starring
Topher Grace as Eric Forman (25 episodes)
Mila Kunis as Jackie Burkhart (25 episodes)
Ashton Kutcher as Michael Kelso (25 episodes)
Danny Masterson as Steven Hyde (25 episodes)
Laura Prepon as Donna Pinciotti (25 episodes)
Wilmer Valderrama as Fez (25 episodes)
Debra Jo Rupp as Kitty Forman (25 episodes)
Kurtwood Smith as Red Forman (25 episodes)
Don Stark as Bob Pinciotti (14 episodes)
Lisa Robin Kelly as Laurie Forman (4 episodes)
Joanna Canton as Nina (8 episodes)
Mo Gaffney as Joanne Stupac (5 episodes)
Jim Gaffigan as Roy (3 episodes)
Jim Rash as Fenton (3 episodes)
104. Going to California (9/17/02)
Eric heads to California to try to get Donna back. Kelso and Jackie are both dating other people after their breakup.
Season five picks up a few months after the end of season four and Donna and Kelso are still in California, with Kelso dating Annette (Jessica Simpson). We also get a surprise reveal of a relationship between Hyde and Jackie. Overall, it feels like a lot of things have changed since the end of season four and I think the show does a good job of feeling a little fresh. Simpson isn't a great actress, but she brings a different presence. It's interesting that the show does the intro the same way they used to do season one (with a specific date stamp). It got difficult to do that when they tried to slow down the "real time" to try to stay in the 70s for a long run.
RATING: 6.5/10
105. I Can't Quit You, Baby (9/24/02)
Eric and Donna find out about Jackie and Hyde while Kelso thinks he still has a future with Jackie. After Donna gets back from California, Bob insists that she go to Catholic school.
This episode seems like a continuation of the first episode of the season and some of it feels like the show spinning its wheels (the Eric and Donna story) while some of it feels very fresh (the gang slowly finding out about Hyde and Jackie). The reveal of Hyde and Jackie feels a little bit like the gang finding out about Chandler and Monica on Friends, but it's not as original because, as Kitty says, this group changes partners more often than square dancers.
RATING: 4.5/10
106. What Is And What Should Never Be (10/29/02)
Kitty announces that she is pregnant. Donna and Eric convince Hyde he needs to tell Kelso about his relationship with Jackie.
Here's my issue with episodes like this. It seems very unlikely that Kitty will actually be pregnant during season five. I mean, I guess they could have done that. But you don't have to be a loyal viewer of That 70s Show to guess the Kitty pregnancy line isn't going to actually go anywhere. It serves an individual episode (or, in this case, episodes) instead of an actual character arc. That's fine when it's a less heavy subject but something like a pregnancy bombshell should actually go somewhere. In general, this episode tees up the second part more than serving as its own episode with Kelso finding out about Hyde and Jackie in the closing seconds.
RATING: 3.5/10
107. Heartbreaker (10/29/02)
Kelso finds out about Hyde and Jackie. Kitty finds out she's starting menopause instead of being pregnant. Kitty's parents visit.
This episode brings two more classic TV stars in guest appearances and they're both MTM veterans: Betty White and Tom Poston. Not surprisingly, White is tremendous as she is in pretty much every role. She's made a career of combining sweet and salty personalities and no one does it better. It's on full display here. That, plus a very enjoyable spat between Hyde and Kelso, makes this episode the best to date of the season. As I mentioned last time, they could have just had Kitty going through menopause as a story instead of the dumb pregnancy scare plot from the last episode.
RATING: 8/10
108. Ramble On (11/12/02)
Donna gives Eric a ring that he doesn't like. Kitty feels the effects of menopause. Fez has an interview with the DMV.
The whole ring plot in this episode is a pretty standard and derivative sitcom story. It works ok, but it feels like a very tired topic that doesn't even feel like a natural fit with these characters. There are two better plots in this episode though as Debra Jo Rupp does well with the wild roller coaster ride of menopause while Fez's DMV interview has some funny moments as well. We also get an extended DC Comics dream sequence both in the middle of the episode and at the end. The production design is flawless, but the execution is only so-so. Maybe I'm too hard on the dream sequences in the show?
RATING: 6/10
109. Over the Hills and Far Away (11/19/02)
Red and Kitty take the guys on a college tour as Kitty continues to deal with menopause. Jackie and Donna visit a local college.
That 70s Show finally has to start facing the fact that the kids can't stay in high school forever so they're starting to do more overt stories about it being the senior year of the kids and that's probably how they land on a college visit episode. The Kitty menopause bit reaches its third episode and while Debra Jo Rupp continues to be hilarious, it literally feels like they are doing the same Kitty plot in every episode. Especially the last two, I mean it is exact same story with her. I know menopause is a longer process but it doesn't need to be repetitive on TV. The Jackie and Donna story feels like an afterthought.
RATING: 4.5/10
110. Hot Dog (11/26/02)
Red gets Kitty a dog to help her cope with menopause. Eric buys an engagement ring for Donna.
We have two stories in this episode and they both are emblematic of things that are wrong with season five of That 70s Show. First up is the dog story. While the dog is super cute, the story is not only such a standard sitcom plot (the dog pees on the furniture!), but it also contributes to keeping Kitty as a one joke character this season with the menopause. Then we have the Eric and Donna story. While the engagement at the end of the episode feels a little bit fresh, it still feels like the show has rehashed the Eric and Donna story and don't have enough new stories to tell. I mean, the whole breakup started over a ring and now we have another ring story. The show is starting to feel tired.
RATING: 4.5/10
111. Thank You (12/3/02)
On Thanksgiving, Eric and Donna debate sharing their engagement. Laurie returns for the holidays. Kelso brings a teacher as his date.
This episode features the return of Lisa Robin Kelly as Laurie Forman. The show basically spent a couple years pretending she didn't exist but they reference her early in the episode to tee up her return. Lisa Robin Kelly's life story is sad but she adds a lot of energy to the show when she's in a good place and she comes back strong here. This episode is doubly strong because we also have the second appearance of Betty White and Tom Poston as Kitty's parents. This episode brings a bunch of characters together and lets hilarity ensue. After a pretty weak start to the season, this is a delightfully funny episode that fires on all cylinders.
RATING: 9/10
112. Black Dog (12/10/02)
Jackie finds out her father might be going to jail and Hyde doesn't know how to comfort her while Kelso is upset that Jackie isn't seeking him out. Fez has a crush on his boss at the DMV.
This episode takes an interesting look at relationships with almost everyone directly or indirectly involved in the story of the week (except for poor Fez). Although they aren't a focal point throughout the whole episode, this one does a lot to advance the Jackie-Hyde relationship. The show is successfully able to portray the different things Hyde can bring to his relationship compared to Kelso while we also get a glimpse into the mindset of Eric and Donna (and, to a lesser extent, Red and Kitty). Hyde shaving his beard at the end is actually a very sweet moment. The Fez story is just dumb though.
RATING: 7.5/10
113. The Crunge (12/17/02)
Eric gets a lower score than all the other friends on his SATs and Eric is especially worried about doing worse than Donna. Jackie tries to convince Hyde to go to college.
I like this episode because it has a topic (SAT scores) and then the entire cast's stories revolve around that topic. This works so much better for That 70s Show than disparate stories that have nothing to do with each other because the cast interacts so well as a group. Even with a pretty standard sitcom plot (a male is worried than his female companion is smarter than him), it all is pretty funny. The wealthy Jackie and Hyde is a funny fantasy scene too.
RATING: 8/10
114. The Girl I Love (1/7/03)
Fez introduces his girlfriend to the gang at a dinner party thrown by Kitty. Hyde and Eric start feeling like they have no say in their relationships.
That 70s Show seems to realize how much better they do when the whole cast (or most of them) are together because this is the fourth episode in a row where pretty much everyone is revolving around one major plot. The dinner party scenes aren't as funny as the past couple episodes but the fantasy sequence game show is one of the best integrations to the plot of any fantasy scene. Aside from the fantasy scene though (and a guest appearance by Jamie Farr), it feels like this episode is a little bit of a one-note joke.
RATING: 5/10
115. Misty Mountain Hop (1/22/03)
Red and Kitty help Jackie clean out her parents' mountain cabin after it is foreclosed. Kelso, Hyde and Fez are also at the cabin to party. Eric and Donna get in a fight on their way to help Jackie.
There are a sitcom couple topics that I'm sort of a sucker for and tend to like any episodes that fall under that topic. One such topic is cabins. For some reason, I almost always like it when sitcom characters end up in a cabin, I don't know why. There are some truly hilarious moments in this episode with hilarious lines delivered most notably by Debra Jo Rupp and Wilmer Valderrama. The Eric and Donna story doesn't take off nearly as much as the cabin scenes but it does have a nice payoff at the end and a very funny tag scene with Red and Kitty.
RATING: 8/10
116. Your Time is Gonna Come (1/29/03)
Kelso brings Annette to Point Place. Kitty's parents come to stay with the Formans after having financial difficulties.
This episode brings three popular guest stars from season five together. We get Jessica Simpson back for the first time since the season premiere and now for an extended arc. I like the dynamics her character causes in others more than Simpson herself. Case in point: the cast's response when Simpson sings and the way it plays into the Hyde-Kelso-Jackie love triangle. The episode also brings Betty White and, for the final time, Tom Poston back as Kitty's parents as Poston's character dies and the episode takes a different turn. I wish they had been cast earlier in the series and used more frequently.
RATING: 7.5/10
117. Baby I'm Gonna Leave You (2/5/03)
Hyde is upset with Jackie after realizing she still has feelings for Kelso. Kitty is upset when her mom won't say "I love you" to her.
This episode feels like a conclusion to the previous episode but it's lacking the fire and excitement of the first part. I will say, there are times where the Hyde and Jackie relationship plays better than the Kelso-Jackie one. I think it's because them being such opposites plays into the comedy quite well and they have a great moment at the end of the episode. The best part episode though is, no surprise, Betty White. She just has the perfect mix of sweet and salty as usual. It's so fun to watch her in all different decades be such a strong performer. She is as vibrant as she was on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, which was over 25 years earlier.
RATING: 6.5/10
118. When the Levee Breaks (2/12/03)
Eric and Donna are excited to have a weekend alone when Bob goes away. Kitty finds out that Eric and Donna are engaged.
While Eric and Donna are engaged now, it seems like this should be a different episode but it feels like we've seen this episode before. Eric and Donna in a mad dash to hide something from Red. Although the episode does eventually get the point of both parents finding out, I think that was a potentially hilarious comedic moment for the show that just didn't pan out in execution. Also, aside from a really lame story about Hyde's coat, the other friends (especially Jackie and Kelso) really do not have much to do in this episode. It just feels like a missed opportunity.
RATING: 3/10
119. Whole Lotta Love (2/19/03)
Red is extremely upset with Eric after finding out about his engagement to Donna. Kelso doesn't tell Hyde it's Jackie's birthday. Fez has sex with Nina.
This episode makes up for the disappointing episode that preceded as everything that was set up in the previous episode actually pays off here. That 70s Show is not always able to stick the landing with their set-ups, but they do here. This is one of the better Red and Eric showdowns with the icy silence followed by a pretty dramatic (but still funny at times) scene with them at PriceMart. There's also the long awaited episode where Fez finally has sex. Both his announcement to the group and subsequent description of how it happened are pretty hilarious. The Hyde and Jackie story is pretty sweet as well. A strong episode.
RATING: 9/10
120. The Battle of Evermore (2/26/03)
Kitty signs Red and Eric up for a father and son Paul Bunyan competition. Hyde doesn't want to believe that Leo has disappeared.
I think this is an episode that seemed much better on paper than in action. The idea of Red and Eric competing in a father-son competition centered on Paul Bunyan with Fred Willard and Seth Green as their rivals seems like a hilarious opportunity. But it actually turns out to be sort of dumb and not as rich with comedy as it seems. I don't even think it was done poorly, I think it's just a good idea that didn't work in execution. I am glad the show finally dealt with Leo's absence. With Tommy Chong not appearing on the show for about a year, there needed to be some explanation and now we finally get that, to an extent.
RATING: 3.5/10
121. Hey, Hey, What Can I Do? (3/12/03)
The friends go to a job fair for a variety of reasons. Donna has to perform as "Hot Donna" for a signing event. Red tells Eric he won't pay for his college if he stays engaged to Donna.
This is another example of the show knowing what it does well and executing it with success. They have one central concept (a job fair) and the cast all interacts around that topic with various matchups and motivations. Ashton Kutcher has some great moments here and there's a memorable guest performance by the great Jim Gaffigan in his first of several appearances. One little nitpicky moment, the scene with Donna and Eric when she's signing things seemed to come out of order, it should have come before the first scene at the job fair.
RATING: 7.5/10
122. Bring it On Home (3/26/03)
The Formans discover Jackie has been sleeping in their basement with Hyde because her mother is still gone. Fez prepares to meet Nina's parents.
One of the things I really like about this episode is that the group calls out Fez for his weirdness. It really is true that Fez says some strange things and I love that this episode calls attention to it with the acknowledgment that the others (like the viewers) have gotten used to it. It's a little bit of a meta moment that really lands. The show also handles the prejudice issue with Nina's parents with humor which is the best way for a show like this to play it. There's nothing preachy about it. My only issue with this episode is I think Red is a little bit unnecessarily mean with Eric and it comes off a little bit too strong and not funny as it usually does.
RATING: 6.5/10
123. No Quarter (4/2/03)
Jackie starts living with Donna while her mom continues to be gone. Kelso starts working at the same place Hyde works. Eric owes money on his engagement ring for Donna and might have to return it.
As mentioned two episodes ago, this show is best when it has a common story and then the characters' individual stories center around that. It gives flexibility and options for clever and rotating dynamics. This episode is the opposite. There are three different stories happening and while there is some overlap, none of the stories are individually strong enough to work. There are some good individual moments (Jackie playing "Mamma Mia" and another good performance from Jim Gaffigan), but it just doesn't work cohesively. Other shows like Friends still did a good job with three separate stories but That 70s Show rarely can make it work.
RATING: 4/10
124. Trampled Under Foot (4/9/03)
The friends start to feel like they are stuck in a rut. Kitty suggests Eric hang out with his enemy in order to get his mom's peach cobbler recipe. Nina breaks up with Fez.
The "stuck in a rut" trope is always a fun one for sitcoms because it forces the characters to try to break their patterns. I actually wish this episode had leaned into that a little more. It seemed like it was going to be the thrust of the episode but then it became more about Fez's breakup and the weird friend Kitty brings over. Those are both good stories by themselves, but I was wishing we had gotten an episode more about the friends trying to break out of their rut and that only got passing moments. The Fez story was pretty fun though.
RATING: 6.5/10
125. You Shook Me (4/16/03)
Fez worries after he has a sexual dream about Kelso. Eric gets a job at a dog food factory. Hyde gets upset when Kelso and Jackie still seem to be too close.
This is an episode that probably wouldn't be done now at least with the same level of insensitivity when it comes to Fez's dream. That's not really the problem with this episode though. It also isn't an episode that works very well with three pretty uninteresting and divergent stories. Jim Gaffigan is making less of an impression with each episode that passes. The dog food factory story also clumsily sets up Red's bet with Eric and Donna about getting married in a way that doesn't feel very natural or funny.
RATING: 2.5/10
126. Nobody's Fault But Mine (4/23/03)
Hyde and Jackie break up after Hyde admits to cheating. Eric and Donna think the Formans are tricking them with their sudden support for the wedding. Laurie returns home and is suddenly nice to Eric.
Well, I didn't like the episode before it and this episode continues all the same storylines. It does it to a better effect though, especially with strong performances from Danny Masterson and Mila Kunis during their breakup scene. There's also a solid scene between Masterson and Ashton Kutcher. The story of Red "tricking" Donna and Eric into getting married is just as stupid in this episode though. I am surprised they spent two episodes on this poor of a comedic conceit, but oh well. It is nice to have Laurie back again.
RATING: 5/10
127. Immigrant Song (5/7/03)
Fez gets arrested for vandalizing the water tower. Eric doesn't know what to do when Red says he respects his and Donna's decision to get married and Kitty is furious about it.
This is a pretty lame episode, but there is one shining moment. Kitty's bleep-filled tirade at Red about Eric and Donna moving out is one of the funniest moments of the season and one of Debra Jo Rupp's best moments in the whole series (and that's saying something). This was the first time That 70s Show ever bleeped anything out and it is used to tremendous effect. There is one other funny moment from Fez but otherwise, this episode just sort of treads water before the graduation episode. It tees a bunch of stuff up without actually giving a payoff. But that Kitty moment though.
RATING: 5/10
128. Celebration Day (5/14/03)
The gang goes camping on the night before graduation. Eric and Fez mistake Laurie and Donna as they plan to go skinny dipping. Jackie feels torn between Hyde and Kelso.
There are elements of this episode that feel like a series finale which is fitting since graduation is definitely the end of one era of That 70s Show. The camping scenes have a different feel by bringing all the friends together outside of some of the usual locations although the Hyde/Kelso/Jackie triangle feels like its been treading water for several episodes and this episode doesn't improve the story at all. The show does succeed at feeling like a finale until the final minutes when it catapults some stories forward.
RATING: 6.5/10
AVERAGE RATING FOR SEASON FIVE:
5.9/10
The Best Episodes
1. "Thank You" (#111) - 9/10
2. "Whole Lotta Love" (#119) - 9/10
3. "Misty Mountain Hop" (#115) - 8/10
4. "The Crunge" (#113) - 8/10
5. "Heartbreaker" (#107) - 8/10
The Worst Episodes
1. "You Shook Me" (#125) - 2.5/10
2. "When the Levee Breaks" (#118) - 3/10
3. "What is and What Should Never Be" (#106) - 3.5/10
4. "The Battle of Evermore" (#120) - 3.5/10
5. "No Quarter" (#123) - 4/10
2002-2003
25 episodes
Season five of That 70s Show is the last to feature most of the teenage gang in high school. The season starts pretty weakly but picks up some steam as it moves along. There's a stretch of great episodes where they bring a lot of the cast together and that always works better for this show. Although there are some stories that go on too long with Eric and Donna and Kitty's menopause, there are other fresher stories like Hyde and Jackie's relationship and the growing hilarity of Fez as a character. Each episode this season took its name from a Led Zeppelin song.
Starring
Topher Grace as Eric Forman (25 episodes)
Mila Kunis as Jackie Burkhart (25 episodes)
Ashton Kutcher as Michael Kelso (25 episodes)
Danny Masterson as Steven Hyde (25 episodes)
Laura Prepon as Donna Pinciotti (25 episodes)
Wilmer Valderrama as Fez (25 episodes)
Debra Jo Rupp as Kitty Forman (25 episodes)
Kurtwood Smith as Red Forman (25 episodes)
Don Stark as Bob Pinciotti (14 episodes)
Lisa Robin Kelly as Laurie Forman (4 episodes)
Joanna Canton as Nina (8 episodes)
Mo Gaffney as Joanne Stupac (5 episodes)
Jim Gaffigan as Roy (3 episodes)
Jim Rash as Fenton (3 episodes)
Eric heads to California to try to get Donna back. Kelso and Jackie are both dating other people after their breakup.
Season five picks up a few months after the end of season four and Donna and Kelso are still in California, with Kelso dating Annette (Jessica Simpson). We also get a surprise reveal of a relationship between Hyde and Jackie. Overall, it feels like a lot of things have changed since the end of season four and I think the show does a good job of feeling a little fresh. Simpson isn't a great actress, but she brings a different presence. It's interesting that the show does the intro the same way they used to do season one (with a specific date stamp). It got difficult to do that when they tried to slow down the "real time" to try to stay in the 70s for a long run.
RATING: 6.5/10
105. I Can't Quit You, Baby (9/24/02)
Eric and Donna find out about Jackie and Hyde while Kelso thinks he still has a future with Jackie. After Donna gets back from California, Bob insists that she go to Catholic school.
This episode seems like a continuation of the first episode of the season and some of it feels like the show spinning its wheels (the Eric and Donna story) while some of it feels very fresh (the gang slowly finding out about Hyde and Jackie). The reveal of Hyde and Jackie feels a little bit like the gang finding out about Chandler and Monica on Friends, but it's not as original because, as Kitty says, this group changes partners more often than square dancers.
RATING: 4.5/10
106. What Is And What Should Never Be (10/29/02)
Kitty announces that she is pregnant. Donna and Eric convince Hyde he needs to tell Kelso about his relationship with Jackie.
Here's my issue with episodes like this. It seems very unlikely that Kitty will actually be pregnant during season five. I mean, I guess they could have done that. But you don't have to be a loyal viewer of That 70s Show to guess the Kitty pregnancy line isn't going to actually go anywhere. It serves an individual episode (or, in this case, episodes) instead of an actual character arc. That's fine when it's a less heavy subject but something like a pregnancy bombshell should actually go somewhere. In general, this episode tees up the second part more than serving as its own episode with Kelso finding out about Hyde and Jackie in the closing seconds.
RATING: 3.5/10
Kelso finds out about Hyde and Jackie. Kitty finds out she's starting menopause instead of being pregnant. Kitty's parents visit.
This episode brings two more classic TV stars in guest appearances and they're both MTM veterans: Betty White and Tom Poston. Not surprisingly, White is tremendous as she is in pretty much every role. She's made a career of combining sweet and salty personalities and no one does it better. It's on full display here. That, plus a very enjoyable spat between Hyde and Kelso, makes this episode the best to date of the season. As I mentioned last time, they could have just had Kitty going through menopause as a story instead of the dumb pregnancy scare plot from the last episode.
RATING: 8/10
108. Ramble On (11/12/02)
Donna gives Eric a ring that he doesn't like. Kitty feels the effects of menopause. Fez has an interview with the DMV.
The whole ring plot in this episode is a pretty standard and derivative sitcom story. It works ok, but it feels like a very tired topic that doesn't even feel like a natural fit with these characters. There are two better plots in this episode though as Debra Jo Rupp does well with the wild roller coaster ride of menopause while Fez's DMV interview has some funny moments as well. We also get an extended DC Comics dream sequence both in the middle of the episode and at the end. The production design is flawless, but the execution is only so-so. Maybe I'm too hard on the dream sequences in the show?
RATING: 6/10
109. Over the Hills and Far Away (11/19/02)
Red and Kitty take the guys on a college tour as Kitty continues to deal with menopause. Jackie and Donna visit a local college.
That 70s Show finally has to start facing the fact that the kids can't stay in high school forever so they're starting to do more overt stories about it being the senior year of the kids and that's probably how they land on a college visit episode. The Kitty menopause bit reaches its third episode and while Debra Jo Rupp continues to be hilarious, it literally feels like they are doing the same Kitty plot in every episode. Especially the last two, I mean it is exact same story with her. I know menopause is a longer process but it doesn't need to be repetitive on TV. The Jackie and Donna story feels like an afterthought.
RATING: 4.5/10
110. Hot Dog (11/26/02)
Red gets Kitty a dog to help her cope with menopause. Eric buys an engagement ring for Donna.
We have two stories in this episode and they both are emblematic of things that are wrong with season five of That 70s Show. First up is the dog story. While the dog is super cute, the story is not only such a standard sitcom plot (the dog pees on the furniture!), but it also contributes to keeping Kitty as a one joke character this season with the menopause. Then we have the Eric and Donna story. While the engagement at the end of the episode feels a little bit fresh, it still feels like the show has rehashed the Eric and Donna story and don't have enough new stories to tell. I mean, the whole breakup started over a ring and now we have another ring story. The show is starting to feel tired.
RATING: 4.5/10
On Thanksgiving, Eric and Donna debate sharing their engagement. Laurie returns for the holidays. Kelso brings a teacher as his date.
This episode features the return of Lisa Robin Kelly as Laurie Forman. The show basically spent a couple years pretending she didn't exist but they reference her early in the episode to tee up her return. Lisa Robin Kelly's life story is sad but she adds a lot of energy to the show when she's in a good place and she comes back strong here. This episode is doubly strong because we also have the second appearance of Betty White and Tom Poston as Kitty's parents. This episode brings a bunch of characters together and lets hilarity ensue. After a pretty weak start to the season, this is a delightfully funny episode that fires on all cylinders.
RATING: 9/10
112. Black Dog (12/10/02)
Jackie finds out her father might be going to jail and Hyde doesn't know how to comfort her while Kelso is upset that Jackie isn't seeking him out. Fez has a crush on his boss at the DMV.
This episode takes an interesting look at relationships with almost everyone directly or indirectly involved in the story of the week (except for poor Fez). Although they aren't a focal point throughout the whole episode, this one does a lot to advance the Jackie-Hyde relationship. The show is successfully able to portray the different things Hyde can bring to his relationship compared to Kelso while we also get a glimpse into the mindset of Eric and Donna (and, to a lesser extent, Red and Kitty). Hyde shaving his beard at the end is actually a very sweet moment. The Fez story is just dumb though.
RATING: 7.5/10
113. The Crunge (12/17/02)
Eric gets a lower score than all the other friends on his SATs and Eric is especially worried about doing worse than Donna. Jackie tries to convince Hyde to go to college.
I like this episode because it has a topic (SAT scores) and then the entire cast's stories revolve around that topic. This works so much better for That 70s Show than disparate stories that have nothing to do with each other because the cast interacts so well as a group. Even with a pretty standard sitcom plot (a male is worried than his female companion is smarter than him), it all is pretty funny. The wealthy Jackie and Hyde is a funny fantasy scene too.
RATING: 8/10
114. The Girl I Love (1/7/03)
Fez introduces his girlfriend to the gang at a dinner party thrown by Kitty. Hyde and Eric start feeling like they have no say in their relationships.
That 70s Show seems to realize how much better they do when the whole cast (or most of them) are together because this is the fourth episode in a row where pretty much everyone is revolving around one major plot. The dinner party scenes aren't as funny as the past couple episodes but the fantasy sequence game show is one of the best integrations to the plot of any fantasy scene. Aside from the fantasy scene though (and a guest appearance by Jamie Farr), it feels like this episode is a little bit of a one-note joke.
RATING: 5/10
Red and Kitty help Jackie clean out her parents' mountain cabin after it is foreclosed. Kelso, Hyde and Fez are also at the cabin to party. Eric and Donna get in a fight on their way to help Jackie.
There are a sitcom couple topics that I'm sort of a sucker for and tend to like any episodes that fall under that topic. One such topic is cabins. For some reason, I almost always like it when sitcom characters end up in a cabin, I don't know why. There are some truly hilarious moments in this episode with hilarious lines delivered most notably by Debra Jo Rupp and Wilmer Valderrama. The Eric and Donna story doesn't take off nearly as much as the cabin scenes but it does have a nice payoff at the end and a very funny tag scene with Red and Kitty.
RATING: 8/10
116. Your Time is Gonna Come (1/29/03)
Kelso brings Annette to Point Place. Kitty's parents come to stay with the Formans after having financial difficulties.
This episode brings three popular guest stars from season five together. We get Jessica Simpson back for the first time since the season premiere and now for an extended arc. I like the dynamics her character causes in others more than Simpson herself. Case in point: the cast's response when Simpson sings and the way it plays into the Hyde-Kelso-Jackie love triangle. The episode also brings Betty White and, for the final time, Tom Poston back as Kitty's parents as Poston's character dies and the episode takes a different turn. I wish they had been cast earlier in the series and used more frequently.
RATING: 7.5/10
117. Baby I'm Gonna Leave You (2/5/03)
Hyde is upset with Jackie after realizing she still has feelings for Kelso. Kitty is upset when her mom won't say "I love you" to her.
This episode feels like a conclusion to the previous episode but it's lacking the fire and excitement of the first part. I will say, there are times where the Hyde and Jackie relationship plays better than the Kelso-Jackie one. I think it's because them being such opposites plays into the comedy quite well and they have a great moment at the end of the episode. The best part episode though is, no surprise, Betty White. She just has the perfect mix of sweet and salty as usual. It's so fun to watch her in all different decades be such a strong performer. She is as vibrant as she was on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, which was over 25 years earlier.
RATING: 6.5/10
118. When the Levee Breaks (2/12/03)
Eric and Donna are excited to have a weekend alone when Bob goes away. Kitty finds out that Eric and Donna are engaged.
While Eric and Donna are engaged now, it seems like this should be a different episode but it feels like we've seen this episode before. Eric and Donna in a mad dash to hide something from Red. Although the episode does eventually get the point of both parents finding out, I think that was a potentially hilarious comedic moment for the show that just didn't pan out in execution. Also, aside from a really lame story about Hyde's coat, the other friends (especially Jackie and Kelso) really do not have much to do in this episode. It just feels like a missed opportunity.
RATING: 3/10
Red is extremely upset with Eric after finding out about his engagement to Donna. Kelso doesn't tell Hyde it's Jackie's birthday. Fez has sex with Nina.
This episode makes up for the disappointing episode that preceded as everything that was set up in the previous episode actually pays off here. That 70s Show is not always able to stick the landing with their set-ups, but they do here. This is one of the better Red and Eric showdowns with the icy silence followed by a pretty dramatic (but still funny at times) scene with them at PriceMart. There's also the long awaited episode where Fez finally has sex. Both his announcement to the group and subsequent description of how it happened are pretty hilarious. The Hyde and Jackie story is pretty sweet as well. A strong episode.
RATING: 9/10
120. The Battle of Evermore (2/26/03)
Kitty signs Red and Eric up for a father and son Paul Bunyan competition. Hyde doesn't want to believe that Leo has disappeared.
I think this is an episode that seemed much better on paper than in action. The idea of Red and Eric competing in a father-son competition centered on Paul Bunyan with Fred Willard and Seth Green as their rivals seems like a hilarious opportunity. But it actually turns out to be sort of dumb and not as rich with comedy as it seems. I don't even think it was done poorly, I think it's just a good idea that didn't work in execution. I am glad the show finally dealt with Leo's absence. With Tommy Chong not appearing on the show for about a year, there needed to be some explanation and now we finally get that, to an extent.
RATING: 3.5/10
121. Hey, Hey, What Can I Do? (3/12/03)
The friends go to a job fair for a variety of reasons. Donna has to perform as "Hot Donna" for a signing event. Red tells Eric he won't pay for his college if he stays engaged to Donna.
This is another example of the show knowing what it does well and executing it with success. They have one central concept (a job fair) and the cast all interacts around that topic with various matchups and motivations. Ashton Kutcher has some great moments here and there's a memorable guest performance by the great Jim Gaffigan in his first of several appearances. One little nitpicky moment, the scene with Donna and Eric when she's signing things seemed to come out of order, it should have come before the first scene at the job fair.
RATING: 7.5/10
The Formans discover Jackie has been sleeping in their basement with Hyde because her mother is still gone. Fez prepares to meet Nina's parents.
One of the things I really like about this episode is that the group calls out Fez for his weirdness. It really is true that Fez says some strange things and I love that this episode calls attention to it with the acknowledgment that the others (like the viewers) have gotten used to it. It's a little bit of a meta moment that really lands. The show also handles the prejudice issue with Nina's parents with humor which is the best way for a show like this to play it. There's nothing preachy about it. My only issue with this episode is I think Red is a little bit unnecessarily mean with Eric and it comes off a little bit too strong and not funny as it usually does.
RATING: 6.5/10
123. No Quarter (4/2/03)
Jackie starts living with Donna while her mom continues to be gone. Kelso starts working at the same place Hyde works. Eric owes money on his engagement ring for Donna and might have to return it.
As mentioned two episodes ago, this show is best when it has a common story and then the characters' individual stories center around that. It gives flexibility and options for clever and rotating dynamics. This episode is the opposite. There are three different stories happening and while there is some overlap, none of the stories are individually strong enough to work. There are some good individual moments (Jackie playing "Mamma Mia" and another good performance from Jim Gaffigan), but it just doesn't work cohesively. Other shows like Friends still did a good job with three separate stories but That 70s Show rarely can make it work.
RATING: 4/10
124. Trampled Under Foot (4/9/03)
The friends start to feel like they are stuck in a rut. Kitty suggests Eric hang out with his enemy in order to get his mom's peach cobbler recipe. Nina breaks up with Fez.
The "stuck in a rut" trope is always a fun one for sitcoms because it forces the characters to try to break their patterns. I actually wish this episode had leaned into that a little more. It seemed like it was going to be the thrust of the episode but then it became more about Fez's breakup and the weird friend Kitty brings over. Those are both good stories by themselves, but I was wishing we had gotten an episode more about the friends trying to break out of their rut and that only got passing moments. The Fez story was pretty fun though.
RATING: 6.5/10
Fez worries after he has a sexual dream about Kelso. Eric gets a job at a dog food factory. Hyde gets upset when Kelso and Jackie still seem to be too close.
This is an episode that probably wouldn't be done now at least with the same level of insensitivity when it comes to Fez's dream. That's not really the problem with this episode though. It also isn't an episode that works very well with three pretty uninteresting and divergent stories. Jim Gaffigan is making less of an impression with each episode that passes. The dog food factory story also clumsily sets up Red's bet with Eric and Donna about getting married in a way that doesn't feel very natural or funny.
RATING: 2.5/10
126. Nobody's Fault But Mine (4/23/03)
Hyde and Jackie break up after Hyde admits to cheating. Eric and Donna think the Formans are tricking them with their sudden support for the wedding. Laurie returns home and is suddenly nice to Eric.
Well, I didn't like the episode before it and this episode continues all the same storylines. It does it to a better effect though, especially with strong performances from Danny Masterson and Mila Kunis during their breakup scene. There's also a solid scene between Masterson and Ashton Kutcher. The story of Red "tricking" Donna and Eric into getting married is just as stupid in this episode though. I am surprised they spent two episodes on this poor of a comedic conceit, but oh well. It is nice to have Laurie back again.
RATING: 5/10
127. Immigrant Song (5/7/03)
Fez gets arrested for vandalizing the water tower. Eric doesn't know what to do when Red says he respects his and Donna's decision to get married and Kitty is furious about it.
This is a pretty lame episode, but there is one shining moment. Kitty's bleep-filled tirade at Red about Eric and Donna moving out is one of the funniest moments of the season and one of Debra Jo Rupp's best moments in the whole series (and that's saying something). This was the first time That 70s Show ever bleeped anything out and it is used to tremendous effect. There is one other funny moment from Fez but otherwise, this episode just sort of treads water before the graduation episode. It tees a bunch of stuff up without actually giving a payoff. But that Kitty moment though.
RATING: 5/10
The gang goes camping on the night before graduation. Eric and Fez mistake Laurie and Donna as they plan to go skinny dipping. Jackie feels torn between Hyde and Kelso.
There are elements of this episode that feel like a series finale which is fitting since graduation is definitely the end of one era of That 70s Show. The camping scenes have a different feel by bringing all the friends together outside of some of the usual locations although the Hyde/Kelso/Jackie triangle feels like its been treading water for several episodes and this episode doesn't improve the story at all. The show does succeed at feeling like a finale until the final minutes when it catapults some stories forward.
RATING: 6.5/10
AVERAGE RATING FOR SEASON FIVE:
5.9/10
The Best Episodes
1. "Thank You" (#111) - 9/10
2. "Whole Lotta Love" (#119) - 9/10
3. "Misty Mountain Hop" (#115) - 8/10
4. "The Crunge" (#113) - 8/10
5. "Heartbreaker" (#107) - 8/10
The Worst Episodes
1. "You Shook Me" (#125) - 2.5/10
2. "When the Levee Breaks" (#118) - 3/10
3. "What is and What Should Never Be" (#106) - 3.5/10
4. "The Battle of Evermore" (#120) - 3.5/10
5. "No Quarter" (#123) - 4/10
Tomorrow: The Friday Five - a look at the five biggest TV news stories of the week!
Thursday in 3 Weeks: A look at Season Six of That 70s Show!
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