On Thursdays, I go through classic series with a critical look at each season. Today I am looking at Season Seven of That 70s Show!
THAT 70s SHOW: SEASON SEVEN
2004-2005
25 episodes
2004-2005
25 episodes
The seventh season of That 70s Show is the final season with Topher Grace as a series regular and also the final full season for Ashton Kutcher. Despite still having both of those cast member, the show finds itself flailing especially with Topher Grace's Eric, who is stuck in a terrible arc for most of the season. The show also brings many characters back at one point or another but everything just feels tired. This season actually graded out the worst for me. Even worse than the often maligned final season (more on that next week). Every title this season is named for a Rolling Stones 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 (16 episodes)
Tanya Roberts as Midge Pinciotti (4 episodes)
Tommy Chong as Leo (3 episodes)
Megalyn Echikunwoke as Angie Barnett (8 episodes)
Tim Reid as William Barnett (7 episodes)
Shannon Elizabeth as Brooke (1 episode)
Jim Rash as Fenton (1 episode)
Brooke Shields as Pamela Burkhart (1 episode)
Luke Wilson as Casey Kelso (1 episode)
154. Time is On My Side (9/8/04)
Red and Kitty want to know what Eric's plan is after calling off his wedding with Donna. Donna dyes her hair blonde. The friends try to find Donna's engagement ring. Midge and Pam fight over Bob.
That 70s Show moves into season seven and it's feeling awfully tired at this point. Everything picks up from the season finale but it feels like we're beginning yet another season where Eric is just flailing around. Also, is the show making it a goal for every character to fall off the water tower before the series ends? All these things just prove that the show doesn't have much to do anymore and is struggling to come up with new stories and new angles for the characters. Sigh.
RATING: 4/10
155. Let's Spend the Night Together (9/15/04)
Hyde meets his real father and he's black. Kelso anxiously awaits for Brooke to go into labor. Eric attends a feminist rally with Donna.
We get Tim Reid in a guest starring role and the idea of Hyde's father being black is a funny one. But the problem is... we already saw an episode about Hyde meeting his father! I know the show explained it away but That 70s Show is really mimicking its theme song - "the same old thing, we did last week" now. Surprisingly, the one story that feels a little fresh (and one of the more 70s-themed stories in awhile) is Donna becoming a feminist although it isn't that funny of a story (nor is it earned), but it does have a great sight gag at the end.
RATING: 6/10
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 (16 episodes)
Tanya Roberts as Midge Pinciotti (4 episodes)
Tommy Chong as Leo (3 episodes)
Tim Reid as William Barnett (7 episodes)
Shannon Elizabeth as Brooke (1 episode)
Jim Rash as Fenton (1 episode)
Brooke Shields as Pamela Burkhart (1 episode)
Luke Wilson as Casey Kelso (1 episode)
Red and Kitty want to know what Eric's plan is after calling off his wedding with Donna. Donna dyes her hair blonde. The friends try to find Donna's engagement ring. Midge and Pam fight over Bob.
That 70s Show moves into season seven and it's feeling awfully tired at this point. Everything picks up from the season finale but it feels like we're beginning yet another season where Eric is just flailing around. Also, is the show making it a goal for every character to fall off the water tower before the series ends? All these things just prove that the show doesn't have much to do anymore and is struggling to come up with new stories and new angles for the characters. Sigh.
RATING: 4/10
155. Let's Spend the Night Together (9/15/04)
Hyde meets his real father and he's black. Kelso anxiously awaits for Brooke to go into labor. Eric attends a feminist rally with Donna.
We get Tim Reid in a guest starring role and the idea of Hyde's father being black is a funny one. But the problem is... we already saw an episode about Hyde meeting his father! I know the show explained it away but That 70s Show is really mimicking its theme song - "the same old thing, we did last week" now. Surprisingly, the one story that feels a little fresh (and one of the more 70s-themed stories in awhile) is Donna becoming a feminist although it isn't that funny of a story (nor is it earned), but it does have a great sight gag at the end.
RATING: 6/10
156. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (9/22/04)
After having a baby girl, Kelso starts to worry about dating other people's daughters. Eric attempts to vandalize a closed down muffler shop and then finds out Red bought it.
It's a shame that That 70s Show seemingly couldn't get Shannon Elizabeth back regularly for this season. Although she wasn't amazing, it's weird to have these episodes about Kelso becoming a father without her around after she was such a big part of season six. So we're stuck with That 70s Show once again awkwardly closing out a story without all the pieces which has happened several times. The vandalism story is really just about the show already running out of things for Eric to do during what we would now call a "gap year."
RATING: 2.5/10
157. Beast of Burden (9/29/04)
Eric is upset when Red offers Hyde a job at his new muffler shop. Fez applies to be a shampoo boy at Donna's hair salon.
Boy, Eric is pretty terrible in this season. Having a character take what is now known as a gap year can be ok but not when it's the protagonist of the show. It feels like Eric's lack of enthusiasm and interest in anything is permeating through the whole show. It's also interesting that the show has Midge back but Bob has become such an obsolete character that they're having a hard time using her. And finally, the Fez storyline at the hair salon is pretty terrible. It is clearly just an attempt to make Wilmer Valderrama do something silly and it doesn't work. Can you tell I'm down on this season of the show?
RATING: 3.5/10
158. It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (10/6/04)
Hyde gets a job with his dad and ends up being extremely bored. Kelso gives Fez his collection of Playboy magazines. Midge teaches Tai Chi to Donna and Kitty.
This episode features a guest turn from Joe Lo Truglio years before he became well known as Boyle in Brooklyn Nine-Nine. It's interesting to see him in a very different role. So many of these episodes in season six are spent with characters living through some terrible experience, in this case Hyde at work. I think it's why this season feels a little bit like a chore to watch. I know I criticized a lot of them but I miss all the wild dream sequences the show used to do. Everything just feels very tired now.
RATING: 4/10
159. Rip This Joint (11/3/04)
Bob and Midge fight at a party Kitty throws for herself after believing she has low self-esteem. Eric ends up in jail after playing a prank. Hyde worries he's buying into the businessman culture.
This is the strongest episode yet in a weak season and that's thanks to some better stories that offer better opportunities for the characters to be funny. Although the Kitty party is a little contrived, it finally gives Bob and Midge something to do. Eric in jail with Kelso as the cop has some funny moments and features the great Jack Riley in one of his final on screen appearances. The most interesting development though is Hyde becoming more respectable since going to work for his dad and rebelling against it. That's some actual character development.
RATING: 7.5/10
160. Mother's Little Helper (11/10/04)
Kelso finds out that a girl blew off a date with him to be with Fez. Kitty encourages Red to get more creative in the bedroom. Donna and Jackie get into a real fight after a play fight.
That 70s Show continues its love of stunt casting but this time, it's not with a 70s star which they have put to good use time and time again. This time it's Lindsay Lohan in the era after Mean Girls and before all her meltdowns. She was also famously dating Wilmer Valderrama at the time. Lohan is pretty forgettable here. None of these stories feel particularly developed with the show just jumping from one to another without any feeling all that satisfying although the tag scene is pretty funny with Eric walking in on his parents.
RATING: 4.5/10
161. Angie (11/17/04)
Hyde meets his half sister he never knew and they instantly clash. Eric tries to hide his love of roller disco.
Maybe That 70s Show realized they had veered pretty far from ever doing 70s-themed episodes so they are trying to get back into that in season seven. We had the women's rights episode and now a roller disco one. Although a little gimmicky, it does provide for some funny moments especially when the gang tells Red about Eric's secret love. The Hyde story is the more developed one though with Hyde continuing to get some serious character development in a season where almost every character has fully become a caricature.
RATING: 6.5/10
162. You Can't Always Get What You Want (11/24/04)
On Thanksgiving, Eric camps out for Styx tickets. The gang tries to help Hyde and Angie open a record store.
This isn't one of the better holiday episodes partly because the show keeps everyone apart for this episode. Eric spends most of the episode by himself in an inane plot about going to a Styx concert. Kitty and Red spend the episode wanting the others to come to Thanksgiving and the others seem to be in a cycle of talking about the record store and then getting high. The circle jokes don't really work here and I think there was a much better Thanksgiving plot to be had.
RATING: 3/10
163. Surprise, Surprise (12/1/04)
Hyde gets upset when Kelso sleeps with Angie. Donna gets upset when Red gives away calendars with half-naked women at his muffler shop. Hyde tries to help Kitty find a good record at the record store.
So far this season we've had a repeat story with Hyde find a dad he never knew and now we have the repeat story of Kelso sleeping with someone else's sister. Now to be fair, the show does at least acknowledge (repeatedly) that this already happened with the Laurie/Kelso story. But it doesn't take away from the fact that the show is getting increasingly lazy with its storytelling. We've already seen the effects of Kelso sleeping with someone else's sister. There are two good Kitty moments in this episode though: when she calls into Donna's radio show and the tag scene.
RATING: 5/10
164. Winter (12/15/04)
Kitty gets replaced as the hostess of the Christmas party for the Ladies of Point Place. The guys get obsessed with all the toys Kelso brings over from the Toy Drive.
That 70s Show has had some great Christmas episodes. This is not one of them. The story with the guys is incredibly juvenile and dumb. I know that's a little bit the point but I think it would have been a much better story when the guys were just a little bit younger. It doesn't feel true to their characters at this point in time. The Kitty story is okay but never really takes off and loosely involves Red and the girls. Just like Thanksgiving, the show misses a very easy opportunity to bring the whole cast together.
RATING: 4/10
165. Don't Lie to Me (1/5/05)
Jackie pretends to be Donna when she takes her wedding shoes back to the store to get wedding perks. Eric helps Hyde with trying to get Angie to break up with Kelso.
This episode features Jenna Fischer just over two months before the launch of The Office, which catapulted her to stardom. She's not great here, but it is always fun to see future stars especially this close to when they did find success. One good part of this episode is the pairing up of Jackie and Fez, a combination that never got as much time together as I wanted. The attempted break up with Angie is a pretty boring story that doesn't land at all save for a couple funny clips of stupid things Kelso has done that the others recall. I also think it's too bad they've already reduced the Angie character to another girl smitten with Kelso.
RATING: 4.5/10
166. Can't You Hear Me Knocking (1/12/05)
The guys get nervous after Kelso inadvertently threatens the president. Jackie goes to karate with Donna. Kitty and Red go ice fishing.
I'm not going to talk much about the karate or ice fishing stories because they are pretty meh. They're not terrible but also not that interesting. The story of the guys worried that the feds are coming after them and then getting increasingly paranoid (and high) is pretty fun to watch. Sure, it's almost as frivolous as the other two stories, but there's so much more humor and so much more story development. At this point in the run of That 70s Show, that's a win.
RATING: 6.5/10
167. Street Fighting Man (2/9/05)
The kids and Red go to a Packers game while Kitty and Bob watch from home. Jackie tries to get back at Hyde after their breakup.
I'm a big Packers fan so this episode is right up my alley. How many sitcoms in history have an episode that takes place at a Packers game? I can't think of any besides this one so it's a win for me. It's also fun because it brings most of the cast together for the first time in awhile (except for Bob and Kitty). This episode does a nice job of giving some better dramatic moments in the Hyde-Jackie breakup than the last two did. Eric in a Bears jersey, while annoying, does provide a surprising moment, and the ticket switching for the other three guys is pretty funny.
RATING: 8.5/10
168. It's All Over Now (2/16/05)
Hyde and Angie get ready for a Tom Jones record signing. Red goes to get Tom Jones' autograph for Kitty. Donna gets fired from the radio station for refusing to strip for a promotion.
Boy this record store took off quickly, didn't it? A few episodes ago they were just getting it up and all of a sudden, Tom Jones is there for a record signing. Also, the show seems to veer in and out of radio station stories. All of the sudden, half a season after Donna becomes a feminist, there's another girl at the station and Donna ends up quickly fired for standing up for her ideas? Either way, none of these stories are that interesting and there's an awful lot of Eliza Dushku as a character it seems like we should already know but don't with the way they treat her in this episode.
RATING: 4/10
169. On with the Show (2/23/05)
Jackie freezes on camera after she's asked to do a TV news show. Angie tries to learn the art of the "burn." Eric questions his year of doing nothing.
Of all the story arcs in the history of That 70s Show, Eric's year off has to be the worst. It's just so pathetic on every level. Finally at this point, we get a little movement on the story but it's the 16th episode of the season! They knew they only had Topher Grace for one more year and this is how they chose to use him? The "burn" story is funny for what it is but the best moment is at the very beginning with Kelso and Fez's successive burns.
RATING: 3/10
170. Down the Road Apiece (3/2/05)
Eric pursues his dream of being a traveling videographer and encounters Leo while the others nervously look for him. Fez thinks Hyde and Jackie have unresolved feelings for each other.
Tommy Chong makes his grand return as Leo after abruptly leaving the show in season four. I always got annoyed with Chong when he was appearing in a lot of episodes and force-fed into the story. But after not seeing him in a long time, it's a refreshing return. All his go-to jokes that were so tiring are funny again especially in a rough season. The setting of a truck stop is a fun and different place too. The Jackie and Hyde story is alright, but doesn't really land.
RATING: 7/10
171. Oh Baby (We Got a Good Thing Goin') (3/16/05)
Brooke lets Kelso watch the baby for the day and Leo ends up with her. Red takes Kitty, Hyde and Jackie to an expo show and he and Kitty end up in a fight.
Well, now Leo is back for two episodes and I've started to remember why he annoyed me so much. He's so much better in small doses. We do have Shannon Elizabeth back though it would have been better to have her back at the beginning of the season when the baby was actually born. It does allow for some comedy that's been missed all season which is Kelso as a father. That would have been a better use of Kelso's character in season seven than his little run with Angie. The Kitty and Red story seems awfully forced especially with them comparing themselves to Hyde and Jackie of all people.
RATING: 6/10
172. Who's Been Sleeping Here? (3/23/05)
Eric and Donna are upset when Kelso asks Hyde and Jackie to be godparents to his daughter. The record store keeps getting broken into.
This is a strong episode because it seems aware of some of the issues the Eric/Donna relationship have had and actually calls them out on it in a clever way. The episode in theory deals with Donna and Eric being upset they aren't named godparents by Kelso. It goes through the usual things you would expect a sitcom plot to go through but we ultimately find out the reason is because Kelso thinks Hyde and Jackie are a more stable couple. That's putting the relationship on its head and a very astute observation by Kelso. Hyde and Jackie have become the healthier relationship compared to the mess of Eric and Donna. It's nice to see the show address that.
RATING: 7.5/10
173. Gimme Shelter (3/30/05)
Jackie graduates from high school. Eric is upset when he realizes he hasn't done anything in a year. Kelso and Fez look for an apartment to share.
The cast of That 70s Show is finally growing up and making some life changes. Jackie is done with high school. Kelso and Fez are getting an apartment. And Eric, well, he's still twisting in the wind. They really had a hard time writing for Eric this season but they finally start to get him on a path (and an exit strategy for Topher Grace). Aside from that, this episode has far too much of Jim Rash as Fenton, a character who is never funny. I also find that I sometimes forget that Jackie is younger than the rest of them so the reminder is sometimes needed.
RATING: 4/10
174. 2120 So. Michigan Avenue (4/27/05)
Eric finds out he didn't complete a PE graduation requirement and has to take a summer class taught by Kelso's brother. Fez and Kelso compete for the bigger room in their new apartment.
This season has had a bunch of one-off (or two-off) returns from characters of the past. We had Brooke, Leo, Fenton and now Casey Kelso. The Casey Kelso dynamics are always solid with a strong performance from Luke Wilson and Kitty's obsession with him never stops being funny thanks to Debra Jo Rupp's commitment to the bit. The other funny bit in this episode is Red treating Fez and Kelso's new apartment the way they treated the basement. Overall though, it's a "nothing special" episode with a few funny moments.
RATING: 5.5/10
175. 2000 Light Years From Home (5/4/05)
Eric tries to figure out how to pay for college after learning Red spent his college money. Kelso decides to break up with Angie but isn't sure how to do it. Hyde is upset when William promotes Angie over him.
That 70s Show starts to tee up Eric's departure with this episode and I'm glad they handle it with Donna getting genuinely upset with him. You know I'm not a Donna fan in general, but Eric has been such a jerk to her and the show has made Eric progressively more unlikable. I'm glad the show had called him out for Donna not going to college because of him. The other stories are fine but nothing special and the inclusion of Chris Elliott, an actor who has annoyed me in pretty much everything he's ever done, knocks this down a few pegs.
RATING: 6/10
176. Take It or Leave It (5/11/05)
Red worries the gang will have a bad effect on a son of a friend, Charlie. Jackie gives Hyde an ultimatum when she gets a job offer in Chicago. Eric is upset when Donna starts moving on with her life.
Although the show isn't as strong as it used to be, That 70s Show managed the transition out of high school for its characters to a certain level of success. Yes, Eric is annoying but the character choices are not completely hard to believe and they certainly did things to develop Hyde and Kelso. But one issue the show has is trying to treat the cast like they're in high school still. Getting drunk? Ok. But being that excited about beer when they're of age (at that time)? That doesn't seem as plausible as it did back in season one. However, there were still funny moments especially Fez relishing (and then mad about) not being the punching bag in the group.
RATING: 6.5/10
177. Short and Curlies (5/18/05)
Donna and Eric try to come up with presents for each other before Eric goes away. Jackie gives Hyde one more chance before moving to Chicago. Charlie walks in on Kitty naked.
So much for Donna giving Eric what he deserves for how he has treated her. They are back on good terms with Eric's imminent departure. While that isn't super satisfying to me as a viewer, there is a very funny sight gag with Eric and Donna fleeing the house in Star Wars costumes. The show has made a lot of use of Bret Harrison in the last couple episodes because they were intending on having him as a Topher Grace replacement though he ended up joining another show. I think he would have been better than the actual replacement (Josh Meyers).
RATING: 7/10
178. Till the Next Goodbye (5/18/05)
Eric gets ready to leave for Africa but has to get his shots first. The guys get busted for smoking in the basement. Hyde decides to follow Jackie to Chicago.
In Topher Grace's final episode as a series regular, there are a lot of elements that feel like a series finale. The best callback is the gang finally getting busted for smoking pot in the basement. The scene with Red and Kitty is reminiscent of the very first episode and a perfect cap on the years of hanging out in the basement. There are other sweet callbacks too like Eric and Donna on the Vista Cruiser. In hindsight, this probably should have been the series finale but like so many sitcoms, it forge ahead even after a major character departure. The show was fortunate they got Ashton Kutcher to do a few episodes to start season eight so they didn't have to write out both characters in the same episode.
RATING: 8/10
AVERAGE RATING FOR SEASON SEVEN:
5.4/10
The Best Episodes
1. "Street Fighting Man" (#167) - 8.5/10
2. "Till the Next Goodbye" (#178) - 8/10
3. "Who's Been Sleeping Here?" (#172) - 7.5/10
4. "Rip This Joint" (#159) - 7.5/10
5. "Down the Road Apiece" (#170) - 7/10
The Worst Episodes
1. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" (#156) - 2.5/10
2. "You Can't Always Get What You Want" (#162) - 3/10
3. "On with the Show" (#169) - 3/10
4. "Beast of Burden" (#157) - 3.5/10
5. "Time is On My Side" (#154) - 4/10
After having a baby girl, Kelso starts to worry about dating other people's daughters. Eric attempts to vandalize a closed down muffler shop and then finds out Red bought it.
It's a shame that That 70s Show seemingly couldn't get Shannon Elizabeth back regularly for this season. Although she wasn't amazing, it's weird to have these episodes about Kelso becoming a father without her around after she was such a big part of season six. So we're stuck with That 70s Show once again awkwardly closing out a story without all the pieces which has happened several times. The vandalism story is really just about the show already running out of things for Eric to do during what we would now call a "gap year."
RATING: 2.5/10
157. Beast of Burden (9/29/04)
Eric is upset when Red offers Hyde a job at his new muffler shop. Fez applies to be a shampoo boy at Donna's hair salon.
Boy, Eric is pretty terrible in this season. Having a character take what is now known as a gap year can be ok but not when it's the protagonist of the show. It feels like Eric's lack of enthusiasm and interest in anything is permeating through the whole show. It's also interesting that the show has Midge back but Bob has become such an obsolete character that they're having a hard time using her. And finally, the Fez storyline at the hair salon is pretty terrible. It is clearly just an attempt to make Wilmer Valderrama do something silly and it doesn't work. Can you tell I'm down on this season of the show?
RATING: 3.5/10
Hyde gets a job with his dad and ends up being extremely bored. Kelso gives Fez his collection of Playboy magazines. Midge teaches Tai Chi to Donna and Kitty.
This episode features a guest turn from Joe Lo Truglio years before he became well known as Boyle in Brooklyn Nine-Nine. It's interesting to see him in a very different role. So many of these episodes in season six are spent with characters living through some terrible experience, in this case Hyde at work. I think it's why this season feels a little bit like a chore to watch. I know I criticized a lot of them but I miss all the wild dream sequences the show used to do. Everything just feels very tired now.
RATING: 4/10
159. Rip This Joint (11/3/04)
Bob and Midge fight at a party Kitty throws for herself after believing she has low self-esteem. Eric ends up in jail after playing a prank. Hyde worries he's buying into the businessman culture.
This is the strongest episode yet in a weak season and that's thanks to some better stories that offer better opportunities for the characters to be funny. Although the Kitty party is a little contrived, it finally gives Bob and Midge something to do. Eric in jail with Kelso as the cop has some funny moments and features the great Jack Riley in one of his final on screen appearances. The most interesting development though is Hyde becoming more respectable since going to work for his dad and rebelling against it. That's some actual character development.
RATING: 7.5/10
160. Mother's Little Helper (11/10/04)
Kelso finds out that a girl blew off a date with him to be with Fez. Kitty encourages Red to get more creative in the bedroom. Donna and Jackie get into a real fight after a play fight.
That 70s Show continues its love of stunt casting but this time, it's not with a 70s star which they have put to good use time and time again. This time it's Lindsay Lohan in the era after Mean Girls and before all her meltdowns. She was also famously dating Wilmer Valderrama at the time. Lohan is pretty forgettable here. None of these stories feel particularly developed with the show just jumping from one to another without any feeling all that satisfying although the tag scene is pretty funny with Eric walking in on his parents.
RATING: 4.5/10
Hyde meets his half sister he never knew and they instantly clash. Eric tries to hide his love of roller disco.
Maybe That 70s Show realized they had veered pretty far from ever doing 70s-themed episodes so they are trying to get back into that in season seven. We had the women's rights episode and now a roller disco one. Although a little gimmicky, it does provide for some funny moments especially when the gang tells Red about Eric's secret love. The Hyde story is the more developed one though with Hyde continuing to get some serious character development in a season where almost every character has fully become a caricature.
RATING: 6.5/10
162. You Can't Always Get What You Want (11/24/04)
On Thanksgiving, Eric camps out for Styx tickets. The gang tries to help Hyde and Angie open a record store.
This isn't one of the better holiday episodes partly because the show keeps everyone apart for this episode. Eric spends most of the episode by himself in an inane plot about going to a Styx concert. Kitty and Red spend the episode wanting the others to come to Thanksgiving and the others seem to be in a cycle of talking about the record store and then getting high. The circle jokes don't really work here and I think there was a much better Thanksgiving plot to be had.
RATING: 3/10
163. Surprise, Surprise (12/1/04)
Hyde gets upset when Kelso sleeps with Angie. Donna gets upset when Red gives away calendars with half-naked women at his muffler shop. Hyde tries to help Kitty find a good record at the record store.
So far this season we've had a repeat story with Hyde find a dad he never knew and now we have the repeat story of Kelso sleeping with someone else's sister. Now to be fair, the show does at least acknowledge (repeatedly) that this already happened with the Laurie/Kelso story. But it doesn't take away from the fact that the show is getting increasingly lazy with its storytelling. We've already seen the effects of Kelso sleeping with someone else's sister. There are two good Kitty moments in this episode though: when she calls into Donna's radio show and the tag scene.
RATING: 5/10
164. Winter (12/15/04)
Kitty gets replaced as the hostess of the Christmas party for the Ladies of Point Place. The guys get obsessed with all the toys Kelso brings over from the Toy Drive.
That 70s Show has had some great Christmas episodes. This is not one of them. The story with the guys is incredibly juvenile and dumb. I know that's a little bit the point but I think it would have been a much better story when the guys were just a little bit younger. It doesn't feel true to their characters at this point in time. The Kitty story is okay but never really takes off and loosely involves Red and the girls. Just like Thanksgiving, the show misses a very easy opportunity to bring the whole cast together.
RATING: 4/10
Jackie pretends to be Donna when she takes her wedding shoes back to the store to get wedding perks. Eric helps Hyde with trying to get Angie to break up with Kelso.
This episode features Jenna Fischer just over two months before the launch of The Office, which catapulted her to stardom. She's not great here, but it is always fun to see future stars especially this close to when they did find success. One good part of this episode is the pairing up of Jackie and Fez, a combination that never got as much time together as I wanted. The attempted break up with Angie is a pretty boring story that doesn't land at all save for a couple funny clips of stupid things Kelso has done that the others recall. I also think it's too bad they've already reduced the Angie character to another girl smitten with Kelso.
RATING: 4.5/10
166. Can't You Hear Me Knocking (1/12/05)
The guys get nervous after Kelso inadvertently threatens the president. Jackie goes to karate with Donna. Kitty and Red go ice fishing.
I'm not going to talk much about the karate or ice fishing stories because they are pretty meh. They're not terrible but also not that interesting. The story of the guys worried that the feds are coming after them and then getting increasingly paranoid (and high) is pretty fun to watch. Sure, it's almost as frivolous as the other two stories, but there's so much more humor and so much more story development. At this point in the run of That 70s Show, that's a win.
RATING: 6.5/10
167. Street Fighting Man (2/9/05)
The kids and Red go to a Packers game while Kitty and Bob watch from home. Jackie tries to get back at Hyde after their breakup.
I'm a big Packers fan so this episode is right up my alley. How many sitcoms in history have an episode that takes place at a Packers game? I can't think of any besides this one so it's a win for me. It's also fun because it brings most of the cast together for the first time in awhile (except for Bob and Kitty). This episode does a nice job of giving some better dramatic moments in the Hyde-Jackie breakup than the last two did. Eric in a Bears jersey, while annoying, does provide a surprising moment, and the ticket switching for the other three guys is pretty funny.
RATING: 8.5/10
Hyde and Angie get ready for a Tom Jones record signing. Red goes to get Tom Jones' autograph for Kitty. Donna gets fired from the radio station for refusing to strip for a promotion.
Boy this record store took off quickly, didn't it? A few episodes ago they were just getting it up and all of a sudden, Tom Jones is there for a record signing. Also, the show seems to veer in and out of radio station stories. All of the sudden, half a season after Donna becomes a feminist, there's another girl at the station and Donna ends up quickly fired for standing up for her ideas? Either way, none of these stories are that interesting and there's an awful lot of Eliza Dushku as a character it seems like we should already know but don't with the way they treat her in this episode.
RATING: 4/10
169. On with the Show (2/23/05)
Jackie freezes on camera after she's asked to do a TV news show. Angie tries to learn the art of the "burn." Eric questions his year of doing nothing.
Of all the story arcs in the history of That 70s Show, Eric's year off has to be the worst. It's just so pathetic on every level. Finally at this point, we get a little movement on the story but it's the 16th episode of the season! They knew they only had Topher Grace for one more year and this is how they chose to use him? The "burn" story is funny for what it is but the best moment is at the very beginning with Kelso and Fez's successive burns.
RATING: 3/10
170. Down the Road Apiece (3/2/05)
Eric pursues his dream of being a traveling videographer and encounters Leo while the others nervously look for him. Fez thinks Hyde and Jackie have unresolved feelings for each other.
Tommy Chong makes his grand return as Leo after abruptly leaving the show in season four. I always got annoyed with Chong when he was appearing in a lot of episodes and force-fed into the story. But after not seeing him in a long time, it's a refreshing return. All his go-to jokes that were so tiring are funny again especially in a rough season. The setting of a truck stop is a fun and different place too. The Jackie and Hyde story is alright, but doesn't really land.
RATING: 7/10
171. Oh Baby (We Got a Good Thing Goin') (3/16/05)
Brooke lets Kelso watch the baby for the day and Leo ends up with her. Red takes Kitty, Hyde and Jackie to an expo show and he and Kitty end up in a fight.
Well, now Leo is back for two episodes and I've started to remember why he annoyed me so much. He's so much better in small doses. We do have Shannon Elizabeth back though it would have been better to have her back at the beginning of the season when the baby was actually born. It does allow for some comedy that's been missed all season which is Kelso as a father. That would have been a better use of Kelso's character in season seven than his little run with Angie. The Kitty and Red story seems awfully forced especially with them comparing themselves to Hyde and Jackie of all people.
RATING: 6/10
Eric and Donna are upset when Kelso asks Hyde and Jackie to be godparents to his daughter. The record store keeps getting broken into.
This is a strong episode because it seems aware of some of the issues the Eric/Donna relationship have had and actually calls them out on it in a clever way. The episode in theory deals with Donna and Eric being upset they aren't named godparents by Kelso. It goes through the usual things you would expect a sitcom plot to go through but we ultimately find out the reason is because Kelso thinks Hyde and Jackie are a more stable couple. That's putting the relationship on its head and a very astute observation by Kelso. Hyde and Jackie have become the healthier relationship compared to the mess of Eric and Donna. It's nice to see the show address that.
RATING: 7.5/10
173. Gimme Shelter (3/30/05)
Jackie graduates from high school. Eric is upset when he realizes he hasn't done anything in a year. Kelso and Fez look for an apartment to share.
The cast of That 70s Show is finally growing up and making some life changes. Jackie is done with high school. Kelso and Fez are getting an apartment. And Eric, well, he's still twisting in the wind. They really had a hard time writing for Eric this season but they finally start to get him on a path (and an exit strategy for Topher Grace). Aside from that, this episode has far too much of Jim Rash as Fenton, a character who is never funny. I also find that I sometimes forget that Jackie is younger than the rest of them so the reminder is sometimes needed.
RATING: 4/10
174. 2120 So. Michigan Avenue (4/27/05)
Eric finds out he didn't complete a PE graduation requirement and has to take a summer class taught by Kelso's brother. Fez and Kelso compete for the bigger room in their new apartment.
This season has had a bunch of one-off (or two-off) returns from characters of the past. We had Brooke, Leo, Fenton and now Casey Kelso. The Casey Kelso dynamics are always solid with a strong performance from Luke Wilson and Kitty's obsession with him never stops being funny thanks to Debra Jo Rupp's commitment to the bit. The other funny bit in this episode is Red treating Fez and Kelso's new apartment the way they treated the basement. Overall though, it's a "nothing special" episode with a few funny moments.
RATING: 5.5/10
Eric tries to figure out how to pay for college after learning Red spent his college money. Kelso decides to break up with Angie but isn't sure how to do it. Hyde is upset when William promotes Angie over him.
That 70s Show starts to tee up Eric's departure with this episode and I'm glad they handle it with Donna getting genuinely upset with him. You know I'm not a Donna fan in general, but Eric has been such a jerk to her and the show has made Eric progressively more unlikable. I'm glad the show had called him out for Donna not going to college because of him. The other stories are fine but nothing special and the inclusion of Chris Elliott, an actor who has annoyed me in pretty much everything he's ever done, knocks this down a few pegs.
RATING: 6/10
176. Take It or Leave It (5/11/05)
Red worries the gang will have a bad effect on a son of a friend, Charlie. Jackie gives Hyde an ultimatum when she gets a job offer in Chicago. Eric is upset when Donna starts moving on with her life.
Although the show isn't as strong as it used to be, That 70s Show managed the transition out of high school for its characters to a certain level of success. Yes, Eric is annoying but the character choices are not completely hard to believe and they certainly did things to develop Hyde and Kelso. But one issue the show has is trying to treat the cast like they're in high school still. Getting drunk? Ok. But being that excited about beer when they're of age (at that time)? That doesn't seem as plausible as it did back in season one. However, there were still funny moments especially Fez relishing (and then mad about) not being the punching bag in the group.
RATING: 6.5/10
177. Short and Curlies (5/18/05)
Donna and Eric try to come up with presents for each other before Eric goes away. Jackie gives Hyde one more chance before moving to Chicago. Charlie walks in on Kitty naked.
So much for Donna giving Eric what he deserves for how he has treated her. They are back on good terms with Eric's imminent departure. While that isn't super satisfying to me as a viewer, there is a very funny sight gag with Eric and Donna fleeing the house in Star Wars costumes. The show has made a lot of use of Bret Harrison in the last couple episodes because they were intending on having him as a Topher Grace replacement though he ended up joining another show. I think he would have been better than the actual replacement (Josh Meyers).
RATING: 7/10
Eric gets ready to leave for Africa but has to get his shots first. The guys get busted for smoking in the basement. Hyde decides to follow Jackie to Chicago.
In Topher Grace's final episode as a series regular, there are a lot of elements that feel like a series finale. The best callback is the gang finally getting busted for smoking pot in the basement. The scene with Red and Kitty is reminiscent of the very first episode and a perfect cap on the years of hanging out in the basement. There are other sweet callbacks too like Eric and Donna on the Vista Cruiser. In hindsight, this probably should have been the series finale but like so many sitcoms, it forge ahead even after a major character departure. The show was fortunate they got Ashton Kutcher to do a few episodes to start season eight so they didn't have to write out both characters in the same episode.
RATING: 8/10
AVERAGE RATING FOR SEASON SEVEN:
5.4/10
The Best Episodes
1. "Street Fighting Man" (#167) - 8.5/10
2. "Till the Next Goodbye" (#178) - 8/10
3. "Who's Been Sleeping Here?" (#172) - 7.5/10
4. "Rip This Joint" (#159) - 7.5/10
5. "Down the Road Apiece" (#170) - 7/10
The Worst Episodes
1. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" (#156) - 2.5/10
2. "You Can't Always Get What You Want" (#162) - 3/10
3. "On with the Show" (#169) - 3/10
4. "Beast of Burden" (#157) - 3.5/10
5. "Time is On My Side" (#154) - 4/10
Tomorrow: The Friday Five - Top 5 TV news stories of the week!
Next Thursday: A look at the eighth and final season of That 70s Show!
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