The show ran for eight seasons, starting in 1998 and ending in 2006 (in real life). According to a 2000 interview Chilton gave to Rolling Stone, he received $70 whenever the song was used on the series. In real life, Topher Grace himself left the show in order to play the role of the villain Eddie Brock or "Venom" in Spider-Man 3. Despite declining viewership, the show didn't experience a significant drop in critical reception until the final season. These days, in an age of content oversaturation . Smith told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that his character has changed in the years that have passed. During a Reddit AMA, Gordon-Levitt shared the funny backstory behind the famous onscreen moment, saying, "I remember the director asking me and Topher to kiss longer, and then on the next take, kissing for what felt like several minutes. Josh Meyers, the brother of SNLs Seth Meyers, came on as Erics replacement, Randy Pearson. but also to direct episodes as well., Don Stark, 68, played Bob Pinciotti, Donna's dad, and the annoying neighbor who always meant well. The actor struggled to . We thought, Listen, were only in the position that were in because of that show, so lets just go back and do this.' In order to sell these scenes, the production team whipped together dense smoke drifting in the background to suggest the characters' marijuana use. Actress Lisa Robin Kelly portrayed Eric Foreman's big sister Laurie for the show's first five seasons, but her role was significantly lessened after Season 3. Apparently whenValderrama says the name that gets obscured by the ringing bell, he's actually saying the first names of every main cast member on the show (via ABC News). By the end, many fans hadn't just moved on they actively disliked the final batch of episodes. Leos character became a regular again to take over Kelsos goofy humor aspect of the show. Fes, is an acronym for foreign exchange student,because in his initial meeting with the gang, they realized they wont be able to remember or pronounce it. And by the time the series signed off after eight seasons, it was clear that this cast was about to explode on the Hollywood scene. That '70s Show is the perfect blend of awkward teenagers turning into adults, '70s counterculture, and sitcom humor. That love triangle really framed the show to have some crazy scenarios and wonderful tension, but it wasnt the love triangle the writers originally intended. Additionally, the film careers of the cast affected the cast in other ways than just stealing them away. Leo owns the Foto Hut where Hyde begins to work. A wandering talent scout discovered him at a local bar called the Airliner in Iowa City and encouraged him to enter the "Fresh Faces of Iowa" modeling competition. "That '70s Show" premiered in August 1998 and lasted for eight seasons before ending in May 2006. memorable running gags on "That '70s Show. It seems like a lot of the depictions of being very high are drawn from writers being very drunk. The show flopped during the first season and was later canceled. Privacy Policy. I'd be like if they were rerunning your high school year book all the time. Chong consented to a plea bargain that spared his wife and son from prosecution. Now, they're returning for brief cameos, making way for a new set of teens to hang out in Red and Kitty Forman's basement (Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp, playing the Formans, also returned for the sequel). According toABC MediaNet, the network'sAmerican Idolheld both of the top spotsin the ratings that year, raking in over 30 million viewers for each Tuesday and Wednesday airing. Every time the theme song aired, the co-writer of the song, Big Star singer Alex Chilton, got $70. You think you're such hot s**t.'" She added that even though they went through "full friendship breakups" over the years, they always reconciled in the end. He voicedthe title character on the Disney Channel'sHandy Mannyand spent years doing guest star roles before landing a greatgig on the extremely popular NCIS. Laura Prepon, 42, played Donna Pinciotti in "That '70s Show" and went on to star in the blockbuster Netflix show Orange Is The New Black. Not only is she reprising her role the spinoff, but shes also directing some episodes. What fans might not know is that the allusions to '70s rock songs were originally planned to go even further. Chong was then added back as a main cast member for the eighth and final season, as Leo takes on a job working for Hyde at his record store. As the Los Angeles Police Department investigated the allegations, Netflex announced therelease dateof Season 4 ofThe Ranch,which stars Masterson and fellow '70s co-star Ashton Kutcher. The role jumpstarted Kunis' career and served as an important milestone in her personal life. If not for that so-called "little white non-truth," she might not have ended up making the Jackie-Kelso ship sail onto a romantic island of marriage and babies together. This caused a huge shift in the dynamic of the show, due to Erics character being the focus of the show. They're totally different experiences. The main teenage cast members were Topher Grace, Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Danny Masterson, Laura Prepon, Wilmer . Relieved that he isn't about to be locked into a marriage, Kelso promptly moves to Chicago to be near his daughter and accept a job as a security guard at the Playboy Club. Though Randy became part of the main cast with hopes of maintaining the status quo, the characterwasn't exactly likedby fans. In a 2012interview on "The Tonight Show," Kunis revealed that she was just 14 when she auditioned for "That '70s Show." When the Formans find out Donna is on birth control, Red and Kitty go on high alert and give Eric "the talk," and of course, it's uncomfortable for him . The characters werent the only ones who had troubles with names. His performance was so powerful that a year laterwhile attending the University of Southern California they called him up to audition for the part. It's actually ironic that the amount is $70. We're the mom and dad. Over the course of the show, the couple's relationship grew from a childhood crush to something more complex, helping to keep the series compelling over time. Ukraine transplant Mila Kunis started landing TV gigs at the tender age of 13, appearing in guest stints on Days of Our Lives and Baywatch before landing a small recurring role on 7th Heaven. When it was presented to us, I was like, So clearly Im going to be with Fez because I remember ending the show with Wilmers character. In the first episode of "That '90s Show," Jackie and Michael are getting remarried. Similar to his co-star Topher Grace, Kutcherleft the showto explore new opportunities as an actor and producer. Even in the show, Jackie often teases Donna for being so tall, especially compared to her lanky boyfriend, Eric. The gang even lets him join the circle sometimes. Due to censorship rules, the showing of smoking marijuana was not allowed on cable television. With how successful "That '70s Show" proved to be, Fox searched for ways to cash in on the series' success at the peak of its popularity, creating a loosely connected spinoff series that explored the 1980s fittingly titled "That '80s Show.". (Woah, has it really been that long?) Humorously, the specific amount of money Chilton received through his royalties was a hilariously coincidental amount. It's impossible to know how many more seasonsThat '70s Showmight have lasted with Grace and Kutcher in the cast, but Randy's introduction proved the series was quickly running out of gas and needed to be canceled. While those shows were comfortable working with minors, the producers of That '70s Show weren't quite so kid-friendly. Grace wasnt the only actor to dip out early, though. However, Leo later abruptly disappears from "That '70s Show" during the fifth and sixth seasons, though his absence is addressed by Eric and his friends in Season 5's "The Battle of Evermore." After an eight-year run, why did it all come to an end? It's sad to say goodbye to familiar faces on TV, butat least this seriesended on a high note and looking back, it isn't hard to understand why That '70s Show was canceled. If it hadn't been canceled and had gone on to a ninth or tenth season, other stories might have been told butit's also very likely thatitwould have overstayed its welcome more than it already had. Kutcher was 23 at the time. In addition to offering breakout roles to actors who remain recognizable today, like Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher, the show also featureda steady stream of cameos from figures who were famous during the '70s, like Betty White, Mary Tyler Moore, and Don Knotts. In a new time slot up against stiffer competition,That '70sShowfaded in its final season, and what was once a cornerstone hit for the network started to look like a sitcom waiting to be canceled. True Hollywood Story on the show's cast and crew, the actors and actresses weren't all as close as the on-screen gang. It was 'faking it till you make it' full blown for the entire first season.". While on the show, fellow cast member Wilmer Valderrama taught her how to drive, Danny Masterson was Kunis' prom date, and Ashton Kutcher was her first kiss (viaPopSugar). They were there to watch their own daughter perform in the play,. We went through a period where I thought he was crazy. He told The Advocate that Grace was "probably one of the worst kissers [he's] ever kissed." (He said he was working on both occasions.) One of the main mysteries that continues to surround "That '70s Show" is Fez's nation of origin. However, Norris was unable to commit to "That '70s Show" due to his pre-existing commitment to "Walker, Texas Ranger." Actress Laura Prepon, who plays Eric's long-time love interest on the show, echoed the kiss diss when she said on a radio show (via TMZ) that her Orange is the New Black co-star, Taylor Schilling, gave better lip service than Grace. Because 'The Loop' got picked up, they threw me off the water tower," Harrison told PopEntertainment. Here's what the original "That '70s Show" cast is up to now. But I didnt tell them when I was going to be 18!, One of the most well-known aspects of That '70s Show (along with the era of the seventies itself) was the reoccurring stoner circle scene (like the video above). Lisa Robin Kelly played the role of Erics sarcastic, promiscuous older sister, Laurie Forman. Even beforeThat '70s Showwas canceled, it had clearly stopped being appointment TV for its audience. When searching for the setting of a fictional location, the best place to start is with its creators, Bonnie Turner, Terry Turner and Mark Brazill. She's been in movies like "Bad Moms," "Friends With Benefits" and "Luckiest Girl Alive" and has voiced Meg Griffin in "Family Guy" since 1999. According to the cast policy of the show, all actors had to be 18 when they auditioned for their parts. The substance abuse issue eventually caused her to leave the show in the third season. It was great. They were 100% accurate actually. Well played, Mila. Valderrama has been keeping busy as Nicholas Torres in the "NCIS" franchise for the past seven years. Topher Grace was one such actor, having had absolutely zero professional acting experience before joining "That '70s Show." In the show, Buddy appears as a high school acquaintance of Eric's. Although they played on-again-off-again young lovers on That '70s Show, and they're now married with children in real life, Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher didn't care for each other as co-stars. It is blocked out though, due to a loud noise overpowering his voice. Topher Gracealso broke out, appearing in films such asTrafficandIn Good Company. Hyde actually quit smoking for a period of time because he got too high. "To me it's 'That $70 Show.'". I have never been charged with a crime, let alone convicted of one. Topher Grace and Lauren Prepon were good friends, but Ashton Kutcher, Wilmer Valderrama, and Danny Masterson were always spotted around Los Angeles hanging out or partying together. Before "That '80s Show," there was another, more obscure spinoff attempt that producers tried in the form of "Days Like These," an almost direct British remake of "That '70s Show" released around the same time as the first season of "That '70s Show.". "With That '70s Show I was guilty of a drinking problem, and I ran.". Ashton Kutcher switched to a reoccurring guest role to slowly phase his character out - also to pursue his career further. I think for the first time ever, he took my breath awayI was like f, hes good-looking. The couple began dating in 2012, making their first public debut as a couple on September 23, 2012. A show all about the seventies couldnt continue into the eighties; but producers and writers found a way around this. And apparently, when Grace returned for the final, he dashed to his car immediately after the last scene while the rest of the cast and crew were getting emotional and saying their goodbyes. Things hit a fever pitch when a Netflix executive inadvertentlytold one of Masterson's accusersto her face that the network did not believe the allegations the exec was not aware that she was one of the victims at the start of their conversation. Brace yourself for some not-so-funny news. Wed be smoking cigarettes and holding them low, and then they would just pump in this movie smoke that smelled like strawberries. IFC explained that they wanted the show to be named after The Who lyrics; either The Kids Are Alright or Teenage Wasteland, but copyright laws prevented that. However, all good things must come to an end, including That '70s Show. It was like some incense in the background. Fox wouldn't allow That '70s Show to directly show the use of marijuana on their network. The producers found their way around this by using a filming technique to shoot the characters in a circle to imitate the passing of the said blunt. Debuting on Fox on August 23, 1998,That '70s Showfollowed the Forman family, chiefly through the eyes of theirStar Wars-loving son Eric and his group of teenage friends. Thrilled to not only step into Donnas shoes again (Ive missed her!) Hes older now, hes retired, Smith, who is also one of the executive producers, said. Jenna Fischer, Amy Adams, and the Sprouse twins all appeared as guest stars. Nowadays, it's become pretty commonplace to see American TV series remaking an earlier British show "The Office" being the clearest example to come to mind. Grace currently stars as the lead character in the ABC show "Home Economics. Running for eight seasons, you can enjoy the show being a modern day teen or as someone who grew up as a teenager during the '70s. Kitty and Red Give Eric the Talk. I heard they were going to reboot it, but I never got a call, he said. 14 Mila Kunis Didn't Like Future Husband Ashton Kutcher While They Were On The Show via Glamour If back in the early 2000s you'd have told That '70s Show co-stars, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, that they'd end up married one day, the two probably would have laughed in your face. Kelso and Jackie's on-screen love story was kind of a primer for Kutcher, who later built a career on starring in romantic comedies, such as "Guess Who," "Just Married," "What Happens In Vegas," in addition to building a career as a tech investor. One of the best examples of this throughout the show is the relationship between Eric and Donna. It was like some incense in the background.". The classic sitcom, which made stars out of previously unknown actors such as Topher Grace, Ashton Kutcher, Laura Prepon, and Mila Kunis, depicted the lives of teens (and then young adults) in the small town of Point Place, Wis. as they did timeless teen stuff like hanging out in a basement, driving around listening to Cheap Trick, trying to score beers, trying to score with each other, and feeling "all alright" in those notorious smoke circles. Unfortunately, fans' reception to Randy's character was mixed at best, and Meyers was gradually given less prominent screen time as the season progressed. In a chat with Smashing Interviews Magazine, Danny Masterson revealed that the smoke was actually a combination of flavor-scented artificial smoke from the props department and smoke from his, Ashton Kutcher, and Laura Prepon's cigarettes, held off-screen. 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