Question about "That 70's Show"

[bluestateguy]

It seems like the other kids who don't live in the Forman home, by which I mean, Donna, Fez, Jackie and Kelso, are always hanging around the Forman house, sometimes even with the Forman parents! Don't these kids have parents of their own? It must be that they have very 1970's style parents: hands off, libertine, bordering on neglectful. Indeed, Hyde's parents both abandoned him. Donna's mother abandoned her. I don't know much about the others' parents.

[Breezy du Nord]

1. I have a ? too!

If the show wa sfirst set in 1976, shouldn't it be 1980 now? :shrug:

[bluestateguy]

2. It should be 1981

And they all should be in college. It's been 1978 forever. I guess they don't have to do the show in real time like the Wonder Years did, but it's very awkward, nonetheless.

[SweetZombieJesus]

3. Jackie's parents are in jail, I think

I forget what the deal with her is. Kelso's parents are dumbasses, and who the hell does Fez live with?

[flamingyouth]

5. Are they?

I thought they were rich and neglectful. But I admit to not watching that show too much lately. Maybe they've been arrested and put in jail. Who knows?

[TSIAS]

7. The Dad is in jail

I don't remember what happened to her mother. I remember last season Jackie had to move in with the Pinciottis.

[TSIAS]

4. What I know

Donna's parents live next door to the Forman's. Her Mom was written out of the show a few years back and now another woman lives with Bob. Fez has some foster parents IIRC. Jackie's father, a Republican politician, was sent to jail on charges of fraud. :)

[Dookus]

6. heheh...

I was born in 1961. My age closely matches those of the kids on the shows.

I know where *I* grew up, parents were not very closely involved in their teenage children's recreation time. I spent many, many hours in the basement of my friends' homes, or mine, hanging out, partying, etc. etc. with little to no interference from our folks.

And yes, we got stoned as much as those '70's show kids ;)

We also spent more time in cars than they do on that show. It was the best way to get away from all the parents.

[Lefty48197]

8. I hate that show

I hear they dare to desecrate a Packer helmet.
Although, I am really closely following the Hollywood contrived 'relationship' between Dauber and Demi Moore, as closely as I followed the J-Lo/Ben affair.

[cosmicdot]

9. there was often a family's house which became a 'hangout'

... I, at least, can recall a couple when I was in high school ...

[JanMichael]

10. Bwah! You so funny!

"It must be that they have very 1970's style parents: hands off, libertine, bordering on neglectful"

Good gawd, it's not uncommon to have a hangout in HS! And another thing, is the comment about Donna's mom "Abandoning" her a rap on the character or on the concept that every person has a Right to file for Divorce and that's somehow a "bad" thing?

How do you feel about the "Sit the kids in front of an X-Box at the age of 4 until they're 18" style 90'-Today parents? The "Money is all that matters Billy, here's some Ritalin." parents are as shitty as the 70's variety ever were IMHO.

[sfwriter]

11. RE Parenting:

Wanna talk about bad parenting...

Hell, you guys griping about 90's and 70's parents. I'm pissed at those "greatest generation" parents who beat the Depression, fought World War II, and came home to spawn the greatest generation of me-monsters the world has ever known: BABY BOOMERS.

The last decent set of parents raised their kids in the 20's and 30's. Since then, it is all down hill...

(He says only partly in jest.)

:-)

-Sandy

[Dookus]

12. heheh....

isn't it funny?

My parents are from that generation. I can tell you absolute horror stories about the way they were raised. My father had about the worst upbringing imaginable: a horribly mean, abusive alcoholic father and his mother died when he was in his early teens. Was kicked out of the house at 14 and made it on his own. Turned into, literally, the nicest man I've ever known.

I really do think there's something to be said for instilling responsibility in young adults.

[joeybee12]

13. And why do they always say "Sweet"????

That's not a 70's word! It started in the 90's!

[sendero]

14. they use....

...lots of language that is not appropriate for the time. I know, I was there :)

Jackie's dad is in prison for bribery, BTW :)

[mitchum]

15. Because only the wardrobe and set decoration are really from the 70s

I used to find it really annoying that these "70s" teenagers actually embraced a contemporary mindset and mores, but then I said, "mitchum, it's just garbage pre-fab entertainment" and then I said, "you're right" and quit wasting my time with it.

[Dookus]

18. lol...

yes, there are plenty of anachronisms in "That 70's Show".

But it's still pretty representative of MY experience.

[T Roosevelt]

16. From a fan

The show started in 1976 - now they are seniors getting ready for college.

Donna's parents split and divorced (Tanya Roberts left the show) - mom's now in California. They were very 70s swingers types.

Hyde's parents split - dad very early (pre-show), near the start of the show (mom played by Katy Segal, dad showed up later played by Robert Hayes).

Fez is an exchange student - lives with some uptight Christian family (they were in 1-2 eps).

Jackie's dad is in jail, mom travels alot. Don't recall them ever being shown (kind of like Norm's wife Vera).

Kelso's parents are morons - dad was in one episode.

And yes, we spent alot of time at one or two friend's houses...knew their parents almost as well as mine.

[LWolf]

17. I was born in 1960.

That 70s show mirrors my high school life, at least the social part, pretty well.

We all hung out at one friend's house; the one with the most oblivious parents. Our parents never questioned us. Ever. They were grateful that _______'s parents were willing to put up with us every weekend. It never occurred to them to actually talk to the parents and find out if we were actually where we said we were. If they had any idea some of the situations we got into....

The characters, except for Fez, are all realistic. I most closely resembled Donna. My best friend growing up was a lot like Jackie. I went to school dances and stayed up all night frequently with another friend's brother...like Eric. His was the house that we gathered and crashed at. While I was ostensibly spending the night with his sister, she was often off with her boyfriend. We hung out, and often slept, in his room. Always platonic. I knew some guys like Michael, and my first husband, married straight out of high school, was like Hyde.

That is a generation or two and a world away. In spite of the sex, drugs, rock & roll, & unsupervised folly, it was a much more innocent time than the 21st century.