Top 10 Most Relatable That '70s Show Moments

Whether you grew up in the ‘70s or not, chances are you got your first job when you were a teenager. Eric gets his at local fast-food chain, Fatso Burger. And all the hallmarks of having a job in high school are here - being unable to see your friends and love interest, being exhausted all the time, and being in a thankless service position…come to think of it, that’s not just high school jobs…Regardless, Eric eventually quits, which, as Red explains, is quite common for first jobs. Sometimes it takes experiencing a job you hate, to figure out what you want out of a career.

As much as we feel for both parties involved during Eric and Donna’s breakup since we can see both sides, it’s the aftermath that makes our list. Eric takes it particularly hard. He doesn’t want to get out of bed, his eyes take on a vacant stare, and he finds cruel reminders of Donna everywhere. Post-break up depression is very real, and it can be hard to take the time to process it, particularly if life, and everyone around you, won’t slow down to let you. But whether it’s a drink with your dad, or a lot of ice cream, everyone finds some way to keep going.

Speaking of Eric and his dad, the two of them rarely see eye to eye. But a hunting trip leads to a rare moment of understanding between the two. After Eric misses his shot on a deer, Red berates his bad aim. However, Eric reveals he missed on purpose. Red finds this more worthy of respect, but Eric’s fear of telling his father the truth speaks to a deeper problem in how they communicate. Eric tells Red exactly what he thinks of him, and reasons that Red hopes that if he’s hard on Eric, Eric won’t be pushed around as an adult. Anyone who has trouble being open with their parents, or with their kids, can certainly relate to at least one of them here.

After Donna decides to go on birth control pills, her parents (and Eric’s) quickly learn about it. This tragically leads to Eric suffering an all-too-familiar teenage nightmare - his parents talking to him about sex. Kitty is, if anything, too open about it, while Red’s insistence on abstinence isn’t helpful at all - nor is Laurie’s presence. Whether you’re hearing about “the birds and the bees” for the first time, or just getting advice on sex, talking with your parents about anything that personal is enough for most teenagers to want to be emancipated just to get away from the conversation!

Sibling rivalry crops up on the show a few times, and in different forms. Although Eric getting ignored in favor of “new baby” Hyde is also relatable, our pick goes to Eric’s heated rivalry with his sister Laurie. Their mutual hatred arguably reaches its peak when the two of them match wits and embarrassing secrets about each other. Anybody with siblings can definitely relate, since they always have the most mortifying blackmail material simply by having grown up alongside you. And granted, not every sibling is as bad as Laurie (or Eric, with his worst salvo), but all of us still likely pack heavy arsenals.

After Eric calls off his wedding with Donna, he’s forced to rethink what he wants to do with his life - mostly because Red won’t let him eat until he does. Eventually, Eric realizes that his haste with marrying Donna and his need to grow up fast was pointless. Growing older happens regardless of what we do, so he decides to take it easy in the meantime. Although his metaphor goes over Kelso’s head, we can see where he’s coming from. Most of us don’t take the time to enjoy our youth or just the present. Kicking back and letting life come to us can be hard for some, but it’s also rewarding - whether you get fried chicken or not.

“That ‘70s Show” features a few break-ups during its run, where characters just have to get out. Although discussing Jackie’s break-up with Hyde was tempting, as rough as it was, this one has a more relatable moment. Kelso does a rare bit of soul searching after reading the Cosmo article that makes Jackie blame him for her moment of unfaithfulness. He tells her that his own cheating was prompted by Jackie putting him down, which he sees as a pattern, deciding they should break up. And while we don’t approve of infidelity, we do have to give credit to Kelso for recognizing how unhealthy their relationship is. It can be hard to accept that someone you’re close to isn’t good for you, much less leave them.

The characters deal with grief and sadness in a number of memorable ways during its various seasons. And while Eric and Kitty singing their troubles away is something many of us have done, even more of us have lost a relative. After Eric’s grandmother passes away, the family reacts in many of the typical ways - lashing out, trying to distract themselves, and turning reflective. Death is a part of everyone’s lives, and mourning those we’ve lost is something we’ll all experience at some point. All we can do is appreciate the people in our lives and hope that our loved ones don’t meet an ironic fate like Bernice Forman does…

While eating dinner with his girlfriend Nina’s parents, Fez weathers some racist and prejudiced remarks from them. Fez is an eccentric, self-proclaimed “frisky” character. But nobody deserves to be judged based on the color of their skin or their country of origin…wherever that is, in Fez’s case. It’s an unfortunately relatable experience for many viewers. Even if you haven’t been discriminated against based on race, chances are that you’ve felt the sting of a stereotype or blanket statement about you or a group you belong to. For instance, as a Canadian channel, we take offense at Kelso’s description of our country! Even if the maple syrup and ham thing is accurate…(C’mon, ham is good, and nothing beats real maple syrup!)

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Not in His Nature, “I’m Free”
Procrastinators of the World: We’ll Unite… Eventually!

The Gym, “2120 So. Michigan Ave”
Does Anyone Feel Confident at the Gym?

Red’s Bedtime Story, “Over the Hills and Far Away”
Sometimes the Future Looks Bleak

Jackie Chooses Herself, “Celebration Day”
Sometimes the Single Life Feels Better

What Eric Loves, “I Love Cake”
Who Hasn’t Said the Wrong Thing? Plus, Who Doesn’t Love Cake?

Throughout “That ‘70s Show,” the gang are flush with hormones, as most of us were as teenagers. Although some bodily changes like acne are brought up from time to time, for the most part, all the teens are obsessed with sex to greater or lesser degrees. It plays into many of their conversations and forms the basis of several plotlines. During these formative years, the act can feel all-important, particularly with all the aforementioned hormones flooding the body as well as peer and societal pressure telling us how great it can be. And we don’t all have Red Forman around to put a damper on things…