That ‘70s Show remains one of the most beloved sitcoms of the era, with its hilarious cast of characters, period setting, and sharp writing making it a truly endearing watch, but That ’70s Show’s best episodes are way more than that. That ’70s Show’s period setting was never just a novelty, as it had a huge fanbase, just like other popular sitcoms of the time like Seinfeld and Friends. However, That ’70s Show was different, as it looked into the dysfunctional and social lives of a group of friends in high school, and the colorful characteristics of the ’70s added more pizazz.
That ’70s Show is still highly regarded as one of the best American sitcoms, as it accurately depicted growing up in the Midwest in the 1970s. The series was both a nostalgia trip for grown-ups and a bizarre, hilarious history lesson for younger audiences. It is 200 episodes of pure teenage chaos, and the best episodes establish That ’70s Show’s long-running gags, capture the essence of the characters and their relationships, or simply delve into the greatest pop-culture moments of the 1970s.
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1.Halloween
It isn’t just the fancy dress gags that make season 2, episode 5, “Halloween,” so entertaining. On October 31, the gang decides to visit their old elementary school that’s now burned down. They find their old permanent records, and the information uncovered rattles the group. It’s revealed that Eric was responsible for Hyde’s first time in trouble and that Donna used to streak, and Jackie admits that Fez was a better kisser than Kelso. This That ’70s Show episode is playful and hilarious, but its true value is the continued evolution of the group’s dysfunctional but somehow perfect bond.
2. That ‘70s Finale
Though the series’ quality dipped in the later seasons, as main characters left the show to pursue movies, That ’70s Show impressively lasted for precisely 200 episodes. Season 8, episode 22, “That ’70s Finale,” thankfully managed to return to the quality of the early seasons, as the very last episode of the show tied up all the loose ends, brought back Eric and Kelso, and was a satisfying send-off for its beloved cast and characters before they returned decades later for That ’90s Show. This final episode contained all the heart of the overall series, allowing the finale to stand out as a top contender.
3.Misty Mountain Hop
Some of the best That ’70s Show episodes are those that took the gang on the road, and season 5’s “Misty Mountain Hop” is a prime example. The episode sees Jackie ask Red, Kitty, Eric, and Donna to clean out her family’s ski cabin, not knowing that Hyde, Fez, and Kelso were planning to use the place for their own marijuana-induced purposes. Kelso gets his hand stuck in a vase while looking for his weed stash, and Red’s overall suspicious attitude pays off for an episode that feels very much like the spirit of That ’70s Show.
4. Parents Find Out
Eric and Donna’s sex life is always a topic of conversation early in the show, as Eric and Donna work to have intimate moments under the nose of Red and Kitty. However, in season 2, episode 19, “Parents Find Out,” they get caught red-handed. They’re forced to go home and admit to their parents that they got caught having sex in Eric’s car by a police officer. The way Red and Kitty handle this is the highlight of the episode, further enforcing the idea that these classic Midwest parents are the true stars of That ’70s Show.
5. Cat Fight Club
That ’70s Show’s best episodes often go in surreal directions, which is the case for season 2, episode 25, “Cat Fight Club.” Hyde tries to teach Jackie how to be tough and act “zen,” which is a perfect example of how Hyde and Jackie are a great couple. Red finds out that Kelso has been dating Laurie, too. However, the big scene in “Cat Fight Club” delves into the future. The episode’s imagining of 1997 is ironic since That ’70s Show season 2 was filmed in 1999. It’s one of those meta, joke-within-a-joke moments that the writers of this sitcom were so known for.
6. Eric’s Hot Cousin
Season 4, episode 14, “Eric’s Hot Cousin,” plays upon a common storyline in the show where an attractive relative visits the town, and everyone loses their minds. Eric’s cousin Penny rolls into town and has a revenge plan set for Eric following a time when Eric got her stuck in a revolving door. The whole episode is hilariously cringe, especially when even Eric starts to fantasize about Penny, too. Some of the best episodes of That ’70s Show include laughs at Eric’s expense, and “Eric’s Hot Cousin” came in with this at full swing.
7. Going To California That ’70s Show
That ’70s Show season 5, episode 1, “Going to California,” sees Eric head to the West Coast to beg Donna to come back to Point Place with him, which naturally means some touching moments. However, it’s the events back home that make this episode among the best of the series. This is when a bored Jackie and Hyde first begin their odd relationship, which leads to an ongoing storyline. Then, there is the gang’s efforts to keep Red from finding out about Eric’s trip, which involves them hilariously picking a fight with the man. This results in some of the best one-liners of That ’70s Show.
8. Dine And Dash
In one of the show’s most brilliantly executed gags, season 3, episode 13, “Dine and Dash” opens with Kelso offering to take the gang out for dinner after he gets $100 from his grandmother. The rest of the group soon finds out Kelso has no intention of paying the bill before he skips out on it altogether – imploring his friends to do the same. What follows is a hilarious game of moral chicken as each member of the gang sneakily exits one by one. “Dine and Dash” also has a refreshing and unique setting, as the gang never returned to the restaurant, but for obvious reasons.
9. Red Sees Red That ’70s Show
Season 3, episode 2, “Red Sees Red,” is another example of the parents stealing the show, and it has the most appropriate title ever. Most of the humor in the series stems from Red’s angry rants and being too hard on the teenagers, but he totally boils over when he finds out about Eric’s marijuana use. Red enforces a strict curfew that the gang refuses to abide by, and he then starts setting booby traps and goes too far. It’s one of the rare times audiences see Red being unfair for no real justifiable reason, but it’s still hilarious.
10. Tornado Prom That ’70s Show
Not only is “Tornado Prom” a funny and even heartwarming episode, but it’s also responsible for one of the most prominent That ’70s Show fan theories. The episode sees Eric head out into bad weather to pick Donna up for prom, hilariously driving right by a tornado in the process. It also sees a Jackie fantasy in which each of her friends takes on the roles from the Wizard of Oz. It’s all great fun, but the subtle radio announcement that a teenage boy was swept up in the tornado has led to the theory that Eric was really in a coma following the storm, and the rest of the series is Donna imagining that life went differently.
