That '70s Show (TV Series) That '70s Pilot (1998) User Reviews

That '70s Pilot (#1.1)

[ComedyFan2010 · 9/10 · 1 November 2017]

The first episode of this awesome show already predicts that it will be awesome. In the first episode Eric gets a car from his father and they all go for a concert out of town when the car breaks down and they need a new battery.

Everyone is just introduced in this episode and it is done in a perfect way. I loved Fez. The whole bathroom thing was hilarious. Both when he asks Eric to go with me cause Jackie and Donna go together and also at the concert when he sees gay guys go together.

Kelso and Jackie are already a fun couple. Especially when one thinks that now, 20 years after this episode the actors playing them are married and have kids.

I also loved the parents. Both when they were telling Eric how to use the car and in Hyde's interpretation of how parents talk about them at parties.

We didn't get too much of the rest yet, but I look forward to more Donna. She is sure cool, love how he threw Kelso on the couch.

That '70s Pilot ****

[berringercross · 8/10 · 8 June 2010]

Original Air Date: August 23rd, 1998

Five local Point Place, Wisconsin teenagers and their foreign exchange student tagalong head out to a Todd Rundgren concert in Milwaukee after their circumstantial leader is given an old Vista Cruiser by his parents. With that simple premise, a modern day television classic was born and laughter could be heard around the world and across the decades. This little show had a mountainous power: a power to capture the spirit of the seventies on top of nineties sensibilities. With its well-defined characters, sharp-tongued dialogue and minimalist approach to situation comedy, "That '70s Show" became an era unto its own (lasting just two years shy of a decade). A lot of the future hallmarks of the show are present right from the start: the awkward, interpersonal relationships of its teen focal point, the first person camera views, the floating wall used to signify the stoned genus. In this day and age, it has become harder and harder to find true, lasting greatness gracing our television screens. "That '70s Show" will forever be the benchmark that reminds us moments of greatness are still within the boob tube's grasp, however few and far between they may seem.

On a final note, from a musical standpoint, am I the only one who prefers the Todd Griffin rendition of the theme song used throughout the first season to the version used by Cheap Trick from the second season onward? Neither one touches Big Star's original "In the Street" obviously, but Griffin's take felt more enthusiastic than Trick's, which ultimately felt as toned down as most of their post-'82 output. It's also a shame a lot of the ancillary music was cut from the DVD releases of the series, considering its use helped transport the viewer back to the decadent time depicted therein.

©2010 berringercrossreviews

1x1: That 70s Pilot

[FriedToast02 · 9/10 · 18 October 2021]

A fantastic start to this great show. One of my favorite sitcoms of all time, if only season 8 didn't exist. Seasons 1-3 are easiest the golden age of the show. This episode is honestly only missing a couple of things to make this a 10 for me. I don't grade as harshly.

This episode has a lot of good, like the opening with Hyde trying to get Eric to go get beer. We get introduced to all of the great characters in this show. We also get the first circle of the show which is the main thing of the show, what made it stand out then the others and this is not the only thing that made this stand out to other sitcoms at the time. We also got the first fantasy of the show of the kids voicing the adults is a pretty funny scene. We get teased even in the Pilot of Eric and Donnas relationship every sitcom arojnd this time always had a will they won't they. They have their first kiss on the vista cruiser. Eric reaction was great and same with Donnas response.

This episode also got some negative through the main story is kind of slow the gang go out of town to a concert and the car breaks down Jackie and kelso give up their tickets so the rest of the gang can go. Shocked how easily kelso gave those tickets over. The story isn't the most interesting. The characters obviously aren't all the way like themselves in later seasons. Hyde was a little off by calling Forman Eric for the only time in the show I believe. Red and kitty so oblivious when Eric had the beer in the beginning of the episode was actually kind of suprised how red handled the situation. Overall a great episode with it mostly being a solid episode in the show. One of the better pilots I've watched of a sitcom in my opinion. One of my favorite circles it's a classic.

The First Episode...

[taylorkingston · 7/10 · 18 June 2015]

I love this episode. It's a great series premiere to a great show. It brings a lot of laughs, as it's really funny.

In this episode, May 17th, 1976. In Point Place, Wisconsin, a group of friends hang out in the basement. Eric, while smoking weed with his friends Kelso, Hyde and foreign exchange student, Fez, tries to sneak beer from his Dad. He does it successfully. His next-door neighbor, Donna also comes over to hang out. Bringing Jackie, an annoying, obnoxious girl who's dating Kelso. Eric is thrilled when his Dad gives him the keys to the Vista Cruiser, at they all go to a concert. But when the car breaks down, they have to sell two tickets in order to get parts. Jackie and Kelso are the obvious choice to stay behind.

Overall, I give this episode a 7 out of 10, which in my ratings book is: Great.