indy 500

Judging by the quality of past Halloween episodes of That 70s Show, beaten out only by "That 70s Musical," I was pleased that the writers went in a different direction this year. As much as I love Halloween, I didn't miss it in this episode.

That having been said, let me point out that this episode handled the much-awaited turning-point plot extremely well. Compare this episode to the recent plotline in Friends where Joey's crush is repeatedly forgotten and rekindled until it is painful to watch (not out of empathy, but out of incredulity). Even the lower-budget, lower-rated That 70s Show, revolving around a group of bored Wisconsin high school students, can produce a more realistic situation.

Now that Kelso knows about Hyde and Jackie, there are bound to be references to a grudge against Hyde in following episodes. But as for Kelso's reaction to the news, it was perhaps closer to real-life than to television. His response was acceptably realistic: it varied, and it lasted. The other characters, rather than being overly flippant or blatantly insulting, also showed a variety of reactions, including friendship. Jackie's reaction in particular was more appropriate than I expected from television - despite her exaggerated selfishness, she managed to show honesty and sensitivity. Not a bad idea.

And, wow, the "Indy 500" line! It's funny because it's real, not some average sit-com punch line. Am I right?

 

 

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