History YMMV / That70sShow

** Additionally and more pressingly, the show’s lack of concern about sexual consent is a lot more troubling to viewers in recent years than it was while the show was airing. From Jackie and Donna being the target of frequent sexual harassment and even assaults from their male friends [[note]](Including frequent attempts by Fez to spy on them getting undressed or having sex, Kelso grabbing Donna’s butts or breasts against her consent, and numerous demeaning nicknames and jokes about their appearances or sexual history, amongst other things)[[/note]], Eric planning to have sex with the inebriated Donna, Jackie offhandedly mentioning that Kelso had coerced her into sex by repeatedly asking her for it despite her initial refuses, to outright rape via Laurie forcing herself on a verbally non-consenting Kelso, it’s all PlayedForLaughs.

* LoveToHate: Laurie, or at least when she was played by the late Creator/LisaRobinKelly. Her charm and charisma sold the ManipulativeBitch undertone really well. Lisa didn't just ''play'' Laurie; she '''WAS''' Laurie.

** In the season 7 episode "Let's Spend The Night Together", Eric unknowingly ends up being the prey of a ruthless feminist group Donna joins, during which she shouts at him to "run like [[Creator/CaitlynJenner Bruce Jenner]]! He would become a transwoman in January 2017.

** When Hyde took the fall for Jackie buying pot, some of the gang makes cracks about Hyde becoming someone's "girlfriend" in jail. In 2017, Danny Masterson was fired from ''Series/TheRanch'' after allegations arose that he committed rape; in 2020, he was arrested and charged with three rapes.
** There was a scene from the episode where the gang goes to a wrestling match. After it was announced on TV, Donna starts wrestling Eric and she laughingly exclaims that Eric isn't fighting back, cut to Hyde's deadpan "Why would he?". Back then, it was funny because Eric wouldn't dare fight back someone who is as attractive as Donna if it meant getting to her; now looks more acute with how Masterson was alleged to have raped women.
** In "Roller Disco", [[AboveTheInfluence Fez refuses to take advantage of a drunken Jackie]]. When he tells the story to Hyde, the latter encourages Fez to lie about having sex with her the next time he tells the story.

* FunnyAneurysmMoment:
** The next to last episode of season 2, "Cat Fight Club", features Red fantasizing about the year 1997 and bemoaning Laurie dating Kelso with the declaration that he'll "have a heart attack before [he] gets his jetpack." At the time, a crack about how we [[IWantMyJetpack still don't have jetpacks in 2000]] was funny, but it became this as of the season 5 finale, "Celebration Day", when Red really does have a (non-fatal) heart attack as a result of [[spoiler:hearing Laurie and Fez got married so the latter will stay in the country.]] Additionally, in another episode, Red faked a heart attack to get Kitty off his ass about his health.
** The episode "Grandma's Dead" does have a heartbreaking real world example though during the otherwise hilarious funeral scene when each character observes Grandma Forman's open casket and we hear the thoughts that run through their head. Laurie reflects on how life is complicated because you "get all old and die... thank God I'm young and hot!" In light of the death of actress Lisa Robin Kelly at the age of 43, it's cringe-inducing.
** When Hyde took the fall for Jackie buying pot, some of the gang makes cracks about Hyde becoming someone's "girlfriend" in jail. In 2017, Danny Masterson was fired from ''Series/TheRanch'' after allegations arose that he committed rape; in 2020, he was arrested and charged with three rapes.
** There was a scene from the episode where the gang goes to a wrestling match. After it was announced on TV, Donna starts wrestling Eric and she laughingly exclaims that Eric isn't fighting back, cut to Hyde's deadpan "Why would he?". Back then, it was funny because Eric wouldn't dare fight back someone who is as attractive as Donna if it meant getting to her; now looks more acute with how Masterson was alleged to have raped women.
** In "Roller Disco", [[AboveTheInfluence Fez refuses to take advantage of a drunken Jackie]]. When he tells the story to Hyde, the latter encourages Fez to lie about having sex with her the next time he tells the story.
** The tv show's [[https://screenrant.com/70s-show-jokes-aged-poorly/ jokes about Big Rhonda's size (especially in contrast to thinner, more glamourous celebs on the show)]], how the show elevated women of a certain beauty (slim, full-ish breasts, long legs, small toned waistlines), and at the least Jackie's comments about [[Literature/NancyDrew chubby Bess]] and how girls who gained Holiday weight need to stay in and let "prettier" girls like her get the boys have aged poorly especially after Laura Prepon (who fit the criteria for hotness by the show's standards) [[https://people.com/books/laura-prepon-reveals-my-mother-taught-me-bulimia-in-new-book/ released a 2020 memoir where she admitted to being bulimic from age 15 to her late 20s, when the show was running]].

** In the first couple minutes of "Grandma's Dead", Eric's [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOntheTin grandma]] has always been snippy towards Kitty and annoys him while driving her home, to the point where he finally snaps and says "[[TemptingFate I don't think being nice for a whole day would kill you]]". Seconds later...

** In the first few minutes of "Grandma's Dead", Eric's [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOntheTin grandma]] has always been snippy towards Kitty and annoys him while driving her home, to the point where he finally snaps and says "[[TemptingFate I don't think being nice for a whole day would kill you]]". Seconds later...

** In the first few minutes of "Grandma's Dead", his [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOntheTin grandma]] has always been snippy towards Kitty, to the point where Eric finally snaps and tells her "it wouldn't kill you to be nice." Seconds later...

** Also hilarious given the (mostly) tongue-in-cheek conspiracy theory that Justin Trudeau is actually the illegitimate son of Fidel Castro, especially given the Mounties' response of "been there, done that."

* OneSceneWonder: Buddy Guy, Eric's new and very wealthy best friend in ''Eric's Buddy'' who has a secret crush on him. Although controversial at the time, perhaps in a strong sign of SocietyMarchesOn he's retroactively seen as one of the show's most popular one-shot characters. Being played by a young Joseph-Gordon Levitt certainly doesn't hurt.

* WinTheCrowd: Despite being seen somewhat as a SpiritualSuccessor to ''Happy Days'', since that show ended there hadn't many successful TV franchises mining a previous era's nostalgia and many were initially hesitant about this attempt at the beginning. However, the show found it's footing quickly by seasoning in 70's-specific culture quite effectively but not using it as a crutch, and instead relying on the strength of it's own well-defined humor and character-driven storylines to make it's appeal feel more timeless. No doubt a key factor in the show becoming a rare cross-generational hit.

** Another troubling note is how in one episode, Eric notes he knew how to shoot a gun after going through a "''Film/TaxiDriver'' phase". This has become even worse since the episode originally aired since there have been so many mass shootings in the US and guns in general are a hot-button issue.

* VindicatedByHistory: The plot with Kelso training to be a cop was at the time seen as very unrealistic, pointless and a sign of seasonal rot, however after the 2016 elections in the US, people became more forgiving of the plot and the idea that someone that dumb could have a position of power and even be chosen to have it.

** Kelso occasionally. He was a jerk, but sometimes he was portrayed as the bad guy when he was really being reasonable. When he lent Jackie his van and she smashed it, he reasonably wants her to pay to have it fixed, but Jackie refuses because she bought him gifts while they were together.

* VindicatedByHistory: Two interesting meta examples:
** The plot with Kelso training to be a cop was at the time seen as very unrealistic, pointless and a sign of seasonal rot, however after the 2016 elections in the US, people became more forgiving of the plot and the idea that someone that dumb could have a position of power and even be chosen to have it.
** The Jackie and Fez romance and them being endgame was also widely disliked by fans initially with many preferring Jackie and Hyde, but after the allegations and charges were brought up regarding Danny Masterson, fans slowly warmed up to the pairing of Jackie / Fez.

* EnsembleDarkHorse: Sad sack Roy Keene (played by Creator/JimGaffigan) only appeared occasionally but ended up very popular.

** WinBackTheCrowd: As poorly receiving as nearly all of Season 8 is, managing to get the original main cast back together for the finale, [[TheScrappy with as few appearences from Randy as possible]] and giving the characters a satisfying end to their narratives (even if some were left intentionally open-ended), even in the case of SeasonalRot that was being experienced up to that point the finale is still considered one of the best episodes and a strong way to send the show off in classic sitcom fashion.

** The Jackie and fez romance and them being endgame was also widely disliked by fans initially with many preferring Jackie and Hyde, but after the allegations and charges were brought up regarding Danny irl, fans slowly warmed up to the pairing of Jackie/fez.

** Both Ashton Kutcher and Wilmer Valderrama would eventually be romantically linked to celebrities [[Creator/DemiMoore named]] [[Creator/DemiLovato Demi]].

* AcceptableTargets:
** In this universe, Canada is an entire nation of {{Butt Monkey}}s. At least in one episode.
** Laurie was considered fair game because of what a complete bitch she was, and that made it okay to make fun of how she sleeps around.
*** Likewise, Kelso's status as the ButtMonkey of the cast was due in part to sleeping around behind Jackie's back. Not only did none of the characters feel any sympathy for the misery that resulted from this, they would occasionally make it ''worse''.

* CatharsisFactor: For people who didn't like Laurie, seeing karma hit her starting in the second half of season two, starting in "Laurie Moves Out" where Red catches her in the act of having sex. He forgives her, but sheds the rose-colored lenses he had in previous episodes when it came to her. This is followed by moments of her still acting like he has that demeanor going as well as you'd expect. Especially where she tries to defend her relationship with Kelso with the "But I love him!" argument and slowly realizing he's not buying it. In particular, viewers who were mad at Eric being unable to expose Laurie's affair with the professor and allowing Laurie the opportunity to play for sympathy would enjoy Eric realizing that she was born with a tail, much to her horror, and people who disliked the way she got zero blame for essentialy derailing Kelso and Laurie's relationship will like Jackie physically attacking her in "Cat Fight Club".

** A big deal is made of Bob and Midge renewing their vows, which is particularly sweet after they'd fought and argued for so long, and then Midge abruptly leaves him and Donna just two seasons later. Actually, the whole Bob-and-Midge storyline becomes ''a lot harsher'' when actress Creator/TanyaRoberts who played Midge died in January 4, 2021.

* TheBandWithoutTheFace: The gang minus Eric in Season 8.