That '70s Show

Dark That ’70s Show Theory Explains Why The Final Seasons Are So Bad

That '70s Show seasons 7 and 8 were the series' worst, but one dark fan theory could explain why the characters and plot took such bizarre turns.

The final seasons of That ’70s Show are notoriously bad compared to the rest of the series, and a dark fan theory could explain why. The sitcom’s plot headed in a different direction starting in season 7, and by season 8, the characters and their circumstances were unrecognizable. This had much to do with the departure of actor Topher Grace, who played Eric. Without the lead character, That ’70s Show seemed to flounder. However, Eric’s absence and the strange events that happened after could have an in-plot explanation.

Other popular fan theories have attempted to explain the strange goings-on near the end of That ’70s Show. An example is the one from Redditor NurseBerry, which stated that Eric had died in season 4, and the rest of the series was a coma dream. Another theory, this time from SMithsonIANPictures, comes to a similar conclusion. However, instead of Eric dying years before, this Redditor guessed that the character died while in Africa and that Donna was left to use her love for writing to process it all in That ’70s Show season 8.

That ’70s Show Theory: Donna Wrote A Different Ending Because Eric Died

That 70s Show Eric Donna Tears (1)

That ’70s Show season 7 saw the decline of Donna and Eric’s relationship. They called off their engagement, and Eric set off on a journey to find his path in life. During this time, the character seemed extremely unlike himself. Though he had always been considered something of a wimp (compared to Red’s idea of what a man should be), this was taken to an extreme in Eric’s final season of That ’70s Show. Then, the next thing anyone knew, he was heading off to Africa, where he stayed for the entirety (aside from the last episode) of season 8.

While in Africa, Eric broke up with Donna—something she kept a secret from the gang for quite a while. This is the basis for SMithsonIANPictures’ theory. The idea here is that instead of a call from Eric, Donna received word that her boyfriend had somehow passed away. Angry and grieving, she did the only thing she could to maintain some semblance of control over her life—she wrote a story about her friends and boyfriend, and That ’70s Show seasons 7 and 8 brought this story to life.

Donna always dreamed of becoming a writer in That ’70s Show, and she and Eric often discussed this skill. Still, as distraught as Donna would have been if Eric had died, it would be no surprise if the result of this grief was a story that didn’t make much sense. She started out by rewriting the circumstances of Eric leaving Point Place (which is why he acted so strangely throughout season 7) and continued on to describe a scenario in which he had broken up with her—a tragedy far easier to work through than death.

That ’70s Show’s Final Seasons Made Characters Exaggerated Versions Of Themselves

Another factor of That ’70s Show‘s final season that seems to support this theory is the other characters’ behavior. Though each group member maintained their basic characteristics—Jackie was vain and shallow, Kelso (when he was around) was dense, and Fez was wildly over the top in everything he did—these traits were exaggerated while their complexities were simplified. This often happens to characters when they are written into fan fiction, thus supporting the idea that Donna was writing about her friends rather than them organically living out their lives.

This would explain why Hyde, who was always quick to comfort Donna, didn’t seem to care when he learned that Eric had broken up with Donna. Additionally, it makes sense that the heartbroken writer would imagine this particular friend suddenly running off with a stripper, despite the fact that it made no sense. It would also be why Jackie, who only ever cared about wealth, is suddenly so sad about Eric being gone in season 8 (and eventually ended up with the now overly emotional Fez in That ’70s Show)—it was just another way for Donna to express her grief.

Randy Was Donna’s Idea Of The Perfect Boyfriend – But He Wasn’t Real

Josh Meyers as Randy in That '70s Show

Perhaps the most bizarre and frustrating aspect of That ’70s Show season 8 was the introduction of a new love interest for Donna. Ultimately, Randy might not have deserved as much hate as he got. Still, the fact that he was clearly there to replace Eric rubbed audiences the wrong way. This was made even worse by Randy’s personality, which seemed overly perfect for Donna (in a way that seemed to disregard the complexities of Eric’s faults).

Regardless, when looking at Randy through the “Eric died in Africa” theory, he makes a lot more sense. Randy was everything that Donna had secretly desired in a boyfriend. He was kind and considerate but still had the air of a charismatic bad boy. He always said the right things and was traditionally attractive and a little more ‘manly’ than Eric. Still, as Donna realized by the end of her story, this perfect boy wasn’t who she wanted. Eric could sometimes be inconsiderate, but he was a far more dynamic individual than the character she had invented.

Eric’s Return In That ’70s Show Season 8 Was Donna’s Attempt At Rewriting Their Story

that-70s-show-eric-donna

Of course, the finale of That ’70s Show season 8 saw Eric return from Africa, and he and Donna got their happy ending. If the final seasons of the sitcom were a story written by Donna, then this is a sign that the heartbroken character got passed the denial of her grief. To cope with Eric’s loss, she had written about him becoming a jerk before leaving and breaking up with her while in Africa—since this would have been easier to accept. However, his return and the remorse he expressed was Donna remembering the type of person Eric had really been and imagining a new ending for their story.

In all, there are a lot of problems with this That ’70s Show theory. It’s extremely unlikely that this was the intention of the show writers. In truth, Eric wasn’t part of season 8 because Grace was ready to be done with the series. The sitcom is known to play fast and loose with continuity, and it never tried hard to use a consistent timeline. When it comes down to it, the unpopular final seasons were likely that way because the series was running out of ideas, and it was time to wrap things up. However, it’s still fun to think that one of the characters was responsible for the bizarre turns That ’70s Show took.

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