That 70s Show – Season Four
Picture: C
Sound: C+ Extras: C- Episodes: C-
One of the projects of regressiveness since the 1980s by
more conservative forces is to mock, revise and mutilate the 1960s and
especially the 1970s. One of the most successful
of all is an ever-bizarre TV situation hit comedy That 70s Show. It has launched the extremely uneven career
of the highly questionable Ashton Kutcher, whose Punk’d series is one of
the most insidious of all the “reality TV” shows. Topher Grace has had better feature film moments, as the
ever-reliable Kurtwood Smith has and likely will again.
So the cast has some good actors, and it needs it to make
the show and its situations appealing.
Having look ed at the show over the years, it was at least initially
interesting but as expected, did not dare to really be about the era in which
it takes place and relied on its new stars to coast its way into hit
status. By this fourth 2001 – 2002
season, it was beyond played out and being able to see it on DVD like this
reminds me of shows gong on past their prime because they have become money
machines. Even in the face of 9/11 and
as an escape from it to some slim extent, the show went on, but even the actors
look bored at this point. I was pretty
much from the beginning, so it is nice to see them join us in the know.
The 1.33 X 1 image is surprisingly softer and detail
challenged than a new TV production should be.
The actual shooting is very dull and flat, with the occasional
substandard visual effect that is supposed to be part of the humor when it just
adds to the insulting series of conventions the show offers. The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo has no real
surround information despite being credited as such on the cases, but since the
show is so “joke” based, who cares about audio performance? Extras include three featurettes, episode
promo spots and three commentaries among the 27 episodes here. If you must, start with the early seasons.
- Nicholas Sheffo
