¶ … 70s Show -- Season 2, Episode 5 - "That 70s Halloween"
Episode 5 in That '70s Show's second season provides an intriguing look in the lives of the show's central characters. The fact that the episode's main theme is Halloween translates in these respective characters sharing their idea of a perfect celebration. The show starts with Eric, Hyde, Donna, Kelso, Fez, and Jackie trying to come up with a plan to celebrate Halloween. A combination of flashbacks and documents the teenagers find are designed to present viewers with a glimpse in the characters' past.
As one of the shows' main ideas is to provide information on Fez without actually revealing where he is from, this episode makes no exception from the rule, as it shows the character being amazed at the prospect of getting candy for free -- a thing that would never happen in his home country. Even with this, he is rapidly dissapointed upon being given an apple while trick or treating: "An apple?! Where's my candy you sonofabitch?
" The way he pronounces the last part further contributes in shaping his character, as it almost makes a swear word seem amusing because of his accent. The fact that there is a swear word might make some feel that the show would not really be suitable for younger audiences, but the reality is that it is generally addressing high school children and individuals in their 20s. Fez's determination to dress up as Batman further contributes to painting an image of him being a person coming from a different world. The fact that Batman is mysterious also adds to Fez' intriguing background, influencing viewers to accept the fact that it is possible that they would never find out more info on the character.
The fact that the show is meant to show people in the late 70s means that there are a series of elements from that era that are shown throughout this episode. Hyde, the stereotypical stoner from that time, tries to get the gang to watch the Texas Chainsaw Massacre and eventually succeeds.
Up until the end of the episodes it seems as if the show is attempting to create a fuller image of each individual and the reason why he or she became the way they are in the present episode.
One of the principal ideas of this episode is likely to influence viewers to accept the fact that they might not be as familiar with their past as they think they are. Although the show does not provide a great deal of information about Fez, it presents data on all the other characters, including Eric's parents. This episode is likely to be intended to raise awareness concerning how easy it might be for some to discriminate against others. People often have the impression they know a great deal about a person as a result of observing the respective individual for a short period of time. Similarly, viewers probably believe they already know everything about characters in the show. However, as this episode shows, some individuals became the way they are as a consequence of a sequence of events shaping their personality. Hyde was labeled as a future criminal even though Eric was responsible for destroying his common colleague's diorama. This shows how one event in a person's life can shape the way the respective individual develops and lives the rest of his or her life. Society in general is quick to judge people in spite of the fact that it has limited information about these individuals.
The way that the episode shows Eric's father as being a careless young person during the time he celebrated Halloween during 1957 contributes to the overall message it is trying to convey. Red, Eric's father, was seemingly not very different from Eric when it comes to the way he behaved with regard to life in general. The thought of becoming a father changed him a great deal and made it possible for him to realize that he could no longer afford to act as if he…
