That '80s Show

## Chronology

***That '80s Show*** is an American television period sitcom that aired on Fox from January 23 to May 29, 2002, and is based on the 1998 series *That '70s Show*. The show is set in 1984 and revolves around the lives of a group of friends in their 20s living in San Diego, California.

## Premise

*The show follows the lives of struggling musician Corey Howard and his associates, friends, and family. His working (and eventual romantic) relationship with June Tuesday is also a focal point, and becomes the main anchor of the show after a few episodes. Later episodes focused on the culture clash between Corey and June's lifestyles.*

## Cast

### Main Cast

* Glenn Howerton as Corey Howard, a struggling musician who lives at home with his sister Katie and his father R.T. Corey works at Permanent Record, a record store. He also dated Sophia before the start of the series, as they are recently broken up in the pilot.
* Tinsley Grimes as Katie Howard, Corey's sister. A Valley Girl and college drop-out turned environmentalist.
* Chyler Leigh as June Tuesday, a punk-rocker who also works at Permanent Record.
* Eddie Shin as Roger Park, Corey's best friend, a struggling used-car dealer and wannabe yuppie like R.T. He rents a room above the Howard family garage, admires Ronald Reagan and is a dance enthusiast.
* Brittany Daniel as Sophia, Corey's bisexual ex-girlfriend who has an unrequited crush on Corey's sister Katie.
* Margaret Smith as Margaret, an ex-Hippie/Rock Groupie and owner of Permanent Record, the record store where Corey and Tuesday work.
* Geoff Pierson as R.T. Howard, Corey and Katie's divorced father and owner of "Videx", a small company that produces and sells personal fitness equipment such as the Butt Luge and the Gut Wacker.

### Guest Cast

* Josh Braaten as Owen, Katie's boyfriend ("Valentine's Day", "My Dead Friend", "Katie's Birthday", "Double Date", "Road Trip", "Beach Party", "Sophia's Depressed")
* T.J. Thyne as Frank, Roger's boss ("Tuesday Comes Over")
* Rance Howard as Mr. Bailey ("Tuesday Comes Over")
* Marjorie Lovett as Mrs. Bailey ("Tuesday Comes Over")
* D. C. Douglas as Customer ("Tuesday Comes Over")
* Jeremiah Birkett as D. J. ("Corey's Remix", "My Dead Friend")
* Danny Breen as Boss ("Corey's Remix")
* Jeff Doucette as Gus ("My Dead Friend")
* Jim Jansen as Mr. Vanhausen ("My Dead Friend")
* Dan Bucatinsky as Rick ("My Dead Friend")
* Nathan West as Wray Thorn, Corey's former classmate who became a successful musician ("Spring Break '84")
* Simbi Kali Williams as Venus ("After The Kiss")
* Robert Clendenin as Gelato Glenn ("After The Kiss")
* Tammy Lynn Michaels as Patty, Roger's girlfriend ("Double Date", "Beach Party", "Sophia's Depressed")
* Francesca P. Roberts as Professor Webster ("Double Date")
* Tiffany as Candy, an employee of a punk club ("Punk Club")
* Ed McMahon as himself ("Road Trip")
* Pat Benatar as herself ("Road Trip")
* Neil Giraldo as himself ("Road Trip")
* John Caponera as Ted ("Road Trip")
* Deborah Gibson as Janice, an annoying show tunes-loving customer ("Beach Party")
* Morgan Fairchild as Cossima, R. T.'s rival competitor ("Beach Party")
* Nigel John Taylor as Zeke, Margaret's decorator for the record store ("Sophia's Depressed")
* Cynthia Daniel as Bianca, Sophia's twin sister ("Sophia's Depressed")

## Production notes

### Development

*Freaks and Geeks*, a show that aired on NBC during the 1999–2000 television season, was called *That '80s Show* by fans and critics for its similarities to *That '70s Show*. When asked about *That '70s Show* entering the 1980s, after Fox renewed the show for seasons three and four in December 1999, show creator Mark Brazill said "we'll have to change the name to That '80s Show."

*That '80s Show* began development by August 2001, using the same creative team from *That '70s Show*. Fox wanted to do a spin-off of *That '70s Show*, but moved ahead with a show about a different decade. In November 2001, Fox announced *That '80s Show* would premiere on January 23, 2002, as a midseason replacement In developing the show, executive producer Linda Wallem said "This show really came out of conversations we had while working on 'That '70s Show.' We were talking about what we had been doing in the '80s and found that we had all been in pretty much the same situation, supporting ourselves with jobs we hated but really burning to be in show business. But, of course, for most people, the '80s were all about going out and getting your share of the money pie, so our characters are people who constantly are being pulled between their artistic dreams and commercial reality." Wallem, along with Mark Brazill and Terry Turner, created the show, and other executive producers included Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner. The costume designer, Melina Root, who also worked on *That '70s Show*, researched fashion magazines, merchandising catalogs, and yearbooks from the 1980s to find ideas for clothing the characters on the show could wear.

It debuted January 23, 2002, and the final episode aired May 29, 2002. Its regular time slot was on Wednesday nights at 8:00/7:00 Central on the Fox Network.

### Episodes

Episodes took place at different locations throughout the day. Scenes would take place at Club Berlin, a dance club; Permanent Record, the record store where Corey and June worked; Videx, an office owned by R.T.; and the family home, along with the occasional car trip.

The theme song is a 15-second snippet of "Eighties" by Killing Joke, with the opening credit sequence (and screens used to transition from scene to scene) consisting of a hand flipping through a row of vinyl records, each with artwork of a cast member's face and name.

## Chronology

Mention is made here of *Miami Vice*, based on R.T.'s wearing of Sonny Crockett-like clothing, but that show did not debut until September 1984. In *later* episodes, both Valentine's Day and Earth Day in 1984 are celebrated, yet these occurred in February and April, respectively, long before Miami Vice began, and could therefore not be of any influence, which it was later in the eighties, and this reveals an anachronistic error.

## Reception

### Critical

The first episode of *That '80s Show* received generally negative reviews from television critics. Eric Kohanik of *The Calgary Herald* lamented that a time period needs to be at least 20 years away to laugh at it, and *That '80s Show* was created too soon. David Bianculli from *The New York Daily News* agreed, yet summed up that the show "isn't that bad." Josh Friedman of *The Los Angeles Times* concluded that the pilot was reminiscent of a school reunion, that "[t]he nostalgic fun is intermittent". Miki Turner from the *Fort Worth Star-Telegram* criticized the chemistry of the cast and the effectiveness of the writing. Sonia Mansfield from *The San Francisco Examiner* said the show "is mildly entertaining with a few funny moments", but pointed out that the humor was being pushed by the setting rather than through its characters. In a more negative review, Peggy Curran from *The Montreal Gazette* said it is "nowhere near as funny or original as it could have been."

In a retrospective column, Tony Atherton of *The Ottawa Citizen* explained that one of the reasons *That '80s Show* failed was because the show featured young adults in the 1980s, and those who experienced that decade in their 20s would be in their 40s when the show aired in 2002. He mused that the show targeted viewers in their early 30s, but made their cast of characters too old.

### Cancellation

*That '80s Show* failed to gain a wide audience during its original run, and low ratings eventually caused Fox to cancel it after 13 episodes on May 17, 2002, before the final episode aired on May 29.

## References

1. ↑ 'That '80s Show'
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Networks don't offer much hope
3. ↑ Masterson comfortable in that '70s groove
4. ↑ Fox renews '70s Show for two more seasons
5. ↑ Brad About You
6. ↑ 'That '80s Show' Banking on Nostalgia
7. ↑ Fox, NBC locked in tight race for top spot during sweeps
8. ↑ Looking forward to 'Becomin
9. ↑ Garner, Field in Court dramas top midseason newcomers
10. ↑ Another decade, more laughs: Fox debuts 'That '80s Show'
11. ↑ The shoulder-pad sitcom
12. ↑ *That Eighties Show*, season one, episode one
13. ↑ *That Eighties Show*, season one, episode two and season one, episode three
14. ↑ Back in time
15. ↑ Déjà vu all over again: 'That '80s Show'
16. ↑ 'That '80s Show': Nostalgia Only Goes So Far
17. ↑ 'That '80s Show' a boring trip down memory lane
18. ↑ It's '80s night
19. ↑ Forever in spandex
20. ↑ Back to nostalgia in search of a winning series formula
21. ↑ Fox, UPN reveal fall TV plans