Summary
AlthoughThat ‘70s Showset up two different replacements for Eric Forman in its final season, the hit sitcom couldn’t get either of these characters to stick. It is never easy when a beloved character leaves a successful sitcom. All TV shows rely on the chemistry between their cast members to succeed, but sitcoms are particularly vulnerable to cast shake-ups. Since sitcoms are character-driven rather than plot-focused, they tend to rely heavily on specific cast members. This was certainly true forThat ‘70s Show’s cast, who fine-tuned an iconic dynamic throughout the show’s first seven seasons.
Jackie, Fez, Hyde, Kelso, Donna, and Eric were a memorable ensemble whose personalities were perfectly balanced. Even in its second season,That ‘70s Show’s spinoffThat ‘90s Showstill struggles to build a similar interplay between its heroes. However,That ‘70s Showwasn’t without its casting problems. One of the sitcom’s lead actors, Topher Grace, left the series at the end of season 7 to pursue other projects. As a result, the character of Eric Forman was sent off to Africa to teach, andThat ‘70s Show’s final season started a long, fruitless search for Eric Forman’s replacement.
When That ’90s Show Part 3 Releases On Netflix & How Many Episodes It Has
Netflix’s That ’90s Show season 2, part 2 brings Leia Forman and the teens of Point Place back for more misadventures before the end of 2024.
Charlie & Randy Were Both Set Up As Topher Grace’s Replacements For That ’70s Show Season 8
That ‘70s Show’s Final Season Struggled To Replace Its Protagonist
As strange as it seems,That ‘70s Showtried to replace Eric twice with two different characters in season 8.Neither Charlie nor Randy worked as an Eric replacement, but this did not stopThat ‘70s Showfrom pushing both characters. Bret Harrison’s Charlie was the show’s first Eric replacement, appearing as early as season 7, episode 23, “Take It Or Leave It.” A meek, feeble high school student, Charlie intended to take Eric’s place throughout season 8 after Grace’s character left for Africa. However, Harrison was offered a lead role inThe Loop, resulting in his character’s unceremonious death.
Randy was a laid-back, suave, and ambitious character who didn’t share Eric’s insecurities or vulnerabilities.
Shockingly,That ‘70s Showkilled off Charliewhen the character fell off the water tower off-screen. He was soon replaced by Josh Meyers’ Randy, who supplanted Eric’s role in the gang throughout much of season 8. Introduced in season 8, episode 2, “Somebody to Love,” Randy was a laid-back, suave, and ambitious character who didn’t share Eric’s insecurities or vulnerabilities. Randy lasted a lot longer than Charlie, appearing in over 20 episodes. However, the show’s attempts to replace Eric with this newcomer were doomed to failure since his personality didn’t gel well with the show’s existing lineup.
Why Charlie & Randy Didn’t Work To Fill Eric’s Spot In The Gang
Charlie Was Too Meek While Randy Was Too Cool
Even if his actor wasn’t busy with another project,Charlie could never have replaced Eric Forman inThat ‘70s Show. The character was too shy and docile to work as Eric’s replacement, and his characterization ignored a lot of what made Eric funny. Although Eric wasn’t physically imposing and was often a pushover, he was also fiercely ambitious at times and surprisingly stubborn. Eric had a believable level of internal contradictions, whereas Charlie was too one-note. Admittedly,Eric’sThat ‘70s Showexitwasn’t particularly well-timed, but it was Charlie’s personality itself that made him a weak protagonist.
Randy was too popular, well-liked, and cool to work as a comedic hero.
Meanwhile, Randy had the opposite problem. Like so many sitcom characters drafted in to replace existing protagonists, Randy was too popular, well-liked, and cool to work as a comedic hero. He was skilled with tools, charismatic, romantically well-adjusted, and kind to boot. While these qualities might have made Randy a nice guy to know in real life, they didn’t make for a sympathetic sitcom protagonist. Instead of his flaws making him feel relatable, Randy’s many positive attributes rendered him deathly dull. Unlike Eric, no one could see themselves in this paragon of ‘70s teenhood.
That ’70s Show’s Finale Admitted Its Charlie & Randy Mistakes
That ‘70s Show Didn’t Mention Either Character In Its Ending
That ‘70s Show’s finale effectively admitted that Charlie and Randy didn’t work when the show’s finale ignored both of themalmost entirely. Charlie’s death merited a brief mention, but this was mostly because it was one of very few canonical deaths to take place in the entire series. Similarly, Randy did get one minor appearance in the finale since he was season 8’s ostensible protagonist. However, the two characters made so little lasting impact on the series thatoneThat ‘70s Showtheoryposited the possibility that the final season never even happened.
Despite being brought in to replace Eric, neither Charlie nor Randy contributed anything of note to the legacy ofThat ‘70s Show.That ‘90s Showignored both characters, and it is tough to argue the case for their merit upon a re-watch. It is very clear that both Charlie and Randy only existed to fill a void, and their failure to replace Eric inadvertently provesThat ‘70s Showmay have been better off ending with season 7.
