Why Jackie From That '70s Show Was The Worst
If you're a fan of the period sitcom That '70s Show, it's probably hard to pick your favorite character. From Forman to Fez (played by Topher Grace and Wilmer Valderrama, respectively), the cast is engagingly quick-witted and hilarious. But while you may not be able to pick a fave fast, it's probably pretty easy to choose your least favorite That '70s Show character — and for many, the answer is obvious: Jacqueline "Jackie" Beulah Burkhart, played by Mila Kunis.
As one of the most polarizing characters on That '70s Show, Jackie is a spoiled rich girl who weaseled her way into the dope-smoking basement gang by way of dating pretty boy Kelso (Ashton Kutcher). And while there's a laundry list of reasons why she isn't great — from her sexist views on the role of women in society to her degrading treatment of "best friend" Donna (Laura Prepon) — there's one reason in particular that makes her the hardest character to stomach.
Here's why Jackie from That '70s Show was the worst.
Jackie doesn't act like a true friend
On That '70s Show, Jackie is known for being self-centered and shallow. She's also often vain, arrogant, and insensitive. She crassly says things like "keep your friends close and your enemies fat" without a hint of embarrassment. What's not to like, right?
Having grown up in a wealthy family, she's used to getting her way, and her outlook on life is questionable, to say the least. "It's simple," she says on season 5 of That '70s Show, "a woman just needs to be a cook in the kitchen, a maid in the living room, and an acrobat in the bedroom — and I can hire a cook and a maid." Definitely not words to live by.
Yes, Jackie is vapid and narcissistic, which often drives people away, but what probably annoys people the most about her? Her constant complaining, which might be somewhat palatable if it wasn't brimming with such hypocrisy. While Jackie always insists that everyone else listen to her trivial problems, she rarely returns the favor. When someone other than herself wants to talk, Jackie's quick to blow off their dilemma as boring or irrelevant. Or worse, she gives awful advice: "It's better to have loved and lost than to be butt-ugly," she tells Fez on season 8.
Even when Jackie does have seemingly deep conversations during which Donna pours her heart out, she sometimes drifts off and stops listening, absorbed in her own frivolous thoughts as her supposed best friend spills emotional secrets. Adding insult to injury, Jackie often peppers Donna with insulting nicknames like "moose" and "Amazon," in reference to Donna's tall frame. That's hardly a way to treat a friend, let alone a best friend.
While most of the other characters on That '70s Show can put aside the teasing that's at the core of the series to open up about their feelings, Jackie never really does. Despite all her gabbing, she has a hard time expressing herself, usually hiding behind her good looks and egocentric mantras: "Look, if I could run across the beach into my own arms, I would!"
But since we'll never know what the dynamic on That '70s Show would have been if Jackie never walked through the basement door, the best we can do is try to enjoy her for what she is: superficial fluff. "No, no, no," Jackie once said on the show, "you just don't move on from Jackie Burkhart. I'm like the bottle: You need a 12-step program to break my spell."