The Time Travel Theory That Changes Everything On That '70s Show
August of 1998 saw the arrival of "That '70s Show" to the sitcom scene, and it wasted little time in making itself a television powerhouse. Starring the likes of Ashton Kutcher, Laura Prepon, Mila Kunis, and more, the series became a fan favorite in short order. The cast's strong chemistry, the delightfully tacky throwback aesthetic, and the numerous laughs each episode provided resulted in it maintaining a strong presence on TV for nearly a decade — finally bidding viewers farewell in May of 2006 after eight seasons. Nevertheless, its popularity has endured thanks to those who enjoy a good rewatch or have recently decided to try it out.
Much of the appeal of "That '70s Show" stems from its straightforward story and presentation. Eric Forman (Topher Grace) and his group of rebellious friends end up entangled in a variety of entertaining misadventures, often at the behest of Eric's stern yet caring father, Red Forman (Kurtwood Smith). It's a formula that lends itself to binge-watching or simply filling the need for background noise, as out-of-the-ordinary occurrences are highly infrequent from installment to installment. Despite this, committed fans do what they do best and search between the lines as a way to get more out of their viewing experience.
As a result of this speculation, interesting fan theories have arisen in all corners of the internet. One that has picked up quite a bit of steam is based on the Season 4 premiere of "That '70s Show," where time travel took center stage.
Did the angel actually take Eric Forman to the future?
Season 4 of "That '70s Show" premiered with an obvious parody of the 1946 film "It's a Wonderful Life" — going as far as borrowing its title. Much like in the big-screen classic, Eric is visited by an angel (Wayne Knight) who takes him on a trip to the past and future. There he learns what the world would have been like had he and his longtime girlfriend, Donna Pinciotti (Laura Prepon), never shared their first kiss or began dating. Suffice to say, this choice greatly impacted Eric's life and those of his friends, but at least the whole ordeal was just a dream, right?
According to a fan theory offered by Reddit user KingCollin103, the angel and the events he showed Eric weren't exactly figments of his imagination. It's possible that they were entirely real, and Eric actually traveled to the future of a timeline where he and Donna never became an item. As proof, the Redditor cited future Fez's (Wilmer Valderrama) rendition of "Everybody Have Fun Tonight," a song that didn't come out until 1986. This begs the question, "if Eric was just dreaming it up, and the angel wasn't real, then how did he dream up Fez singing a song that wouldn't be released until the next decade?"
Screen Rant also notes that other tracks featured in the "It's a Wonderful Life" episode, such as "The Safety Dance" and "I Ran," both made their radio debuts in 1982. Therefore, either Eric Forman went on to become a ghostwriter for a handful of iconic '80s musical groups, or his supposedly fabricated jaunt through time legitimately happened. We'll leave It up to you to decide.