That '70s Show Best Supporting Character According To Fans
"That '70s Show" stars Topher Grace and Laura Prepon as next door neighbors and on-again, off-again couple Eric Forman and Donna Pinciotti. The show follows them and close friends Jackie Burkhart (Mila Kunis), Michael Kelso (Ashton Kutcher), Fez (Wilmer Valderrama), and Steven Hyde (Danny Masterson) through their high school years in Point Place, Wisconsin and into early adulthood. The cult classic show's creators, Bonnie and Terry Turner, will soon be taking us back to Point Place in the upcoming Netflix reboot series, "That '90s Show." Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp will return as Eric's parents, Red and Kitty, who will be playing host to Eric and Donna's daughter Leia (Callie Haverda) for a summer.
"That '70s Show" ran for eight seasons on Fox, and its longevity and popularity — earning an average 78% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes for all seasons — are due in no small part to the talented cast. However, it isn't just the main actors who deserve credit for the success of "That '70s Show," as there is a long list of memorable supporting and recurring characters that appear throughout the show's run. But which supporting character is the best?
In a series of threads on the official subreddit for "That '70s Show," u/hpspnmag shared the results of a 60-character bracket competition to determine the most popular secondary character in the series. The winner might come as a surprise to even die-hard fans of the show.
Despite appearing in just six episodes, Pastor Dave is a fan favorite
"That '70s Show" features some true acting greats in recurring or guest roles. Red and Kitty's mothers are played by acting legends Marion Ross and Betty White, respectively, and Hyde's mom is brought to life by the hilarious Katey Sagal. Many young actors who were up-and-coming at the time also play love interests for the main characters, including Shannon Elizabeth as Brooke Rockwell, Luke Wilson as Casey Kelso, and Alyson Hannigan as Suzy Simpson.
But Reddit users crowned Pastor Dave (Kevin McDonald) as their favorite supporting character over 59 others, including other favorites like Pam Macy (Jennifer Lyons) and Buddy Morgan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Pastor Dave, the too-hip local parish priest, faced off against jewelry store employee Fenton (Jim Rash) in the competition's first round, and after that tough competition, he breezed through to the final round with a landslide over Simpson in the semifinals.
Pastor Dave squared off against Fez's sometimes significant other Rhonda Tate (Cynthia Lamontagne) in the bracket's final round. He was declared the winner by scoring 89 votes to Tate's 36, cementing him as the most popular of the show's numerous secondary characters, but certainly not ending the debate among fans. The creator of the character showdown, u/hpspnmag, even admitted that the outcome may have been different had they seeded the entries, noting that they were "not expecting Rhonda to be in the finals" but were "pleasantly surprised" by the results.
Despite any controversy over the polling process and results, Pastor Dave was a popular winner, with u/tommyp611 perhaps saying it best: "Jesus is just alright with me!"