Just watched all 13 episodes of this in a single day marathon after I caught a episode here or there when it was new in 2002-2003.
I'll start by saying that the cast is not bad, of course Glenn Howerton is the centerpiece as he is big from Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia but Geoff Pierson is also in this and is solid in many things before this show and after. The rest of the cast are fly under the radar actors/actresses but do well in their roles, such as they are.
Granted this is/was a sitcom, but the plot was all over the place, even bad by sitcom standards. Sophia's character (played by Brittany Daniel) starts out as being dumped by Glenn Howerton's character, then lusting after Howerton's sister (while coming out as bisexual), then being hit on and hired by Howerton's dad in a 80s style workout equipment marking company?!?!?
I will say I laughed a decent bit, many people complained about the forced humor from 80s stereotypes (though the parachute pants and cell phone gags were abysmal), yes there was a bit of that but still it wasn't as bad as a show like The Goldbergs, which is 80s reference after 80s reference. I am a fan of the Goldbergs but even that is more of a consistent 80s reference show than this one, which makes me think that That 80s Show was just a decade too early. Much like Do Over and Freaks & Geeks, the cycle of 80s (be it early or middle or late) nostalgia shows that aired in the late 90s to early 2000s were just too early. Clearly the public was ready for them but they needed more time.
I'll start by saying that the cast is not bad, of course Glenn Howerton is the centerpiece as he is big from Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia but Geoff Pierson is also in this and is solid in many things before this show and after. The rest of the cast are fly under the radar actors/actresses but do well in their roles, such as they are.
Granted this is/was a sitcom, but the plot was all over the place, even bad by sitcom standards. Sophia's character (played by Brittany Daniel) starts out as being dumped by Glenn Howerton's character, then lusting after Howerton's sister (while coming out as bisexual), then being hit on and hired by Howerton's dad in a 80s style workout equipment marking company?!?!?
I will say I laughed a decent bit, many people complained about the forced humor from 80s stereotypes (though the parachute pants and cell phone gags were abysmal), yes there was a bit of that but still it wasn't as bad as a show like The Goldbergs, which is 80s reference after 80s reference. I am a fan of the Goldbergs but even that is more of a consistent 80s reference show than this one, which makes me think that That 80s Show was just a decade too early. Much like Do Over and Freaks & Geeks, the cycle of 80s (be it early or middle or late) nostalgia shows that aired in the late 90s to early 2000s were just too early. Clearly the public was ready for them but they needed more time.