That ’70s Show: The 15 Best Episodes Ranked (According To IMDb)

Airing for eight seasons between 1998 and 2006, That ‘70s Show remains one of the most beloved sitcoms of the era, with its hilarious cast of characters, period setting and sharp writing making it a truly endearing watch. The show had its ups and downs of course, with its final season drawing particular criticism thanks to its poor plotting, absence of fan-favorite characters Eric and Kelso, and the introduction of the widely disliked Randy.

Nevertheless, the show is still one of the best sitcoms of its kind, with the majority of its episodes earning high critical praise. With that said, here are the 15 best episodes of That ‘70s Show, ranked according to IMDb.

Updated July 23, 2020 by Gabriela Silva: The show was a fan favorite just like other popular sitcoms like Seinfeld and Friends. However, That ’70s Show was a bit special as it looked into the dysfunctional and social lives of a group of friends in high school, and the colorful characteristics of the ’70s added more pizazz. Not all episodes hit the top mark, but fans still had a good laugh throughout its run.

15 Halloween (8.2)

Dark secrets get revealed in this episode, making for a worthy watch and some good laughs. On Halloween night, the gang decides to visit their old elementary school that’s now burned down. They find their old permanent records.

The information uncovered rattles the group. Jackie’s middle name is revealed alongside her admitting that Fez was a better kisser. It also touches on Eric being responsible for Hyde’s first time in trouble and that Donna used to streak. Hyde also held back that he once kissed Donna.

14 Parents Find Out (8.2)

Eric and Donna’s sex life is always a topic of conversation in the show. This time, they get caught red-handed. They are forced to go home and admit to their parents that they got caught having sex in the back of Eric’s car by a police officer. Shocked by the heinous news, Kitty is distraught and becomes bedridden.

While Eric and Donna have their own problems, Kelso, Hyde, and Fez are on their own adventure. Kelso installs a CB radio in his van hoping to attract some ladies, but the scheme falls short of the mark.

13 Cat Fight Club (8.2)

“Cat Fight Club” was a good episode that garnered some laughs from audiences. The episode focused on two main storylines. On one side, Hyde tries to teach Jackie how to be tough and act “zen.” Laurie had insulted her and Jackie wasn’t able to bite back.

On the other end of the scope, Red finds out that Kelso has been dating Laurie, and it’s time for a reality check. The episode takes a fun interlude in depicting what Kelso and Laurie’s possible future could look like.

12 Eric’s Hot Cousin (8.2)

This episode is quite comical as it plays upon a common storyline where an attractive relative visits town and everyone goes bonkers. Eric’s cousin Penny rolls into town and has a revenge plan set for Eric. As kids, Eric got her stuck in a revolving door. It’s hilarious to see Eric fall into her devious trap.

Meanwhile, Jackie and Donna try to get their boyfriends’ attention back from Penny. The boys become infatuated with her looks. Kitty begs Red for a pet but he gives her one she didn’t expect.

11 Red Sees Red (8.2)

Red has had enough and boils over. Eric reveals to his parents his marijuana use and Red becomes livid. He enforces a strict curfew that the gang refuses to abide by. He starts setting booby traps and goes too far. At first, Laurie is happy with their punishment until she realizes she also has a curfew.

The episode is comical because its one of the rare times that audiences see Red being unfair for no real justifiable reason. It also garnered some laughs when Kitty has had enough of his charades and gives him a piece of her mind.

10 Water Tower (8.2)

One of the funniest episodes of the show’s first season, “Water Tower” sees the gang attempt to paint a pot leaf on the town’s water tower. After Hyde convinces Kelso to continue painting, Kelso falls and breaks his arm – leading Jackie to blame Hyde for the incident.

Elsewhere, Eric is traumatized after catching his parents in the act. This is arguably the best gag in the episode, with his usually antagonistic sister Laurie making a genuine attempt to console him, and his parents putting his subsequently awkward behavior down to drug use.

9 Hyde Moves In (8.2)

It’s no secret that Steven Hyde doesn’t exactly have the most functional family in the world. With an absent father and contentious relationship with his mother, he’s abandoned completely in the episode “Hyde Moves In,” after his mother leaves town unexpectedly.

As the episode’s title suggests, the Formans are kind enough to let Hyde stay with them, kicking off some of the show’s most heart-warming relationships – specifically the ones between Hyde, Red, and Kitty. What works so well about “Hyde Moves In” is that it gives us another glimpse into why Hyde is the way he is, without forgetting to be funny at the same time.

8 Reefer Madness (8.3)

After two full seasons of the gang’s infamous ‘circles’ going unnoticed, they’re finally caught in the episode “Reefer Madness,” after the police apprehend Hyde – who takes responsibility for the whole group of teens.

The episode sees a furious Red contemplate kicking Hyde out, eventually relenting after Eric admits that Hyde took the fall for him. Not only does “Reefer Madness” do a great job at building Red’s fatherly relationship with Hyde, but its parody of the classic Reefer Madness film of the 1930s is hilarious, joyfully satirizing the hysteria surrounding the substance.

7 Canadian Road Trip (8.3)

Another quintessential episode of That ‘70s Show, “Canadian Road Trip” follows Eric, Kelso, Fez, and Hyde as they go on a hunt for beer across the Canadian border. Things soon go from bad to worse when they realize Fez has forgotten his green card – leaving them at the mercy of a group of Mounties.

The episode’s comedy comes from the steadily mounting precariousness of the gang’s situation, as they grow more and more desperate in their attempt to escape from the clutches of the law – only to inevitably make things worse.

6 Class Picture (8.3)

Airing during the fourth season of That ‘70s Show, “Class Picture” sees the gang reminisce about their past, as well as how they first met – shedding some hilarious light on the gang’s younger days. The episode serves as a great encapsulation of what makes the show so beloved on the whole, with its perfect mix of humor and heart working in the episode’s favor.

Seeing a much younger Eric, Hyde and Kelso partake in their first ‘circle’ is a highlight, with the episode mining its central premise for comedy gold extremely effectively.

5 A New Hope (8.4)

Although That ‘70s Show doesn’t barrage the audience with constant pop culture references in a way that was likely very tempting to, when the show did make reference to important cultural icons of the time, it did it well. This is the case with “A New Hope,” in which the gang’s collective mind is blown by Star Wars – with even Red reluctantly showing admiration for the film.

Meanwhile, Eric is forced to take action after David – the son of his father’s new employee – appears to be making moves on Donna. The episode’s Star Wars fantasy sequences are a smart way to punctuate its events, with Eric imagining David as Darth Vader, Donna as Princess Leia, and himself as Luke Skywalker.

4 Eric’s Panties (8.5)

In one of the show’s most hilarious episodes, Eric’s new lab partner appears to take a shine to him. Offended when Donna fails to express jealousy over their time together, Eric finds himself in hot water when Donna finds a mysterious pair of underwear in the back of his Vista Cruiser.

The whole thing is a big misunderstanding of course, but watching Eric and Donna work themselves up into a frenzy over the course of the episode is great. Sure, the subplot surrounding Red’s new diet is something of a tired sitcom trope, but the core of “Eric’s Panties” is so strong that it hardly matters.

3 Garage Sale (8.5)

In an effort to help out the Formans with their garage sale, Hyde lends the family his services as a baker – only the batch of brownies he cooks up isn’t exactly of the regular variety. The brownies turn out to be a hit – especially with Red – who proceeds to sell Eric’s car in his altered mental state.

The episode’s subversion of what we’ve come to expect from the show is what makes this so brilliant, with Kitty and Red partaking in the ‘circle’ for a change, after which they’re interrogated by Hyde and Eric taking on their usual parental roles.

2 Dine And Dash (8.6)

In one of the show’s most brilliantly executed gags, “Dine and Dash” opens with Kelso offering to take the gang out for dinner after he gets $100 from his grandmother. The rest of the group soon finds out that Kelso has no intention of paying the bill before he skips out on it altogether – imploring his friends to do the same.

What follows is a hilarious game of moral chicken as each member of the gang sneakily exits one by one, eventually leaving only Eric and Donna remaining.

1 That ‘70s Finale (8.9)

While it didn’t live up to everyone’s expectations, “That ‘70s Finale” was the end of an era for avid watchers of That ‘70s Show. Though there was still a relatively sour taste in the mouths of fans, the show’s finale was a bittersweet affair that mostly served as a satisfying send-off for its beloved cast of characters.

Not every character ended up exactly where fans expected, but perhaps the most talked-about moment of the episode was Eric’s return – which teased a possible reconciliation with Donna.