Anna andryushchenko
Nov 4 · 3 min read

What does popularity really represent?

While looking for a relatable source of entertainment many viewers may come across That 70s Show which premiered in the late 90s. The American sitcom focuses. on the lives of a group of 6 teenage friends who are on the verge of adulthood. The popularity comes from its comical representation of the growing pains of becoming adults. Although, most of the time, its stereotypes are commonly overlooked. Starting at the pilot episode, That 70s Show portrays a negative stereotype expressing that popular high school boys are only cool because they are rule breakers.

During the pilot episode, a group of teenagers are seen sitting in a basement socializing. It is obvious that there are different levels of status and popularity amongst the teens which makes the viewers aware of their differences. At the beginning of the show the tall, brown haired, muscular boy named Michael is pressuring the skinny and innocent boy named Eric to steal alcohol from his dads party upstairs. Eric responds with “are you kidding me? If my dad catches me coping beers he will kill me”. Eric is later called lame and a loser because he wouldn’t steal just for the sake of having fun. During this scene the rest of the teens were siding with Michael which sends the message that in order to have fun and have other teens respect you, you need to break rules and get in trouble just like Michael suggested.

To add on, It is obvious that Eric is portrayed as the weird inexperienced boy in the group because he can never find a girlfriend, meanwhile Michael is too overwhelmed with the amount of girls trying to get with him including his own overly popular girlfriend. He says “It’s over…I’m breaking up with her. She’s cutting into my free time.” This sends the message that due to his “trouble maker” image girls are eager to be with a guy that is up to no good. Unlike Michael in this situation, Eric is awkward around the girls because he has never experienced the attention from one. Girls don’t like him because he is seen as weak and dresses nerdy. Viewers In this case may get the impression that you have to embody a certain type of teen guy to both get the girls and be popular. Viewers only exposed to this show will not be open to the different types of highschool boys.

Overall, That 70s Show is an entertaining, well written piece of media, but to viewers who analyze the content, the show can be misleading with its depiction of the characters. Boys who are entering high school and who are not considered popular in day to day life may be discouraged with themselves and the way they act. They might feel the need to break the rules and be trouble makers just for the sole purpose of fitting in. This is not a good message that should be sent out because in reality a person can be cool without the unnecessary bad decision making. The show exposes viewers to two types of boys in highschool which is misleading.