That '70s Show ran for eight seasons but many of the episodes were broadcast out of order. The correct order can be determined by perceptive fans. The beloved period sitcom debuted in 1998 on Fox and aired 200 episodes in total. That '70s Show focused on six teenagers living in Point Place, Wisconsin. When the crew wasn't hanging out in Eric Forman's (Topher Grace) basement, they were usually getting into trouble due to their extreme boredom. They also spent a lot of time learning about relationships, society, and life in general while growing up in the '70s. The series received a sequel following their children, set about 15 years after the original series finale, called That '90s Show.

It's not uncommon for sitcoms to air their episodes out of production order, especially for shows that were broadcast in the '90s and earlier. As it wasn't required to watch every episode in order - as is common on streaming - continuity was less of a concern. But for regular viewers, this meant that storylines sometimes didn't add up. This is especially true of The '70s Show early on in the series; in one episode, Jackie (Mila Kunis) and Kelso (Ashton Kutcher) would be broken up, but in the next subsequent episode broadcast, they would still be together without any explanation.

Correct That '70s Show Season 1 Viewing Order

Eric, Jackie, Hyde, Kelso, and Fez in That '70s Show Season 1

That '70s Show Season 1 started in chronological order but after the fourth episode, the timeline is completely scattered. In this season, Hyde (Danny Masterson) and Eric (Grace) are both vying for Donna's (Laura Prepon) attention, something that doesn't happen in later seasons. Some of the shufflings made sense because the network most likely wanted to air the Thanksgiving and Christmas episodes closer to the appropriate slots. The episode "Grandma's Dead" was supposed to be the Season 1 finale, but it was later pushed to a later date. The correct order of That '70s Show episodes in Season 1 based on the production schedule is:

  • "That '70s Pilot"
  • "Eric's Birthday"
  • "Streaking"
  • "Battle of the Sexists"
  • "Sunday, Bloody Sunday"
  • "Eric's Burger Job"
  • "The Keg"
  • "Drive-In"
  • "That Disco Episode"
  • "Thanksgiving"
  • "Career Day"
  • "Grandma's Dead"
  • "The Best Christmas Ever"
  • "Eric's Buddy"
  • "Ski Trip"
  • "First Date"
  • "Stolen Car"
  • "The Pill"
  • "That Wrestling Show"
  • "Punk Chick"
  • "Prom Night"
  • "A New Hope"
  • "Water Tower"
  • "Hyde Moves In"
  • "The Good Son"

Correct That '70s Show Season 2 Viewing Order

Kitty, Hyde, Eric, and Kelso in That '70s Show Season 2

Similar to Season 1, That '70s Show Season 2 featured a scrambled timeline. Throughout the season, that's complicated by Kelso dating both Jackie and Laurie (Lisa Robin Kelly), Eric's sister. It's also the season that sees Donna's parents have difficulties in their marriage and Red Forman (Kurtwood Smith) begin working at Price Mart. Most noticeably, the Halloween episode was considered the eighth episode in the production order, but it was moved so that it could air in October. To match the correct episode order, follow the list of That '70s Show Season 2 episodes below.

  • "Red's Last Day"
  • "The Velvet Rope"
  • "Laurie and the Professor"
  • "Garage Sale"
  • "I Love Cake"
  • "Red's Birthday"
  • "Sleepover"
  • "Halloween"
  • "Eric Gets Suspended"
  • "Vanstock"
  • "Laurie Moves Out"
  • "Hunting"
  • "Eric's Stash"
  • "Kitty and Eric's Night Out"
  • "Red's New Job"
  • "Burning Down the House"
  • "The First Time"
  • "Afterglow"
  • "Kiss of Death"
  • "Kelso's Serenade"
  • "Jackie Moves On"
  • "Parents Find Out"
  • "Holy Crap!"
  • "Red Fired Up"
  • "Cat Fight Club"
  • "Moon Over Point Place"

Correct That '70s Show Season 3 Viewing Order

Kelson, Fez, Hyde, and Eric in That '70s Show Season 3

The majority of episodes in That '70s Show Season 3 aired in a different order compared to the production list. This once again looked like it was shuffled to meet holiday dates. After the sixteenth episode, the episodes aired in the order that they were filmed which followed a linear timeline. Season 3 of That '70s Show sees such major events as Hyde's father returning to town, Fez (Wilmer Valderama) having his first steady girlfriend, and Eric getting Donna a promise ring. The following episodes are the correct viewing order for That '70s Show Season 3.

  • "Reefer Madness"
  • "Red Sees Red"
  • "Too Old to Trick or Treat, Too Young to Die"
  • "Hyde's Father"
  • "Roller Disco"
  • "Baby Fever"
  • "Eric's Panties"
  • "Jackie Bags Hyde"
  • "Ice Shack"
  • "Fez Gets the Girl"
  • "Hyde's Christmas Rager"
  • "Dine and Dash"
  • "Donna's Panties"
  • "Who Wants It More?"
  • "Radio Daze"
  • "Romantic Weekend"
  • "Kitty's Birthday (Is That Today?!)"
  • "The Trials of Michael Kelso"
  • "Eric's Naughty No-No"
  • "Holy Craps!"
  • "Fez Dates Donna"
  • "Eric's Drunken Tattoo"
  • "Backstage Pass"
  • "Canadian Road Trip"
  • "The Promise Ring"

Correct That '70s Show Season 4 Viewing Order

Eric and Donna at the kitchen table in That '70s Show Season 4

The scrambled timeline continued in That '70s Show sSeason 4. There weren't many holiday episodes, so there's no explanation for why this season was out of order for the broadcast dates. The season features such storylines as Donna dating Kelso's older brother (Luke Wilson) and her parents officially splitting up. The correct viewing order for That '70s Show Season 4 can be found below:

  • "Pinciotti vs. Forman"
  • "It's a Wonderful Life"
  • "Eric's Depression"
  • "Hyde Gets the Girl"
  • "The Relapse"
  • "Bye-Bye Basement"
  • "Uncomfortable Ball Stuff"
  • "The Forgotten Son"
  • "Donna's Story"
  • "Red and Stacey"
  • "Eric's Hot Cousin"
  • "The Third Wheel"
  • "An Eric Forman Christmas"
  • "Jackie Says Cheese"
  • "Tornado Prom"
  • "Class Picture"
  • "Donna Dates a Kelso"
  • "Kelso's Career"
  • "Leo Loves Kitty"
  • "Jackie's Cheese Squeeze"
  • "Prank Day"
  • "Eric's Corvette Caper"
  • "Hyde's Birthday"
  • "Eric's False Alarm"
  • "That '70s Musical"
  • "Everybody Loves Casey"
  • "Love, Wisconsin Style"

Correct That '70s Show Season 5 Viewing Order

Red, Kelson, Fez, Jackie, and Kitty in That '70s Show Season 5

The episode order of That '70s Show season 5 followed the production order until the eleventh episode. From there, it jumped around until episode 17, but the rest of the season went back on track. The Season 5 premiere features a trip to California and a guest-starring appearance from singer Jessica Simpson. Throughout the season, Jackie and Hyde also date while Eric and Donna become engaged, and the entire group starts thinking about their college plans as they prepare to graduate high school. The correct That '70s Show viewing order for Season 5 is:

  • "Going to California"
  • "I Can't Quit You, Baby"
  • "What is and What Should Never Be"
  • "Heartbreaker"
  • "Ramble On"
  • "Over the Hills and Far Away"
  • "Hot Dog"
  • "Thank You"
  • "Black Dog"
  • "The Crunge"
  • "The Girl I Love"
  • "When the Levee Breaks"
  • "Whole Lotta Love"
  • "Your Time Is Gonna Come"
  • "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You"
  • "Misty Mountain Hop"
  • "The Battle of Evermore"
  • "Hey, Hey, What Can I Do?"
  • "Bring It On Home"
  • "No Quarter"
  • "Trampled Under Foot"
  • "You Shook Me"
  • "Nobody's Fault But Mine"
  • "Immigrant Song"
  • "Celebration Day"

That '70s Show Season 6 And Beyond

The main six characters of That '70s Show on the water tower in Season 7

Starting in That '70s Show season 6, the series was broadcast in the order in which the episodes were filmed. The process stayed that way until the series ended in 2006 with season 8. Season 6 was set in 1978 before it transitioned to 1979. The final seasons of the series feature such changes as Hyde meeting his biological father and running a record store, Jackie and Fez testing out a relationship, Eric leaving Wisconsin while the rest of the gang stayed, and Josh Meyers being introduced as Randy Pearson. The season 8 finale, or the series finale, took place on New Year's Eve in 1979. When the final credits rolled, the date changed to 1980, officially closing out That '70s Show.

RELATED: What Happened To Every Character In That '70s Show's Finale

That '90s Show Has A Confusing Timeline Too

That 90s Show main cast

Fans determined to figure out the correct That '70s Show viewing order won’t have as much trouble with That '90s Show. The sequel series is set during summer vacation for the teen characters, so it will, for now, be set during the same few months every year. That '90s Show still retains some of the confusing timeline aspects of the original series thanks to the ages of the characters.

The series is set during the summer vacation of 1995, starting in July and ending in August when the teenagers head back to school. During the first season of the show, Leia Forman (Callie Haverda), daughter of original series characters Eric and Donna, celebrates her fifteenth birthday. That would be impossible since the original series timeline sees the series end less than 16 years earlier and Eric and Donna weren’t together at the time. He was actually working in Africa while she was still in Wisconsin.

RELATED: Everything We Know About That '90s Show Season 2

Likewise, the age of another character conflicts with the timeline events. Jay Kelso (Mace Coronel), son of Michael and Jackie, is at least 16 years old since he’s driving a car without needing a licensed driver in the car with him. Just like Eric and Donna, Jackie and Kelso weren’t together at the end of the original series. Instead, Jackie was dating Fez. The birthdays and ages of the main characters in That '90s Show directly contradict the timeline the series is supposed to pick up from That '70s Show.