Eric Forman's Vista Cruiser was a mainstay in the opening credits for That '70s Show, but that changed in the final season. The Fox sitcom first premiered in August 1998 and ran for eight seasons before coming to an end in May 2006. During those years, it was still common for shows to feature full credit sequences with the cast riding in the Vista Cruiser and singing along with the show's theme song rather than short title cards.
Most viewers of That '70s Show would quickly recognize the credits from the theme song, "In the Street," which was written by the cult band, Big Star. Rather than use the original version, a cover was performed by Todd Griffin during the show's first season. In season 2 and beyond, the theme song was done by Cheap Trick, who added the repeated line of "We're all right!" as the cast rocked out. Each version of the credits sequence included someone yelling "Hello, Wisconsin" at the end as a nod to the show's setting.
Throughout the first seven seasons of That '70s Show, Eric's car was used as the setting of the opening credits. His Vista Cruiser was a symbol of freedom since it gave the teenager a bit of distance from his parents. Eric and his friends - Hyde, Donna, Kelso, Jackie, and Fez - could be seen driving around and singing the theme song during the credits. Starting in season 2, adult cast members were added while the groupings in the seats alternated. Each time, the credits concluded with a shot of a 1970s-style Wisconsin license plate. That remained throughout the show's eighth and final season, but the setting of the sequence moved from the Vista Cruiser to the Forman's basement.
The Opening Credits Were Reworked Because Of Cast Changes
Prior to season 8, series regulars Topher Grace and Ashton Kutcher, who played Eric and Kelso, respectively, exited That '70s Show. Since Eric's car was the setting of the credits, the show decided to move to the Forman family basement to feature the cast. More specifically, it used the show's iconic "circle" and rotated through the main characters as they lip-synched to the theme song. With Eric gone, it wouldn't have felt right to continue using a car as the setting. But seeing as how the Forman house remained a primary setting, the basement was still a fitting spot for the opening credits.
Kutcher ended up appearing in a handful of episodes in That '70s Show season 8, including the series finale. Grace also served as a special guest star in the final episode, which took place on New Year's Eve in 1979. The episode omitted most of the opening credits, but following the last scene, the license plate of the Vista Cruiser switched to 1980. There was also a special extended closing credits sequence featuring the young cast singing the theme song in the car. The footage used was from season 1, giving the series an extra level of nostalgia as it said goodbye to viewers.