That '70s Show

Jenna Fischer’s That ’70s Show Character Explained

In the same year that she landed her breakout role as Pam Beesly on The Office, Jenna Fischer also had a pivotal role in an episode of That '70s Show.

Jenna Fischer had a big year in 2005, as she not only landed a starring role as Pam Beesly on The Office, but she also played a pivotal character in an episode of That ’70s Show. Most known for her level-headed characters and comedic ability to always play the straight woman in every scenario, Jenna Fischer’s career took off in the mid-2000s and found equal success in TV and movies. Though she will always be best known for her turn on The Office, Fischer could always be counted on to deliver a strong performance that was sub

The nostalgic series That ’70s Show was a unique cultural phenomenon because it managed to blaze its own trail with modern humor while also paying homage to its titular decade. Like most long-running sitcoms, That ’70s Show had a revolving ensemble cast of one-off characters that helped to supplement the usual antics of the gang. As such, many celebrities guest starred on That ’70s Show, with many being future stars. Jenna Fischer’s role on That ’70s Show wasn’t her biggest part, but it allowed her to hone the character that would eventually make her famous.

Jenna Fischer Played Stacy Wanamaker In That ’70s Show

Stacy Wanamaker talks to Fez and Jackie in That '70s Show

Appearing in only one episode of That ’70s Show, Jenna Fischer joined the show’s massive cast of characters when she played one of the gang’s former high school classmates, Stacy Wanamaker. Debuting in season 7, episode 12, “Don’t Lie to Me,” Jackie idolized Stacy and was envious of her supposedly perfect life. Stacy owned her own bridal store, was married, and was even six months pregnant, three facts which also made Jackie fiercely jealous. Besides Jackie’s fascination, Stacy was also well-known with her other former classmates for being one of the most popular and beautiful girls at school.

In the episode, Jackie, pretending to be Donna, enlists a reluctant Fez to pose as her future husband so that she can get closer to Stacy and attend a wedding with her. As with most of the gang’s schemes on That ’70s Show, Jackie’s farcical adventure eventually comes crashing down, and the story is elevated by a standout performance from Jenna Fischer. Unlike most guest stars who only appear in a scene or two, Fischer’s role as Stacy Wanamaker is one of the main focuses of the episode, and she showed her strengths as a sitcom performer.

Stacy Is Similar To Fischer’s Pam From The Office

Stacy Wanamaker smiles at Fez in That '70s Show

Despite being one of the prettiest and most popular girls in town, Stacy Wanamaker is still down-to-earth and every bit the straight woman when compared to Jackie’s antics. In many ways, Stacy is similar to Pam Beesly from The Office, though their disparate lives make the two characters unique as well. Pam’s slow transformation on The Office over the years was due in large part to her maturing while the other characters did not, and Stacy Wanamaker could have had a similar arc on That ’70s Show if she had returned.

Jenna Fischer’s performance on That ’70s Show is much more subtle than the usual over-the-top sitcom outings, and she brought that same energy to Dunder Mifflin when playing Pam on The Office. Though the two characters are similar, they are also unlike in their own ways as well, and those differences show Fischer’s strengths as a performer. Pam Beesly lacks the unwavering confidence of Stacy Wanamaker, but that’s what makes her one of the more realistic characters on The Office.

tly comedic, even when working with much larger personalities.

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