That ’70s Show’s Forman Family Tree Explained
The Forman family is at the center of That ‘70s Show and its Netflix spinoff That ‘90s Show. Read on for an explanation of the family tree.
SUMMARY
- The dynamics of the Forman family are a highlight of both That ’70s Show and That ’90s Show, providing numerous jokes throughout the shows’ nine combined seasons.
- Red Forman is the patriarch of the family, known for his straight-faced humor and beloved by fans of both shows. Kitty Forman, his wife, is cheerful but can be easily overwhelmed.
- Eric Forman is the main protagonist of That ’70s Show, but his absence in the later seasons led to a decline in the series’ quality. His relationship with Donna, his long-term girlfriend and later wife, is a central storyline. Leia, their daughter, is a main character in That ’90s Show on Netflix.
That ’70s Show and its spinoff, That ’90s Show, mainly revolve around the Forman family, which consists of Red, Kitty, Eric, Leia, and a handful of other members who are seen over the course of both television shows. The popular Fox sitcom aired from 1998 to 2006 and, as the name suggests, was set in the mid to late 1970s in the fictional town of Point Place, Wisconsin. Outside the Forman family, the series featured Eric’s friend group — Donna Pinciotti, Jackie Burkhart, Michael Kelso, Steven Hyde, and Fez.
The dynamics of the Forman family are undoubtedly one of the highlights of That ’70s Show and The ’90s Show, and their relationships with one another were often the basis of numerous jokes throughout the two shows combined nine seasons (That ’70s Show ran for eight seasons and, as of the writing of this article, That ’90s Show has aired only one season on Netflix). The original television series featured more Formans than the sequel, which is set in the mid-1990s, seeing as the only prominent family members in the Netflix show are Red, Kitty, and Leia. Overall, though, the Forman family tree is pretty straightforward, given the fact that only eight relatives appear in the two series.
Bernice Forman
The oldest member of the Forman family in That ’70s Show was Bernice Forman, played by Marion Ross. Bernice was Red’s mother and Eric’s grandmother, and she appeared in four episodes throughout the first two seasons of the Fox sitcom. Her husband, Albert Forman, died before the events of the first season, and sadly, Bernice wouldn’t survive past the first set of episodes. She appeared in three episodes — “Sunday, Bloody Sunday,” “The Best Christmas Ever,” and “Grandma’s Dead.” The final episode title spoiled Bernice’s death, which happened in Eric’s car right after he told her, “I don’t think being nice for a whole day would kill you.”
Red Forman
Red Forman, played by Kurtwood Smith, is one of the two Forman family members who appear as series regulars in That ’70s Show and That ’90s Show. Red is the patriarch figure in both shows, and his straight-faced humor makes him a fan-favorite character. He married Kitty after meeting her at a USO dance more than 20 years before the events of the original sitcom. A few years later, Red and Kitty had two children — Laurie and Eric. Red returned in That ’90s Show when his granddaughter, Leia, visited him and Kitty in the summer of 1995.
Marty Forman
Red’s younger brother, Marty Forman, played by Pat Skipper, only showed up in one episode of That ’70s Show, “Grandma’s Dead” in season 1. Marty came to town for his mother’s funeral, and it was clear that he and his brother were polar opposites. Unlike Red, Marty was very in tune with his emotions and often encouraged his family members to express exactly what they were feeling, especially when emotions were heightened during the funeral. As a result, Red and Marty did not have the best relationship since Red thought less of his brother because he believed he did not act like a man.
Kitty Forman
Debra Jo Rupp’s Kitty Forman (née Sigurdson) married into the Forman family in That ’70s Show, much to her mother-in-law’s dismay since Bernice wanted her son to marry into money. Unlike her husband, Kitty has a cheerful disposition. But she tends to break easily when pushed too far by those around her. Kitty, who worked as a nurse in the first series, is also a little overbearing at times when it comes to her children and grandchild. She, alongside Kurtwood Smith’s Red, continued her story almost 17 years later in That ’90s Show on Netflix.
Laurie Forman
Red and Kitty’s oldest child, Laurie Forman, played by Lisa Robin Kelly before the part was recast in season 6 and Christina Moore took over the role, was born in 1958, meaning she was 18 years old during That ’70s Show season 1. She is Eric’s older sister, and they despised one another in the first series. Laurie often tormented Eric while he called her names and thought very little of her. While Eric was undoubtedly Kitty’s favorite child, Laurie was her father’s preferred kid.
Eric Forman
Despite That ’70s Show consisting of an ensemble cast, Eric Forman was the main protagonist of the Fox comedy television series. He was the de facto leader of the central friend group, while his family was frequently at the center of the story in the show. Topher Grace, who portrayed Eric, unfortunately, exited That ’70s Show after season 7, and his absence was part of the reason why the series started to go downhill in season 8, which ended up being its last outing. Grace briefly reprised his character in That ’90s Show, which revealed that he had married Donna, and they had a daughter named Leia.
Donna Pinciotti
Donna Pinciotti (Laura Prepon) does not start That ’70s Show as a member of the Forman family, but as Eric’s long-term girlfriend throughout the series, she might as well have been. Plus, the couple are officially married in That ’90s Show, so Donna is an official Forman in the Netflix sequel series. Donna was Eric’s next-door neighbor growing up, and they had always been friends. However, as they got older, they started developing romantic feelings for one another, which they later acted on during the pilot of the Fox sitcom. Over the seasons, Eric and Donna had an up-and-down relationship, but as seen in the Netflix sequel series, the couple got their happy ending.
Leia Forman
The final member of the Forman family in the That ’70s Show universe is Leia Forman, Eric and Donna’s daughter, who makes her first appearance in the first episode of That ’90s Show. Leia, played by Callie Haverda, is named after Princess Leia from Star Wars, one of Eric’s favorite movies, and she was born in 1980, ten years after the series finale of the original series. Her father served as the main protagonist in That ’70s Show, so it was only right that she be the main character of the sequel on Netflix.
