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"I just got this thing where, a lot of times I don't show up. I don't know what to do about it
—Casey to Donna[src]

Casey Kelso is a character on FOX comedy That '70s Show. He is portrayed by Luke Wilson.

Character[]

Michael Kelso's older brother. While not quite as dumb as his brother, as he had spent time in the army.

However, he is similar to his younger brother in that he is just as a womanizer, senseless and very laid back. He also has a deep love for his Trans Am.

He is somewhat of a bully, as he repeatedly pulls pranks on his brother and refers to Eric as “Foreplay”.

His first appearance was in Season 4, in the episode entitled Donna Dates a Kelso and he acts as a love interest for Donna after she and Eric had broken up.

Backstory[]

Casey is a few years older than Michael and has already graduated from high school. He has also served out a full term of enlistment in the Army, which puts him at about 21 years old in 1978, which is when he first appears on the show.

He appears after Donna and Eric break up. In an effort to cheer up Donna, Jackie sets her up on a date with Michael's older brother, Casey. At first, she is slightly hesitant but eventually gives in. Surprisingly, Casey turns out to be quite the charmer, with a rather nice Trans-Am to boot. After a few dates, Casey and Donna start dating more seriously. Everyone seems to love Casey, including Eric's parents (much to his chagrin).

In several episodes, Kitty Forman, Eric's mother, says certain things that suggest that she may have a "small" crush on Casey. In one episode, she even dreams about almost kissing him.

A Negative Influence[]

After a short period of time, Casey's true colors start to show. He begins to have an adverse effect on Donna, who begins skipping school in order to get drunk and ride around in the Trans Am with Casey. When Eric tries to expose Casey for the scumbag that he is, no one seems to believe him except Casey's brother Michael. Michael tells Eric that he knows enough about his brother to see he will soon get bored with Donna and move on to another. Casey even goes so far as to tell Donna that he loves her, then telling Eric that "it's just words" after Donna leaves. Eric proceeds to make a solemn, if not slightly silly vow; "If you ever make her cry...I'm comin' right back here to kick your ass!"

Eventually, she is caught skipping school by Eric and Kitty at the Hub. Bob attempts to step in and separate them, but Donna begins to try to boss her dad around.

Red witnesses this and, of course, won't stand for such a disrespectful display. He, Bob and Kitty stage an emergency intervention. Bob orders Casey and Donna to stop seeing each other. Donna protests strongly, but Casey seems to have no problem with it, deciding to cut his losses and leave. Donna is heartbroken; she thought that Casey had true feelings for her. However, as he so cruelly put it, "I have this thing where I say stuff don't really mean." He subsequently walks off while Donna was left in tears even more so that all her friends witnessed it.

After the Breakup[]

Donna is so hurt and humiliated that she first tries to get back together with Eric but he says he doesn't want to be her second choice. This crushes her even further, prompting her to go to California with Kelso to live with her mom. Eric eventually goes to California to get her at the beginning of season 5, and they get back together.

Casey isn't seen much after the breakup. During Season 6, he is seen in the trailer park where Eric and Donna will be living leaving the neighbor's trailer via the window. He was sneaking out of the trailer after sleeping with the wife and the angry husband was looking for him. He ran away after the husband spots him outside. Much later, he is spotted again as the announcer at the male strip club where Donna is having her bachelorette party. That night, Casey later appeared at the Forman house, where he tells Eric that his mother allowed him to stay in the house but he’s really going to go into Laurie's room soon.

His final appearance was in the 7th Season, when he appears as Eric's summer school gym teacher. He is shown to have grown a beard and attempts to get another date with Donna, since she is blonde but she turns him down. She was also disgusted when he offered to pass Eric in exchange and by Eric being okay with it. Much later, he makes a deal if Eric can do one pull up then he went past him. Eric accepted but struggled while Casey kept calling him by his nickname “Foreplay”. This ended up motivating Eric to succeed and get Casey to call him by his real last name Forman. Casey begrudgingly gave respect and honored his deal by passing Eric.

During Season 8, Donna mentions twice that she only dated Eric, either forgetting Casey or knowingly choosing not to mention him. Decades later, in Kids In America, she tells her daughter Leia about her relationship with Casey, clearly embarrassed by the memory.

Episodes[]

Donna Dates a Kelso
Kelso's Career
Everybody Loves Casey
Love, Wisconsin Style
My Wife
2120 So. Michigan Ave

Trivia[]

  • Kelso's Career and Love, Wisconsin Style are the only episodes where he is seen with his brother, as Michael shouted at Casey that Donna was there, and Casey grabbed him while Michael called for their mother and Casey pushed him out of the way, a few seconds later Michael shouted "spaz face!" at him and when Michael watched Casey dump Donna.
  • He refers to members of the gang by their last names such as Eric and Donna.
  • Michael telling Eric that Casey will get bored with Donna was foreshadowed and he was proven right.
  • He has a poor memory as he forgot that Donna was a redhead when they dated.
  • He was never seen interacting with his father John, his niece Betsy Kelso, and nephew Jay Kelso.
  • It is unknown if he is the oldest of Kelso's siblings, as Kelso mentioned to have more brothers and a sister.
  • Like his brother, he has slept with Laurie Forman.
  • By the 90's, it is unknown what he is up to.

Quotes[]

"The bigger the boobs, the smaller the brain.
—One of Casey's teaching lessons about the ladies to his younger brothers

"I learned something in the army. When things are tough.. turn up the music and crack open another beer."

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