"Streaking" is the third episode of the first season of That '70s Show, and third episode overall. It aired on September 6, 1998.
Synopsis[]
Kelso persuades Eric to streak during President Ford's visit to town.
Plot[]
Jackie's father Jack Burkhart, a city councilman, arranges for President Ford to stop at Point Place as part of his re-election campaign. The principal of Point Place High School makes a speech warning against any shenanigans, which of course gives Hyde the idea to "fight the power". Eventually, the boys decide to go streaking. Eric is apprehensive at first, but decides to go for it. Meanwhile, Bob wants Red to ask Gerald Ford a question in the Q&A. Red agrees, assuming that he will ask whatever he wants. However, Bob tells him that Jack's Committee which Bob is a part of wants him to ask "What has been your favorite parade?". Red thinks that the committee's question is stupid and is upset that his right to free speech has been taken from him. Meanwhile at the Pinciottis', Bob and Midge got matching jumpsuits for three that together form the American flag for the campaign rally, but Donna finds the idea too embarrassing and refuses to participate.
Come the day of the Presidential visit, after the guys dress up in trenchcoats and nothing else and leave for the rally, Donna strikes up a conversation with Kitty, who tells her the story of her Swedish grandmother whose accent embarrassed her to the point that she forbade her from coming to her high school graduation, the moral being that all families are embarrassing in their own ways. This changes Donna's mind, and she ends up joining her parents at the rally.
Meanwhile, deterred by the presence of Secret Service agents and dogs, the boys decide not to streak. However, when Red gets up to ask the committee's question, he stutters and starts to bomb. In desperation, Eric puts on a Nixon mask and streaks across the auditorium. This seems to motivate Red to say "Hey, Gerry. Here's my question." and asks "How the hell could you pardon Nixon?". Red receives applause from everyone except the committee, especially a furious Jack. At the end of the episode, Eric congratulates Red for his courage at the rally, to which Red replies "sometimes, a man's gotta' do what a man's gotta' do." As Eric starts to head upstairs to bed, Red reveals that he knew it was Eric who streaked at the rally, saying "next time, don't wear black socks. You looked like an ass."
During the end tag, on a different day, Eric and Donna discuss the streaking and Eric reveals the Secret Service agents didn't catch him because "no one wants to tackle a naked guy." He wants to make sure Donna didn't see anything when he ran naked, but her evasive answer makes him uncomfortable.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Topher Grace as Eric Forman
- Mila Kunis as Jackie Burkhart
- Ashton Kutcher as Michael Kelso
- Danny Masterson as Steven Hyde
- Laura Prepon as Donna Pinciotti
- Wilmer Valderrama as Fez
- Debra Jo Rupp as Kitty Forman
- Kurtwood Smith as Red Forman
- Tanya Roberts as Midge Pinciotti
- Don Stark as Bob Pinciotti
Guest Starring[]
Also Starring[]
- Mark Bramhall as Principal Pridewell
- John A. Maraffi as Masher
Quotes[]
- Steven Hyde – Two women riding around in a phallic RV handing out things that blow? What a country!
- Fez – My country invented -Not it!-
- Kitty – My point is, all families are embarrassing. If they're not, they're dead
- Kelso – You are so lucky I'm naked pal!
- Eric, Hyde, Fez – Shut up!
- Eric Forman – WEE WEE PEE PEE, WEE WEE PEE PEE!!!
Trivia[]
- The title of the episode “Streaking” refers to the guys wanting to streak in front of Gerald Ford, the 38th president of the United States while the president himself is visiting Point Place as part of his re-election campaign.
- First appearance of Principal Pridewell.
- Jackie breaks the fourth wall in this episode when she arrives at the lunch table, with the rest of the gang and asks them why they're all sitting at one side of the table. This is a reference to how in live action TV shows, everyone always sits on one side of the table so the camera will have a shot of all of the characters and they only show it from that one angle so that they can keep the camera shot within the set.
- The joke was later continued when it referenced to the famous painting The Last Supper. Showing all of the characters get into the same positions as the people in the painting and then have the background change into the Cenacle and for the colors and filters to look like the texture of the painting.
- In this episode, we find out Red is left-handed. In "Holy Crap!", we find out Laurie is also left-handed.
Music[]
- Alice Cooper - "Elected"
Photos[]
