Top 10 That '70s Show Moments That Made Us Ugly Cry
#10: Eric & Donna Reunite “That ‘70s Finale”
Top 10 Most Confrontational Eric Andre Show Interviews
After a tumultuous and universally disliked final season of the series, fans were anxious to see how the writers would wrap up the gang's storylines. Kelso and Forman’s characters’ absences were felt and missed during the 8th season, and we couldn’t have been happier to see Kelso reappear on our screens. But the most heartfelt moment of the finale came when Eric and Donna reunited in the driveway next to the infamous Vista Cruiser where they shared their first kiss. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when Donna and Eric admitted their feelings and decided to be together for good, and we can’t think of a better way to wrap up the decade.
#9: Midge Leaves “The Relapse”
Donna’s mother Midge was known for her dimwittedness and good looks for the first three seasons of the show. But at the beginning of season 3, Donna and her father struggle to cope with the fact that the matriarch of the household has left them. Kitty insists on helping her friends, despite the fact that Red is not fond of helping or friends. But it’s Red who provides the moment that brought a tear to our eye. As Bob is in denial about his wife’s departure, Red snaps him back to reality and reluctantly helps his friend. It is not normally Red who dishes out the tear-jerking moments, but he got us right in the feels with this one.
#8: Kelso Breaks up With Jackie “Everybody Loves Casey”
Top 10 Kelso & Jackie Moments on That '70s Show
Kelso and Jackie’s romantic relationship was turbulent throughout the show’s run to say the least. Between cheating, falling for other people, and realizing they want different things, they have broken up and gotten back together seemingly more times than Kelso has fallen off the water tower. But, when Kelso breaks it off with Jackie in season 4, it feels like a gut punch. After cheating on Jackie, Kelso reflects on his actions and comes to the conclusion that he did it because he doesn’t want to be with her anymore. He explains that she makes him feel bad about himself, and we really feel for both of them in this touching moment.
#7: Hyde’s Mom Leaves “Hyde Moves In”
When we are introduced to Hyde’s mom during career day, we can tell right away that Hyde comes by his blunt and hard nosed attitude honestly. But, near the end of season one, Hyde’s mom bails on him and he is left to make it on his own. Kitty is beside herself to see that Steven has been abandoned, and she insists that they take him in. Red has some choice words - we assume, we can’t hear them over the bleeping - and ultimately ends up gaining a second son in Hyde. This moment had us choked up as we saw that Hyde really does want to be loved by a family, and he finds just that in the Formans.
#6: Kitty’s Father Dies “Your Time Is Gonna Come”
Top 10 Kitty & Red Moments on That '70s & '90s Show
Throughout the show, we saw the Formans deal with many losses, all of which were emotional. When Red’s mom dies in Eric’s car it is seen first as a farce, until Red is unable to keep it together after her passing. But when Kitty’s father suddenly passes, we can’t help but reach for the tissues. Kitty’s mother always had trouble showing emotion, so when Kitty walks in on her mother having a difficult moment during Burt’s funeral, she sees that her mother is as human as the rest of us. They seem to reach an understanding without saying a word to each other, and we absolutely fell apart when Kitty fell into Eric’s arms afterwards.
#5: Second Choice “Love, Wisconsin Style”
Top 10 RuPaul's Drag Race Moments That Made Us Ugly Cry
Eric and Donna’s break up at the end of season 3 led to a rollercoaster of emotions for both parties involved. In the subsequent season, Donna starts dating Kelso’s older brother. After she is caught drinking with him in the middle of a school day, Bob lays down the law with them. Instead of fighting for her, Casey breaks it off instantly, and Donna goes back to Eric in an attempt to reconcile. Surprisingly, Eric rejects her, unwilling to be her second choice, and they stay apart - for now, anyway. We can hear and feel the emotion in both of their voices, and we’re so happy that Eric eventually changes his mind and goes after her.
#4: Red Hugs Hyde “Hyde’s Father”
Top 10 Ted Lasso Moments That Made Us Ugly Cry
As if having his mother walk out on him wasn’t bad enough, Hyde had already experienced similar grief when his father left. During a trip to the bar with his friends, he runs into his estranged father, and we learn he had been heartbreakingly counting the days since he last saw him. Hyde decides to move back in with him, despite the fact that the Formans had taken him in. It’s no secret that Hyde is the son Red, at times, wished he had, so it was sad to see them part ways. Showing emotion isn’t either of their strong suits, but the hug they share when Hyde leaves was enough to leave us teary-eyed.
#3: Yeah, Well I Don’t Love You “Nobody’s Fault But Mine”
Hyde and Jackie’s relationship was one of the most beloved ones on the show, so we were devastated when they broke up at the end of season 5. Throughout the season, Kelso struggles to adjust to his ex-girlfriend's new relationship, while Hyde has trouble with Kelso and Jackie remaining close considering their past. Hyde insists that Jackie keep her distance from Kelso, and he is crushed when he sees what he thinks is an intimate moment between the two. In turn, he cheats on her before learning that Jackie and Kelso’s moment was innocent. When he fesses up to her, she is inconsolable, and when he professes his love and she rejects him, our tears were flowing.
#2: Red Loves Eric “Till the Next Goodbye”
Top 20 This Is Us Moments That Made Us Ugly Cry
This father son relationship was definitely not one marked by love and connection, which makes the affectionate moments shared between the two that much more meaningful. When Eric announces he is going to Africa to become a teacher, his family and friends are put through the emotional ringer. Kitty and Donna are sad to see him go, and it turns out Red has some feelings about his son's departure as well. He tells him that he’ll miss him and that he loves him, and even though it’s clear he’ll only be saying those words once, it obviously meant the world to Eric. By the time the two embraced, we were already drowning in our own tears.
#1: The Break-Up “The Promise Ring”
Top 10 Bluey Moments That Made Us Ugly Cry
Eric and Donna’s relationship was the focal point of the show throughout most of its run. We loved watching them grow from a couple of teenagers crushing on one another to a mature couple making a commitment to each other. When Eric decides to get more serious with Donna, he buys her a promise ring. While she is initially touched, she starts to panic about the seriousness of the gesture. The most emotional moment of the show comes when she decides to give the ring back to Eric, and they call it quits. Luckily they would end up together eventually, but that doesn’t make this moment any less devastating.
