I suppose Fox's That '70s Show is to this generation what Happy Days was to the 1970's...both a nostalgic look at a bygone era and an affirmation that, while styles may change, people generally don't. The early years of Happy Days was focused squarely on those awkward teenage years, and did so in a way that one didn't have to live through those times to appreciate the humor. That '70s Show follows a similar format, though it has remained much more ground in reality than what Happy Days would later become. It's also really damned funny, and this four-disc set of the first season is a must-have, for this show is one of those few that definitely warrants repeat viewings.

The show takes place in Point Place, Wisconsin in 1976, a tiny town where bored teenagers, like Eric foreman (Topher Grace), have little to do but hang-out, get high, cause trouble and/or try to score with the opposite sex. Much of the show centers around Foreman and his relationships with his family, friends and the girl next door he's known all his life, but has begun dating. Most episodes have fairly simple stories, either dealing with what's important to most teenagers, such as sneaking beers from your parents' party, getting your first car and driving where you aren't supposed to go, finding time to be alone with your girlfriend, or trying to understand the behavior of your parents, whom are seemingly totally out of touch with what it's like to be young (or so these kids think). But That '70s Show isn't some maudlin piece of nostalgia like The Wonder Years . The show never descends into sloppy sentimentality (even though some of us old folks can't help but watch an go, "Man, I knew a guy like that!" or "I used to wear something just like that!"). At the same time, nearly every story rings true to a certain extent (such as Eric's father's job worries and Hyde's terrible home life), and this is where it differs from Happy Days, which drifted so far from its original premise (with Fonzie's super-hero antics and visits from spacemen...remember Mork from Ork?) that it's original concept was lost. While some of the show's effectiveness comes from outstanding writing (which is clever, but not too clever) and meticulous attention to period detail, it's hard to imagine the show working as well as it does without the cast, all of whom raise the material to another level. I especially like Danny Masterson as the laid-back Hyde, and Kurtwood Smith as Eric's dad, who steals every scene he's in. To realize just how good the cast of kids is, one needs to look no further than the pot-smoking sessions which frequent most episodes; aided by clever camerawork (we never actually see them smoking), these guys say things which wouldn't even raise a smile in less capable hands, but they are uproarious here. Every episode of the first season is a winner, so it would be hard to pick a favorite. Some standout episodes include the pilot, when Eric gets the family station wagon, "Water Tower," in which Eric accidently sees his parents having sex, "Career Day," where the kids get an eye-opening look at their parents' jobs, and "A New Hope," in which the Star Wars craze plays an impact on Eric's jealousy over a guy hitting on his girlfriend.

This set is pretty light on the extras, and what's here is mostly fluff. There's an 18 minute featurette where the cast and crew talk about the show, but there's no behind the scenes footage. Also included are some Fox promo spots and a fairly useless "trivia" feature, in which cast members ask a series of questions, only to have the answers immediately provided by clips from the show. Considering the show is a period piece, I would think some stuff about the costuming and set design would be in order, and some audio commentary by the writers would have been a valuable addition.

This is definitely a boxed set worth having, especially for fans of the show. Unlike many whole season collections, all 25 episodes offer a lot of laughs, as well as some clever-yet-affectionate ribbing toward the era in which the show takes place. My only quip is with the lack of substantial extras; I think folks really into the series would want more than what's offered here.