Summary

• Topher Grace left That '70s Show to pursue a movie career, leading to iconic roles like Venom in Spider-Man 3.
• Eric leaving in the final season negatively impacted That '70s Show, resulting in rushed storylines and a new unlikable character.
• Grace reprised his role as Eric in That '90s Show, bringing closure for fans after his absence in the final season.

One of the most iconic things about That '70s Show was the regular cast of characters that featured in each episode, especially the Forman family, whose basement and kitchen were where much of the show's action happened. The sitcom aired for eight seasons, from 1998 to 2006, but its main protagonist, Eric Forman, was nowhere to be seen in Season 8. Topher Grace made a satisfying return as Eric Forman in That '90s Show, finally making up for his absence in the final season, but why did he leave in the first place?

That '70s Show follows a group of teenagers coming of age in the mid- to late-1970s, in fictional Point Place, Wisconsin. Eric leaves That '70s Show when he goes to Africa to pursue a teaching career and earn an important scholarship. Although Eric's departure was a shock for fans, Grace had a practical reason to leave the show. Thankfully, it's not the last fans see him. 17 years after the end of That '70s Show, Grace and other members of the original cast make nostalgic appearances in That '90s Show, a spin-off series that follows Eric and Donna's daughter, Leia.

Updated April 15th, 2024, by Arthur Goyaz: Eric Forman left That '70s Show in Season 8, the show's final season, but Topher Grace made fans happy by reprising the role in That '90s Show. This article was updated to add relevant information about Eric Forman's return in That '90s Show and the impact of his absence in the final season of That '70s Show. In addition, changes were made to meet CBR's most current standards in formatting.

Why Did Topher Grace Leave That '70s Show?

Grace Wanted to Expand His Career Into Film

In a way, soul-searching is what led Grace to exit That '70s Show. The sitcom was his first acting role, but over the course of seven seasons, Grace had a few small parts in movies like Traffic, Ocean's Eleven, and Mona Lisa Smile. In 2004, he was also the romantic lead in Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! The experience inspired Grace to pursue more film roles. However, television schedules are demanding, so he was limited by what he could do while starring on That '70s Show. The only way Grace could follow his own passion was to leave the show entirely.

Grace built a sustainable movie career after his departure from That '70s Show, beginning, most prominently, with the role of Eddie Brock, aka Venom, one of Spider-Man's strongest villains, in 2007's Spider-Man 3. While that movie marked the end of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy, the casting was a big deal for Grace. Venom was the film's main antagonist, which was quite different from his role as amiable good guy Eric Forman. However, after that, Grace's film career slowed. Leaving a stable television role is a gamble, and it took a little longer to pay off. In recent years, Grace has landed roles in major films, including Interstellar, alongside Jessica Chastain, and BlacKkKlansman, with John David Washington.

Topher Grace's Most Recent Projects

• 2021-2023: Home Economics (TV Series)
• 2020: Irresistible (Movie)
• 2020: The Twilight Zone (TV Series)
• 2019: Black Mirror (TV Series)
• The Hot Zone: (TV Series)

While Grace eventually went on to build a respectable film career, he never forgot his roots. He made a return for That '70s Show's finale, allowing Eric to reunite with Donna and rekindle their relationship. Grace's return, though brief, gave the show the sense of closure that it needed. Co-stars Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis also pursued film careers. Despite his jump to the big screen, That '70s Show cemented Topher Grace's legacy. He will always be known as Eric Foreman -- and that's not a bad thing.

How Eric Forman's Exit Impacted That '70s Show's Final Season

Without Its Main Character, That '70s Show Jumped the Shark

By the time That '70s Show decided to call off Eric and Donna's wedding at the end of Season 6, the show could no longer hide the fact that it was jumping the shark. Eric Forman leaving That '70s Show in Season 8 is the fruit of Grace's decision to pursue a movie career, but works as a result of Eric's arc getting stale. After all, Red's heart attack in Season 5, a failed wedding with his one true love, and insecurities about his future in post-school all led to Eric turning into a completely different character in Season 7. All of a sudden, Eric was a much more sardonic, insensitive person than the naive, nerdy teenager he was in earlier seasons.

Eric and Donna have always been meant for one another, and their relationship acted as That '70s Show's guiding thread for many seasons. Eric's departure in Season 8 led to Donna getting romantically involved with Randy Pearson, a character written into the show for the sole purpose of replacing Eric's absence within the group. It goes without saying that the lack of chemistry between Donna and Randy made their scenes together an ordeal to watch, heavily disrupting the OG group's dynamics.

Perhaps it would've taken longer for That '70s Show to wear off if it weren't for Ashton Kutcher deciding to follow Grace and leaving the show himself to pursue a promising film career. Michael Kelso exits That '70s Show in Season 8, episode 4, "Misfire," when he decides to take responsibility for Brooke Rockwell's child and move to Chicago. His departure left That '70s Show without two of its funniest characters and led to another upsetting romantic storyline. Kelso and Jackie's on-and-off relationship was a recurring joke in the show. With Kelso away, the showrunners decided to put Jackie and Fez together, another That '70s Show decision that aged poorly.

Despite a rather shallow final season, That '70s Show wrapped up Season 8 with a satisfying ending, thanks to Grace and Kutcher returning to draw Eric and Kelso's arcs to a close. Eric and Donna finally reconcile, setting the path for a promising future between the couple, whose successful relationship works as the foundation of Netflix's spin-off series, That '90s Show.

Eric and the Original Cast Return for That '90s Show

Bringing Back the Original Cast for the Spin-Off Only Improved the Nostalgic Value of That '90s Show

A return to Point Place, Wisconsin, was announced in 2021, when Netflix picked up 10 episodes of a spin-off called That '90s Show. That '90s Show introduces likable new characters and follows a similar formula to its predecessor. Following the adventures of Leia Forman and the teenage friends she makes while visiting Wisconsin in the summer of 1995, Leia is quite a bit like her parents. She and her new friends spend a lot of time in Red and Kitty's basement, pondering life, love and the pursuit of freedom.

The whole premise of the show is Leia staying home with her grandparents, and exploring the relationship between veterans Kitty and Red with the generation of '90s kids. Leia, Gwen, Jay, Ozzie, Nizzi, and Nate all reflect Eric and his friends in a same-place-different-time scenario. In that sense, there's no place for the original characters of That '70s Show in the main cast of That '90s Show, but thankfully, Eric and the others make brief, yet unforgettable appearances.

Everyone's favorite couple, Donna and Eric, steal the show for themselves in the pilot of That '90s Show. Their cameos were expected since their daughter is the show's main character, but viewers get to spend a good deal of time catching up with the two characters. Eric is still the same Star Wars-obsessed person from That '70s Show, even naming his daughter after Princess Leia, and inherited the overprotective attitude from his father. He works as an adjunct professor teaching "the religion of Star Wars" and lives in Chicago with Donna, whom he married.

Donna fulfills her dream of becoming a writer, reflecting the character's aspirations in That '70s Show. Eric and Donna perfectly reflect Red and Kitty as parents, with Eric acting as the unyielding, controlling father and Donna acting as the caring, understanding mother. Michael Kelso and Jackie Burkhart also make a quick cameo in That '90s Show. In the present, the couple finally came to terms with their love and got married. They have a 16-year-old son, Jay Kelso, who befriends Leia and becomes her love interest in the show. Fez, That '70s Show's beloved foreign exchange student, has stayed in Wisconsin and opened a beauty salon called "Chez Fez."

Unfortunately, That '90s Show doesn't include a scene with the original cast together, not even between the parents of Leia and Jay. The only member of the That '70s Show OG group who does not reprise his role in the spin-off show is Danny Masterson. He played Hyde, the group's grumpy and rock-obsessed friend, but didn't appear in That '90s Show because of Masterson's serious criminal charges, which led to a 30-year sentence.

The return of Eric and his friends might not have been what fans expected it to be, but at least it gave viewers a nostalgic taste of what happened to beloved characters and brought the actors back to playing the roles that turn them into stars. At least That '90s Show was quickly renewed for a second season, and a proper reunion with Eric and his friends joining one last marijuana circle is still possible.