Going to California (17 Sep. 2002)

Eric goes to California to express his love for Donna, meanwhile Kelso tries to talk Annette into bed.

Director:

David Trainer

Writer:

Jeff Filgo

Stars:

Topher Grace, Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Topher Grace	...	Eric Forman
Mila Kunis	...	Jackie Burkhart
Ashton Kutcher	...	Michael Kelso
Danny Masterson	...	Steven Hyde
Laura Prepon	...	Donna Pinciotti
Wilmer Valderrama	...	Fez
Debra Jo Rupp	...	Kitty Forman
Kurtwood Smith	...	Reginald "Red" Forman
Don Stark	...	Bob Pinciotti
Jessica Simpson	...	Annette

Storyline

Eric sleeps till noon and then concentrates on his bowl movements, till Kitty reports Donna has phoned. In California Donna bitchily tries to ruin Michael Kelso's sweetly picking up dumb blonde Malibu surfers girl Annette by nagging about Jackie. Eric's parents forbade him to go, but Hyde bought a ticket from his secretly stashed-away money and promises to cover for him, but actually hooks up with Jackie, who rats on him. Once reunited, the love-birds, wanting to go straight back home, commandeer poor Kelso and his van, but Annette wouldn't put out anyway.

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Plot Keywords:

swimwear | sand castle | malibu california | title based on song | kissing | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 September 2002 (USA)

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The episode title is also the title of a track on the fourth album by Led Zeppelin, released in 1971. Several other episodes are also named for songs on this album, including "Battle of Evermore", "Black Dog", and "Misty Mountain Hop".

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Quotes

Michael Kelso: So, Annette, I'm just saying that I'm leaving in a couple of hours. So I guess the question is: what or what can two virgins do to kill an afternoon?
Annette: [thinks] Well, there is something... but it's kind of wet and dirty.
[Kelso thinks Annette means to have sex]
Michael Kelso: [excited] SOLD!
[shorty later, Kelso and Annette are on the beach, building a sand-castle. Kelso is disappointed, for this is not what he had in mind]
Annette: Having fun?
Michael Kelso: No. These are our last hours together, and... you're not nude!
Annette: [dissapointed] So,...
[...]

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Connections

References Love Story (1970)

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Soundtracks

"Hot Child in the City"
Written by Nick Gilder and Jimmy McCulloch
Performed by Nick Gilder

User Reviews

Definitely one of the weakest episodes of the series run

By the time That '70s Show reached in its fifth season in the fall of 2002, it had already begun to show signs of old age. The Eric/Donna relationship fights were getting old, the number of jokes missing the target were increasing, and Kelso (Ashton Kutcher) had started going from funny to annoying. What the season premiere to the fifth season needed was something to make the show fresh, a plot twist, a major change, or the return of a previously seen character. What was supplied instead was Jessica Simpson in her acting debut. I love Jessica Simpson as much as the next guy in the 18-25 demographic, but it just wasn't right to bring her in while the show was in the middle of a slump for the first time. There is nothing wrong with her performance in the episode, she has the dumb blonde routine down and looks drop dead gorgeous as always, though the material she and the rest of the cast are given to work with isn't up to the standards of the previous seasons other than the opening scene with Eric (Topher Grace) in the bathroom. It's definitely one of the weakest episodes of the series.