The original post: /r/television by /u/Rough-Key-6667 on 2025-02-12 08:56:00.

I noticed that many shows following That 70s show tries to be a period specific show. Now whenever it’s a show following a fictional group it goes two ways in terms of storytelling

  1. The Showrunner & Writers tries to force feed us the fact it’s taking place in said decade & the show is just a rose tainted view of how things were eg: Stranger things, The Goldbergs, That 80s show & That 90s show to list a few.

Or 2) the characters are fictional so history is molded around the events of the fictional story. Like Mad men or Boardwalk Empire.

Why is it that the first option is the most prevalent one among writers & showrunners.