That 70’s Show: The Formans

-Red Forman (father) ◦ Red is a very unemotional man. He is sarcastic and

very bitter. He rules the house and does it in an authoritarian manner.

Kitty Forman (mother) ◦ Kitty is a very energetic wife (who likes to drink)

and mother. She is the barrier between her son Eric and Red. She tries to keep the tension low with her bubbly personality. She is the opposite to Red which helps balance things out.

Eric Forman (son, brother) ◦ Eric is a laid back person who has no direction despite his fathers

wishes. He only cares out his friends and girlfriend and most of the time does the opposite of what his father wants. He is into the relaxation by the means of Marijuana like a lot of people in that time period. He is very witty and sarcastic which fuels the fire with his father.

Lori Forman (sister) ◦ Lori is a good looking blonde who knows that she

can get people and things in her favor by using it. She is promiscuous and comes off very whorish in the show. She is kind of the drifter, do what she wants child because she has no fear regarding Red.

Steven Hyde (foster brother) ◦ Steven was first Eric’s friend who had no direction

in life. He lives in the Forman’s basement and is a major pot head. He is the bad influence that fuels Eric’s rebellious moments in the show. Red and Kitty put up with him because they know he is a great person underneath and has a lot of potential even if he acts like he doesn’t care.

The Forman’s are a blended family

“Families may be blended through the addition of adopted or foster children” (ch. 1 p. 9)

The edition of Steven makes them a Blended Family

The Forman’s I would consider to be a Connected family. ◦ Connected Family: Family members experience

emotional independence as well as some sense of involvement and belonging (ch.2p.31)

◦ The Forman’s while they are always arguing and disagreeing they still sit down and try to have family dinners. They also know that however much trouble they are in they will always be able to lean on each other. Kitty is a major factor in this reassurance because of her warmth.

Red: Head of house, Makes rules, Tries are to Enforce them

Kitty: House Wife, tries to persuade Red but most of the time it doesn’t work

Children: They really do not have a say in the household. There job is to rebel and make things hard on Red

Rigid: Family members low levels of change, as well as authoritarian leadership and strict roles and rules (ch.2 p.32) ◦ Because of Red’s authoritarian leadership style, The

kids know that what he says goes. However, because of Kitty there is some chaos. She often likes to test Red and the kids are always willing to get a rise out of Red.

Marital Maintenance ◦ Red and Kitty have their differences. Kitty is a house

wife and Red is the breadwinner. They both except these roles. They always have a house full of kids and there is always a tension in the house. At the end of the day (episode) Red and Kitty always find their way to the bedroom and through their sexual appetite with each other they stay connected.

As a family, there isn’t much maintenance that goes on. They have family meals that usually end in someone mad and storming off. Kitty keeps everyone close with her cooking and spunk. AS for the kids they are usually wanting to be anywhere but together or with their parents. This leads them to their dysfunctional family style.

Galvin, Kathleen M., Carma Lee Bylund, and Bernard J. Brommel. Family Communication: Cohesion and Change. 8th ed. Boston: Pearson Allyn and Bacon, 2012. Print.