The Pill

Season 1, Episode 17, Aired
EDIT

Episode Summary

Since no one else is around, Jackie confides in Eric that she thinks she might be pregnant. Eric passes the news on to Donna, who tries to get Jackie to tell Kelso. The incident inspires Donna to go on birth control pills. Her decision inadvertantly causes Eric a lot of grief when Bob and the Formans find out.moreless
9.0
out of 10
EPISODE RATING: Superb
171 votes
  • Your Rating: 10
    "Perfect"
  • Your Rating: 9.5
    "Superb"
  • Your Rating: 9
    "Superb"
  • Your Rating: 8.5
    "Great"
  • Your Rating: 8
    "Great"
  • Your Rating: 7.5
    "Good"
  • Your Rating: 7
    "Good"
  • Your Rating: 6.5
    "Fair"
  • Your Rating: 6
    "Fair"
  • Your Rating: 5.5
    "Mediocre"
  • Your Rating: 5
    "Mediocre"
  • Your Rating: 4.5
    "Poor"
  • Your Rating: 4
    "Poor"
  • Your Rating: 3.5
    "Bad"
  • Your Rating: 3
    "Bad"
  • Your Rating: 2.5
    "Terrible"
  • Your Rating: 2
    "Terrible"
  • Your Rating: 1.5
    "Abysmal"
  • Your Rating: 1
    "Abysmal"
Rate It

Cast & Crew

See All EDIT

Fan Episode Reviews (10)

See All

  • superb

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By futuramarama, Apr 10, 2011 Report Abuse
    Jackie learns she may be pregnant, and she does not know what to do. Kelso freaks out about the prospect of being a dad. In the end it turns out Jackie is not pregnant, and she breaks up with Kelso, so something like this does not happen again.

    Donna meanwhile thinks about going on the pill, and things go awry when Red and Kitty find out and talk to Eric about sex.

    Good episode. I liked it. It was pretty funny, Eric running out of the pharmacy so fast, the black and white sequence, etc. Pretty good episode. Kind of boring in parts but overall I was entertained for the most part. Final grade, somewhere in the "B" Rangemoreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    1 0

  • 117

    8.7
    "Great"
    By Canogaparkcindy, Jan 15, 2011 Report Abuse
    This show isn't afraid to deal with real issues of the 70s. Such as sex & drugs, which is why I am a huge fan of this show. It's realistic, like life in the 70s. In this episode Jackie tells Eric she might be pregnant. Everyone starts to find out, even Kelso, who is freaking out about the whole situation. Her pregnancy scare is starting affect other people. Donna goes on the pill, after talking to Midge. Once Bob finds out, Red & Kitty want to have "the talk" with Eric. A hilarious scene indeed. In the end, Jackie finds out she isn't pregnant, and breaks up with Kelso. Meanwhile Laurie tries to guard the mail so Kitty & Red don't find out that she's flunking out of college. A hilarious episode, that definitely is a big step in Eric & Donna's relationship. Great episode.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    4 1

  • The kids just grow up so fast

    10
    "Perfect"
    By krazy4crack, Jan 15, 2011 Report Abuse
    Basically, this episode featured common things among teens. First, the false pregnancy. Second, the birth control pill. Third, the break-up. I think it was really nice how they made an episode that was both funny and sent out a message to the young people of today. In my opinion, the best way to deliver a message to teens is by not making it obvious that you are really sending them the message. Like through a fun way, something like this episode did.

    The reaction of the parents were really hilarious, especially Bob. His facial expressions were really, really funny.

    Overall, one of the best episodes this season.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    2 0

  • this was a good ep

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By cube2k8, Aug 26, 2010 Report Abuse
    in this ep of the show that 70s show erik gets told by jackie in confidence that she is pregant and then erik is so shocked that it happned and that he goes and tells donna and donna is like upset and thinks jakie did a stupid move by not using protection or something to stop it from happing since she is only sophmore and then donna goes and asks her mother questions and then while erik is in the store donnas dad finds out she is on the pill and donnas dad is angrey erik runs out of the store and donna family and erik having discussions about it and turns out jacki is not pregant .moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    2 0

  • After having sex with Kelso, Jackie is worried that she may be pregnant.

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By pudgebyrd722, Aug 26, 2010 Report Abuse
    This was another funny episode. Jackie gets worried because she thinks she is pregnant, and when Kelso finds out - well, he passes out. To me, they were stupid. Jackie should of known better and "got informed more" before having sex. Lucky for her, she turns out that he's not pregnant. But while Jackie is still stressing over being pregnant, Donna prescribes to herself birth control pills. Bob picks them up at the pharmacy ironically at the same time Eric is there, and once Eric finds out, he gets in trouble with Bob, Red, and Kitty, as they think he and Donna have either had or are planning on having sex. We all know they haven't had sex yet, but of course, at least Eric, is trying to plan it. Anyways, Eric gets in trouble, and for Donna, she has to deal with the embarassment that her dad, and the parents of her boyfriend knows about the pills. Jackie, though, gets the news that she isn't pregnant, and when she tells Donna, Donna makes Jackie NOT forget about the experience, and encourages her to go on The Pill, but I don't think she does. After this whole experience, she breaks up with Kelso. I don't know why she does this, but she was the one who was on the pill! And she decided to have sex with him. So who's to blame for all this in my opinion? Jackie.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    2 0
 

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

See All

  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • Donna: When this ERA passes, I'm gonna be able to do whatever I want. The ERA, or Equal Rights Amendment, was passed by Senate and Congress in 1972 and given a seven-year deadline for ratification by the states. The deadline was extended from 1979 to 1982; it still did not meet the requirements for ratification, so the ERA has never become law. Edit
    • The music used in this episode was: You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine (1976) by Lou Rawls. Edit
    • In the drugstore scene, with Eric and Bob, Bob has a green bottle of cologne in one hand, while he's talking to Eric, and in the next shot, the bottle of cologne has changed shape, size and color into a blue bottle, and the original green bottle is back on the counter. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • This is the first episode where the ending credits were at the right side of the screen. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Eric: I had a nice discussion with Red and Kitty about foreplay. Donna: I'm really sorry Eric. Eric: Yeah, me too. Edit
    • Kitty (to Eric): Foreplay is very important. Red: Oh, no it's not. Kitty (to Red): Yes, it is. Edit
    • Jackie: So Donna, tell me more about this pill. Does it do anything weird to your hair? Donna: Only above your lip. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Donna: You're fine. Red and Kitty are watching Bonanza. Bonanza was a weekly one-hour western that ran from 1959 to 1973, and then was syndicated. Edit
    • Dick Clark's Voice: Coming up in the second half-hour of American Bandstand: Shields and Yarnell, Elton John and Kiki Dee. American Bandstand was a long-running music program that started in 1957 and continued to 1987, hosted by Dick Clark. Shields and Yarnell were mime artists, popular in the mid-70s, who regularly appeared on The Sonny & Cher Show, eventually getting their own short-lived show. Elton John and Kiki Dee would have been performing their 1976 hit "Don't Go Breaking My Heart". Edit
    • Bob: Sanford thinks he's having a heart attack. It looks like the big one. Come watch. Bob is watching Sanford and Son, a half-hour weekly sitcom that ran from 1972 to 1977, starring Redd Foxx. The main character, Sanford, was always faking heart attacks to get his son to do what he wanted him to do. Edit

Show Forums

See All
Last Activity
Replies

Watch That '70s Show Full Episodes

See All

Related Shows

Season 1 Episodes

See All
Ep 25
The Good Son
Ep 24
Hyde Moves In
Ep 23
Grandma's Dead
Ep 22
Punk Chick
Ep 21
Water Tower
Ep 20
A New Hope
Ep 19
Prom Night
Ep 18
Career Day
Ep 17
The Pill
Ep 16
The First Date
Ep 15
That Wrestling Show
Ep 14
Stolen Car
Ep 13
Ski Trip
Ep 12
The Best Christmas Ever
Ep 11
Eric's Buddy
Ep 10
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
Ep 9
Thanksgiving
Ep 8
Drive-In
Ep 7
That Disco Episode
Ep 6
The Keg
Ep 5
Eric's Burger Job
Ep 4
Battle of the Sexists
Ep 3
Streaking
Ep 2
Eric's Birthday
Ep 1
That '70s Pilot

Contributors

Become a contributor
More
Less

TV Listings

Full Listings
BROWSE | Shows | Videos | News | Listings | Forums | People | Photos | TV.com Blog

CBS Entertainment | About TV.com | About CBS Interactive | Jobs | Advertise

© 2012 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy | Ad Choice | Terms of Use