msstock87

I would not want to live in that house.

MistyMountainHop

The Kelso household has to be total chaos. I can't see either of Kelso's parents being good at setting boundaries.

msstock87

No I can't see it either especially looking just at Casey and Michael...

MistyMountainHop

Exactly. No one was paying attention, and no one taught them how to treat women properly ... although Kelso's protective of his mom.

msstock87

I like to think the Kelso boys learned to appreciate woman later in life at least.

banane

I think that they did. We dont know Casey that much but Kelso, although he was immature, he was not a bad guy.

MistyMountainHop

Kelso is a bad guy for the majority of the show. His naivete, doofusness, and Ashton's comedic timing tends to obscure it. But during seasons 1-5, Kelso is a selfish, hypocritical, self-entitled narcissist who doesn't respect a woman's no.

He cheats on Jackie the first chance he gets (with Pam Macy). He continually hits on Laurie while dating Jackie. Then right after he and Jackie reconcile from a breakup ("Prom Night" [119]), he makes out with Laurie ("A New Hope" [120]).

That's just in season 1.

In season 2, he sleeps with Laurie while pretending to be monogamous to Jackie. We learn in "Sleepover" (208) that Kelso doesn't take Jackie's no for an answer. He "whine[s] and beg[s]" for hours for sex until she gives in to shut him up.

Once Jackie dumps him, he threatens Fez not to date Jackie -- as if he owns her. During a short period (a few episodes) of grief and unsuccessfully trying to woo Jackie back, he both flaunts his relationship with Laurie in front of her and sics Laurie on her to burn her repeatedly, adding insult to injury.

During season 3, he tries to trick her into taking him back by becoming her "girl friend". She eventually does take him back, and he seems like a better man for a little while. But he eventually starts to neglect her, and she has one kiss with one other person, which she tells Kelso about almost immediately -- and he acts as if that is a worse offense than him having sex with Laurie for months while lying to Jackie about it.

Where Jackie forgives him for everything he's done to her -- even showing him compassion during their breakup when he's impotent instead of justifiably gloating -- he holds her one transgressive kiss against her. He constantly brings it up and accuses her of cheating. He stalks her at the mall, and then he justifies his own cheating while simultaneously declaring she has no right to cheat herself.

She tricks him into proposing, and instead of setting her straight, he runs away to California and sleeps with as many women as he can. He presumably does this before he gets her breakup letter and, of course, afterward. When he returns, he continues to speak as if he owns Jackie ("What Is and What Should Never Be" [503]). He's allowed to sleep with whoever he wants, but she's not allowed to date anyone who isn't him.

He tries to break Jackie and Hyde up when he learns they're dating. According to Kelso's rules, she isn't allowed to find happiness with anyone but him. He's manipulative toward her and hostile toward Hyde, and he disrespect her no again when she tells him she can't talk to him in "You Shook Me" (522) and doesn't leave when she asks him to.

Kelso's rationale is that Jackie shouldn't date one of his best friends. But he hits on Donna while she's dating one of his best friends, Eric. He goes so far as to get physical with her, kissing her neck during "Roller Disco" (305). He also hits on Donna while she's broken up with Eric. He tries to grope her breast during the drive to California ("Love, Wisconsin Style [427]), and it's clear this isn't a first-time attempt.

Kelso is not a good guy. He's funny, but he's not good -- not until season 6 when he finally stops being so selfish and tries to grow up.

And that is my essay-rant for the day.

msstock87

Such a good essay Lisa.

I agree, when he was with Brooke she forced him to start to grow up. That's why I wish they would have stuck.

One Thing Remains

I knew Kelso was kind of a jerk but I didn't realize just how bad he was until I read your post

MistyMountainHop

Thank you, Colleen!

Amy, yeah. Ashton's comedic timing tends to obscure just how bad a guy Kelso often is.

MistyMountainHop

Thank you, Colleen!

Amy, yeah. Ashton's comedic timing tends to obscure just how bad a guy Kelso often is.

One Thing Remains

I kind of feel like Kelso needed to have a kid to ever grow up or mature in anyway. He was the only character that never really changed until he was forced to with the baby.

msstock87

That's a very good point!

One Thing Remains

it would be awesome to get a tv movie to catch up with everyone and see where they are 10 yrs later

msstock87

As long as it was written right.