People still talk about it. Even decades after the bell-bottoms were packed away and the basement smoke cleared, one specific guest star remains burned into the collective memory of the fandom. We’re talking about That 70s Show Eric's buddy, Buddy Morgan, played by a young, pre-Inception Joseph Gordon-Levitt. It was Season 1, Episode 11, titled simply "Eric's Buddy." At the time, it felt like a massive shift for a show that was mostly about weed jokes, "foot in ass" threats, and the general malaise of suburban Wisconsin.
Most guest spots on 90s sitcoms were throwaways. You’d get a famous face, a few laughs, and then they’d vanish into the ether, never to be mentioned by the core cast again. But Buddy was different. He wasn't just a gimmick. He was a catalyst that forced Eric Forman—and the audience—to look at the show's world through a completely different lens.
Who was Buddy Morgan?
Buddy was the antithesis of the Point Place gang. While Hyde was cynical and Kelso was, well, Kelso, Buddy was rich, charming, and drove a Trans Am that made everyone drool. He was the "cool kid" from the other side of the tracks, the kind of guy who actually had his life together. Eric was immediately smitten with the friendship. Honestly, it made sense. Eric spent most of his time being bullied by his father, Red, or being the literal "nice guy" of a group that constantly mocked him. Finding someone who actually appreciated his humor and had a cool car was a dream come true.
Then came the twist.
While sitting in that iconic Trans Am, Buddy leaned in and kissed Eric. It was a genuine, quiet moment that caught Eric—and 1998 television audiences—completely off guard. In an era where "gay panic" was a standard comedic trope, the show handled it with a surprising amount of nuance, even if the fallout was played for laughs. Buddy wasn't a caricature. He was just a guy who liked Eric.
✨ Don't miss: Temuera Morrison as Boba Fett: Why Fans Are Still Divided Over the Daimyo of Tatooine
Why the "Eric's Buddy" Episode Was Revolutionary
You have to remember the context of 1998. Will & Grace had just premiered. The "coming out" episode of Ellen was still fresh in the cultural psyche. Most shows handled LGBTQ+ characters with heavy-handed "very special episode" energy or made them the butt of a cruel joke. That 70s Show Eric's buddy broke that mold. Buddy was popular. He was wealthy. He was "masculine" in the traditional 70s sense.
The humor didn't come from Buddy being gay; it came from Eric's typical awkwardness. Eric’s frantic attempts to process what happened without being a "jerk" reflected a very real, very human internal struggle. He didn't hate Buddy. He was just confused. It’s a rare instance where a sitcom from that era chose empathy over easy punching bags.
The Joseph Gordon-Levitt Factor
Joseph Gordon-Levitt was already a star thanks to 3rd Rock from the Sun, but his turn as Buddy Morgan showed a different range. He played Buddy with a confident, effortless cool. When he tells Eric, "You’re a catch," it doesn't feel like a line from a script. It feels like a genuine compliment from one teenager to another.
Rumor has it that Buddy was actually supposed to be a recurring character. The chemistry between Gordon-Levitt and Topher Grace was undeniable. They bounced off each other with a frantic, nervous energy that the show could have mined for seasons. However, the story goes that the live studio audience’s reaction to the kiss was so polarized—and the network so nervous—that the writers quietly shelved the character. Buddy drove off in his Trans Am and was never seen again. It’s one of those great "what ifs" of television history. Imagine how the dynamic of the basement would have changed if Buddy had stuck around to challenge Hyde’s alpha-male posturing or Kelso’s vanity.
🔗 Read more: Why Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Actors Still Define the Modern Spy Thriller
The Cultural Impact and the "Lost" Arc
When we look back at That 70s Show Eric's buddy, it's easy to see it as a missed opportunity. While the show went on to have a massive eight-season run, it rarely touched on themes that deep ever again. It settled into a comfortable rhythm of relationship drama and stoner tropes. Buddy represented a path the show almost took—a path that was a bit more grounded and daring.
There’s a lot of debate among fans about whether the show "chickened out." Some argue that 1970s Wisconsin wouldn't have been ready for an openly gay character in a tight-knit friend group. Others point out that the show was always a period piece filtered through a 90s lens, so they had the freedom to be more progressive than the actual 70s were. Regardless, the episode remains a high-water mark for the series.
- The Trans Am: It represented the freedom Eric desperately wanted.
- The Lab Partner Dynamic: It gave Eric an identity outside of being "Donna's boyfriend" or "Red's disappointment."
- The Kiss: A moment of genuine vulnerability in a show defined by sarcasm.
How to Revisit the Episode Today
If you’re looking to rewatch the saga of That 70s Show Eric's buddy, you’ll find it in the middle of the first season. It’s fascinating to see how well it holds up. Some of the jokes feel dated, sure, but the central conflict is timeless. It’s about the realization that people are more complex than the boxes we put them in.
If you want to dive deeper into the history of the show, I'd recommend checking out the DVD commentaries or the various "Making Of" retrospectives that surfaced during the 20th anniversary. The writers often talk about how Buddy was designed to be the "perfect" friend for Eric, which made the revelation of his feelings all the more impactful for Eric's character growth.
💡 You might also like: The Entire History of You: What Most People Get Wrong About the Grain
Final Thoughts on the Legacy of Buddy Morgan
Buddy Morgan wasn't just a guest character. He was a mirror. He showed Eric—and us—that the world was a lot bigger than Point Place. Even though he only appeared in one episode, the impact of That 70s Show Eric's buddy is still felt. He remains a fan favorite precisely because he was the one character who saw Eric Forman as more than just a skinny kid in a basement.
For those looking to explore more about the casting and the behind-the-scenes drama of That '70s Show, look into the production notes regarding the Season 1 transition. You'll find that the show was originally much more experimental before it found its "formula." Buddy was a remnant of that experimental phase, a glimmer of a more complex version of the show that almost existed.
To get the most out of your next rewatch, pay close attention to the scenes in the school hallway before the car scene. The way Gordon-Levitt plays Buddy’s admiration for Eric is subtle and masterful. It’s a masterclass in guest acting.
Next time you see Joseph Gordon-Levitt in a blockbuster movie, remember: before he was an A-list star, he was the guy who drove a Trans Am into Point Place and gave Eric Forman the most confusing, significant afternoon of his teenage life.
Take Action: If you’re a collector, look for the Season 1 "Stash Box" DVD sets. They often contain slightly extended takes and outtakes from the Buddy scenes that didn't make the final broadcast cut. Comparing the broadcast version to the unedited reactions of the studio audience provides a wild look at how much TV has changed since the late 90s. It’s a piece of television history worth preserving.