If you look closely during the scene where Grandma Bernice dies on Eric's shoulder, the actress is actually caught blinking. Final Thoughts
When we think of "That '70s Show," we usually picture the gang in the basement, but "Grandma’s Dead" (Season 1, Episode 23) takes a much darker, yet hilariously awkward, turn into family tragedy. Originally intended as the Season 1 finale and set in 1976, this episode finds the Formans navigating the unexpected loss of Red’s mother, Bernice. The Plot: "It Wouldn’t Kill You to Be Nice"
immediately starts eyeing her grandmother's possessions, looking for the silver lining in the inheritance. Highlights and Trivia [S1E23] Grandma's Dead
is forced to babysit his overly emotional brother, Marty, who is a constant "millstone around his neck".
copes with her "mixed feelings" about her mother-in-law by cooking an absurd amount of food. If you look closely during the scene where
Meanwhile, the rest of the Forman house is in its usual state of semi-functional chaos:
The episode kicks off with Eric driving his notoriously difficult grandmother home. After Eric tells her it "wouldn’t kill her to be nice for one day," she promptly drops dead on his shoulder. Naturally, Eric is convinced he's a murderer and spends much of the episode riddled with guilt and fear of telling Red. The Plot: "It Wouldn’t Kill You to Be
"Grandma’s Dead" is a perfect example of how the show balanced its sitcom roots with surprisingly dark humor. Whether it’s Eric’s paranoia or Red’s struggle with his brother, it captures the messy, uncomfortable reality of family loss through a distinctly '70s lens.