I agree, and even this post is almost 10 years old, LOL!
Anyhow, even though FOX jumped the gun, they needed the fan base from That '70s Show (1998) in order for this show to thrive.
Since the above series was a huge ratings hit at the time, they probably figured that people were nostalgic enough for the 1980s but alas, that wasn't necessarily the case in 2002.
I remember them promoting the heck out of That '80s Show. There were advertisements before, during, and after an episode of That '70s Show. They bragged about how it was going to be just like that series and it's absolutely something you must see! Then, it crashed and burned.
People I knew all tuned out after the pilot episode. The ratings took a huge nosedive and the critics panned the crap out of it. They wound up pulling the series after thirteen episodes.
Eleven years later, ABC nailed it by making The Goldbergs (2013). They waited just about the appropriate amount of time (24 years) before people started longing for something retro. It currently has three seasons and has been renewed for a fourth. It may be more family-oriented, but at least the characters are likeable.
Oh well, in a way, I'm glad this show tanked. There would be no It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005) without Glenn Howerton.
I think FOX made a good call on this one, though they have a reputation for killing off T.V. shows way too soon...*cough*Firefly (2002), Arrested Development (2003)*cough*.
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