Among the many couples That ‘70s Show brought to fans, Jackie and Kelso remain one of the most popular. Ever since the real-life marriage of the actors, there’s been a huge level of interest where this relationship is concerned. And yet, Jackie and Kelso did pretty mean things to each other, something that can’t be ignored.
There were points one could argue were in their favor, even after considering their issues, but they had a lot of problems they couldn’t overcome, which ultimately meant they didn’t end up together. With that in mind, here are five reasons why they’re a good couple, and five why they were the worst.
Good: They Were Each Other’s First Loves
There’s no denying that, despite the many problems they had, these two really did love each other. Even after they broke up and went their separate ways, Jackie and Kelso would acknowledge being each other’s first love.
In their own immature way, this definitely was true, considering neither Jackie or Kelso really knew what it was like to be in love. Due to this, their young romance can be considered special in its own unique way.
Worst: They Didn’t Support The Other’s Future Aspirations
Every instance of progress in their careers or studies arrived without the influence of the other one. In fact, Kelso had no respect for Jackie’s future at all, being very content to live in the moment and go so far as to be annoyed when Jackie did find work.
Unlike how she was with Hyde, whom she tried to make goal-oriented, Jackie didn’t devote nearly as much effort to Kelso. She was mostly interested in how his looks might take him far, but nothing as far as a genuine future was concerned.
Good: Their Personalities Are Similar
These two are like the boy and girl version of the same person. This was the reason why they got together in the first place, as Jackie and Kelso found similar interests, even when they weren’t being romantic.
A good argument can be made that they could have made it work had they been more mature, seeing as there was hardly a moment where they disagreed on stuff that they liked. It’s always fun to follow a couple with a like-minded mentality, with Jackie and Kelso fulfilling this aspect for sure.
Worst: They Encouraged Each Other’s Superficial Nature
The downside of being too alike comes here, as neither of these two had the capacity to encourage their romantic partner to be more than they were. During their time together, Jackie and Kelso took their conceitedness to ridiculous lengths, with both of them pushing this idea in each other’s heads.
Had they remained together, Jackie wouldn’t have grown to be Donna’s friend by caring about her, nor could Kelso ever have realized there was more to life than his looks. Instead, they would’ve been stuck in their shallow mindset while time passed by.
Good: Jackie Learned To Mature Because Of Him
After breaking up due to his infidelity, Jackie took to putting Kelso through some “trials” to prove himself, eventually forgiving him completely. It only makes one a bigger person to learn to forgive and had Kelso not cheated on her, then Jackie wouldn’t have grown in maturity.
Jackie would never have even considered it once, as she was too hung up on her high horse to be the bigger person. However, due to her still-lingering feelings for him, she managed to make the right decision at the time.
Worst: They Wanted Each Other When It Wasn’t An Option
The times where Jackie and Kelso showed the most interest in each other were when either one or both were in relationships with other people. This is an indication of a toxic mentality, seeing as they couldn’t be happy together nor content to see the other with someone else.
When they were an item, Kelso would take to pursuing other women, while Jackie wouldn’t care as much of his whereabouts. Looking at things this way, it would seem that it was all about the chase that appealed to them rather than the actual relationship.
Good: Kelso Tried To Be A Good Boyfriend For Her
All things considered, Kelso’s characterization is pretty much that he’s a person who only views physical pleasure as the best thing about life. With Jackie, though, he did try to turn this around and become a real boyfriend.
Following his successful attempt at winning her back, Kelso finally behaved like a responsible partner – at least for some time – a move he didn’t do for any other woman until much later in the series. This at least proves that he could be a better person due to Jackie’s love.
Worst: Kelso’s Abandonment Of Jackie And Her Moving On
There were many instances where Kelso hurt Jackie, but this has to be the one that solidified how they weren’t meant to be. After realizing that Jackie would want to get married, Kelso fled across the country with Donna to avoid her.
Not only did he abandon Jackie, this effectively ended their relationship since Kelso started a fling with another girl. While Jackie wasn’t to blame, the point against their coupling is the fact that she moved on to Hyde during this time, meaning her feelings for Kelso never had been absolute.
Good: Their Overall Relationship Was Based On Friendship
Although many fans claim that Jackie was far better with Hyde than with Kelso, she did have a very acrimonious relationship with Hyde whenever they broke up or when they weren’t together. Meanwhile, she and Kelso always remained friendly with one another.
The basis of a good relationship has to do with a friendship between romantic partners, with Kelso and Jackie most definitely retaining this; only a few sitcom friendships can make this claim. It didn’t matter if they were romantic or not, there was always a laidback feel to these two, making it something most couples would envy.
Worst: They Acknowledged Their Marriage Would Fail
If it’s still not convincing that these two weren’t right for one another, then take it from the characters themselves. Their final romantic angle took place in Season 8, where Kelso went so far as to propose to Jackie.
However, neither of them was excited about this prospect, and Kelso outright celebrated when she turned him down. It was here that they realized they weren’t a good match, despite all their similarities. When Jackie pictured her potential married life with him, all she saw was a disappointment; a point he didn’t argue against.
