Bob Pinciotti from That ‘70s Show is the goofy, well-meaning neighbor to the Formans. Bob had always been depicted as harmless, and kind of a doormat, considering how Red pushed him around. But Bob was not always a great parent or husband, and in fact, never really owned up to his mistakes.
One of the most consistent things about Bob was his lack of self-awareness, which often made him the butt of all jokes. Bob has also had some really poor moments on the show, which made him look sexist and self-serving. Here are the things fans loved and hated about Bob:
Felt Bad: When He Desperately Needed A Job
In season 3, it is revealed that Bob’s store Bargain Bob’s isn’t doing too well, and he’s closing it since he can’t keep up with a corporate chain like Price Mart, where Red Forman works.
An unemployed Bob becomes desperate for a job and urges Red to hire him since he has the authority to recruit new people at Price Mart. But Red refused to help him out, instead helping him score a server job at a burger joint. This is notably ungrateful of Red, especially since Bob gave him a job when he needed it and was a kind boss.
Hated Him: When He Didn’t Respect Donna’s Closure Issues
Soon after his wife Midge leaves him, Bob starts seeing a woman named Joanne, whom he met at the supermarket. Though Donna doesn’t dislike Joanne, she makes it clear to Bob that she’s still getting over her mom’s departure and is not comfortable with the idea of Joanne spending nights at their home with Bob.
It was obvious that Donna hadn’t found any closure, but Bob didn’t take it seriously and invited Joanne to stay over anyway. To make things worse, when Donna found out, Bob pretended to feign ignorance and simply lied.
Felt Bad: His Big Bankruptcy Blowout
When Donna found out from her mom that Bob’s big Veteran’s Day barbecue was actually his last big blowout before he comes clean about his bankruptcy, she is heartbroken.
She goes to Eric to ask Red to back down from competing against Bob with another barbecue but to no avail. Though Bob tries being cheery and upbeat, it was obvious that he was not taking this well and just wanted one last hurray before going public about his financial situation. And it didn’t help that his friend and neighbor Red was competing over that very thing.
Hated Him: When He Found Out About Donna’s Sex Life
In one of the weirdest turn of events, Bob runs into Eric at the pharmacist and discovers that his order also contains birth control pills for Donna. As Eric makes a run for it, Bob realizes that his daughter Donna shares an active sex life with Eric. But considering they are 17, and have been going out for a while, it doesn’t seem that big of a deal that they would want to have a physical relationship.
Instead of talking to Donna about safe practices to have sex or communicating his anxieties, Bob tried to intimidate Eric whenever he saw him, which wasn’t entirely fair.
Felt Bad: When Red Made Fun Of Bob’s Bait Shop Plan
Bob has been through quite a bit, from bankruptcy to a failed marriage and two failed relationships, and it’s not unusual for him to want a new start for himself. After he returns from his vacation to Florida, he reveals to Red and Kitty that he loves Florida and actually wants to move there and run his own bait shop.
Instead of supporting him, or talking it out, Red derides his plan. He mocks Bob’s sudden impulsive decision and doesn’t even attempt to understand how he feels.
Hated Him: When Bob Thought Hyde And Kitty Were Having a Fling
It’s safe to say that Bob isn’t the brightest parent in That ‘70s Show, and he can be dumber than the teenagers at times. Though he means well, he is sometimes quick to jump to conclusions.
When he found Hyde and Kitty practicing for a kid’s dance at the Forman living room, he immediately assumed that Hyde was putting moves on Kitty. It’s not just completely unreasonable but also quite insane, considering Kitty was helping Hyde with some pointers for his dance. To make things worse, Bob actually goes to Red and reveals his suspicions to provoke his jealousy.
Felt Bad: When He Was Mocked For His Toupee
Kitty was quite shocked when she found out that Bob wears a toupee, and though she never wanted to shame him for it, she just had a hard time acting normal around him.
When the Formans invited Bob and Midge to dinner, Bob sensed the tension and revealed to them that he wore a toupee and took his hair off. While Kitty and Red were okay with it and did not make a big deal out of the situation, Midge herself was not too comfortable with the idea of Bob being bald in public.
Hated Him: He Took Midge For Granted
Midge’s decision to leave Bob and Donna, comes as a reality check for her family, but especially for Bob, who had taken his wife for granted for years. Bob is shocked to find out that Midge was unhappy with their marriage, but in reality, Midge had opened up to him several times and was never taken seriously.
In fact, Donna reminds his father that her mom had always been open about how unhappy she was with their marriage, and her father simply took no heed.
Felt Bad: When Joanne Turned Him Down
A few weeks into dating Joanne, Bob expressed his desire to marry Joanne, since he was now divorced. But it was obviously too soon for the couple since they hadn’t been seeing each other for that long.
Bob’s feelings for Joanne were real, but since he had decided to propose to Joanne in front of Red and Kitty, Joanne’s refusal came as a big blow to him. Not only was his timing bad, but Bob had also misjudged his relationship with Joanne, who wasn’t that serious about having a future with him.
Hated Him: When He Was Sexist
Bob was sexist and had, on many occasions, made inappropriate comments about women’s bodies, often in front of his daughter Donna, which always made her uncomfortable. Bob lacked any kind of self-awareness, so he would often end up making a really misogynistic joke, which he would consider harmless.
He was also really old fashioned. Not only did he stop his wife Midge from working or letting her explore her options, but he also made derogatory comments about the women he was involved with.
