That ’70s Show was known for its Christmas-themed episodes, but one particular Halloween special became an instant fan favorite for an array of Alfred Hitchcock movie references. The season 3 episode, which debuted in 2000, paid homage to the legendary filmmaker by spoofing some of his most cherished titles. Seeing as That ’70s Show was meant for cable TV, the horror tone was taken down a notch, but the tribute still hit the mark.
Airing eight seasons between 1998 and 2006, That ’70s Show followed a group of teens as they faced the struggles of life in the latter half of the 1970 decade. To stay true to the setting, the sitcom made sure to incorporate cultural references appropriate to that time in history. Aside from music, TV and movie references were a major factor throughout the series so the writers took the opportunity to honor the “Master of Suspense” in a memorable episode.
“Too Old to Trick or Treat, Too Young to Die” served as That ’70s Show‘s second overall Halloween episode. Like always, the focus remained on Eric Forman and his close friends in Point Place, Wisconsin. Kelso set the tone for the special by suggesting how it would be fun if they were stuck in an Alfred Hitchcock movie without realizing it. From there, the main characters were thrust into situations just like the characters from beloved Hitchcock films.
The Alfred Hitchcock References In “Too Old to Trick or Treat, Too Young to Die”
Vertigo (1958): After Fez stole Eric’s bouncy ball, Eric chased his friend onto the roof. Whereas Eric nearly fell, Fez was the one to slip from the roof, falling to the ground. Eric, however, was left with a fear of heights and extreme vertigo, which was a nod to James Stewart’s character in the Hitchcock psychological thriller from the ’50s.
Rear Window (1954): Upon falling off of the roof, Fez was confined to a wheelchair with an injured ankle. Like another famous James Stewart character, L. B. “Jeff” Jefferies, Fez spent his time watching neighbors from a window in the Forman residence. While observing, he believed to have witnessed Bob disposing of Midge’s dead body.
The Birds (1963): Kitty agreed to take care of her neighbor’s birds, which happened to be various cages full of crows. After accidentally killing one, the other crows viewed Kitty as an enemy. She tried to get her daughter Laurie to feed them instead, but when that didn’t work, Kitty was forced to return. Upon her arrival, all of the crows had broken out of the cages so she took refuge in a random phonebooth located in the living room. This was a reference to the famous scene starring Tippi Hedren in Hitchcock’s horror thriller.
North by Northwest (1959): After mentioning Cary Grant’s role in North by Northwest, Kelso answered the door at the Forman’s house to find an angry paperboy looking for his payment. The boy believed Kelso lived there since he was wearing one of Eric’s shirts. In reality, it was a case of mistaken identity just like the plot of Hitchcock’s film. The paperboy then stalked Kelso before the series created their own version of the iconic airplane scene, but this time it was a toy airplane crashing into the driveway.
Psycho (1960): The paperboy beat up Kelso and ruined his clothes, resulting in his immediate need to take a shower. Laurie found the teen using her bathroom so she took out her frustration by hitting him with a back scrubber in an action reminiscent of Norman Bates murdering Marion Crane. Laurie’s red shampoo featured in That ’70s Show stood in for the blood circling the drain.
