Did Eric And Donna Get Back Together?
Emma Powell Topher Grace's Eric Forman left That '70s Show before the final season, but did return for the finale. Here's what happened between him and Donna.
The romantic relationship between Eric Forman and Donna Pinciotti was a focal point throughout That '70s Show - but did the couple end up together in the end? The characters were portrayed by Topher Grace and Laura Prepon throughout the period sitcom's run. Grace notably left prior to the show's eighth and last season but he returned for the series finale.
Eric fell in love with Donna when he first met his next-door neighbor when they were kids. In That '70s Show season 1, Eric finally acted on his feelings and took Donna out on a date. The couple was only 16 at the time, so their early dating life was understandably a bit awkward, but they did share their first kiss together. They took the relationship slowly which gave Hyde (Danny Masterson) a reason to keep competing for Donna's affection. Eric and Donna later fell fully in love, becoming one of the show's longest-running couples. But there were notable setbacks along the way.
In That '70s Show season 7, Eric was completely lost in life, having no real direction in what he wanted to do with his career. He spontaneously decided to move to Africa to teach children because he dreamed of helping people in need. The season 7 finale saw Eric leave the show, ending the character's relationship with long-time girlfriend, Donna. Eric later reappeared in the series finale episode, surprising Donna and the viewers, and the duo shared a reuniting kiss.
When Eric returned to Point Place on New Year's Eve in the series finale, he claimed that he regretted breaking up with Donna during their time apart. Eric also stated that things were a lot different with him before he kissed her, leading viewers to believe that they fully reconciled. He presumably found a lot of clarity during his time in Africa and there was no indication that he planned to return. It's very possible that Eric's trip made him realize how much Donna meant to him and that he needed to be closer to his friends and family.
Eric and Donna went through rocky stages in their relationship before and survived, so there was no reason to believe that they couldn't overcome the Africa debacle either. The pair broke up and got back together a number of times over the years. At one point, they were even engaged but Eric broke it off. Donna also explored relationships with other men in between the time she spent with Eric.
Each time they were separated, Eric had a skill at winning Donna back. No matter how many times, he messed up or put his foot in his mouth at the wrong time, he was able to make it up to her. There was a lot of reason to believe that the two were destined to be together. Indeed, it was important that they both grew apart for some time before they eventually made their way back to one another. In Eric's case, he needed to evolve and grow his maturity in another continent. Thankfully, for That '70s Show viewers, the story of Eric and Donna had a satisfying ending.
