The show addressed social issues of the 1970s such as sexual attitudes, generational conflict, the economic hardships of the 1970s recession, mistrust of the American government by blue-collar workers, and underage drinking/teenage drug use. The series also highlighted developments in fashion trends, the entertainment industry, including the television remote ("the clicker"), reruns, VCR, and cable TV; the video games "Pong" and "Space Invaders"; the cassette tape and Disco; "MAD" magazine; and Eric's obsession with "Star Wars". The show has been compared to "Happy Days", which was similarly set 20 years before the time in which it aired.