Eric Forman (born August 30, 1959) is a fictional character and the male lead on the Fox Network's That '70s Show between seasons one through seven. Portrayed by Topher Grace, Eric is based on the adolescence of show creator Mark Brazill. Most of the show takes place at the Formans' home, particularly in the basement, where he and his five friends hang out. He has a doting mother with impending separation anxiety and menopause (Kitty Forman), a crabby, strict, Korean War military veteran father (Red Forman), a promiscuous older sister (Laurie Forman), and his best friend who later becomes his foster brother (Steven Hyde). He was the program's main protagonist until he was written out due to Grace's departure from the series. However, despite Eric's absence, he is mentioned in every episode of Season 8. He makes a brief cameo appearance in the final episode titled "That '70s Finale".
A nice guy at heart, Eric is generally geeky, physically weak, and somewhat clumsy. He is nonathletic and shows little interest in sports. He is a smart-aleck teenager with a lightning-fast wit and a sarcastic and deadpan sense of humor. He also lights "incenses" with his friends in his basement. Eric is also known to "screw" things up a lot, which is parodized throughout the series.