Clothes make the mom in ‘That ‘70s Show’

Even as a child model, Brooke Shields missed out on the glorious excess that was “fashion” in the 1970s.

That’s why she relishes making up for lost time on “That ‘70s Show,” the Wednesday night Fox sitcom on which Shields guest stars as the flamboyant mother of Jackie Burkhardt (Mila Kunis).

“It’s fun to walk in and be so over the top as far as hair, makeup, heels -- I’m totally decked out in every scene, and it’s fun to be dressed up and pretty,” Shields says of Pamela, her dressed-to-the-nines character.

“I didn’t get to wear the bangles and the whole extreme thing. I missed that, but I have to say that today these styles work. I could go out to a party and be hip-hop cool or retro chic. It’s definitely all about sex: How high can we slit the dress up my leg? It’s fun.”

The show’s producers certainly think so. Originally a three-episode guest stint, Shields’ “ ‘70s” gig has been extended because her character has clicked with viewers.

“At first, I really worried about walking into this well-oiled machine,” she admits. “After being on my own show [NBC’s “Suddenly Susan”] for four years, I know that it’s tough to welcome in a guest, not because you don’t like them, but simply because you are in a routine. I was just so pleasantly surprised by how graciously everyone welcomed me and gave me the lowdown on how things worked.”

The previously unseen Pamela had deserted the show’s suburban setting of Point Place, Wis., after her city councilman husband was thrown into jail for accepting a bribe, forcing Jackie to move in with her friend Donna (Laura Prepon). Pamela’s unexpected return has shaken up most of the characters, especially after she seduces Donna’s father, Bob (Don Stark).

“Not only does the apple not fall far from the tree, but when it does, Pamela lets someone else pick it up for her,” Shields says. “She’s the new ‘hot mom,’ wearing skirts that are way too short and plunging, plunging necklines, and it all truly disturbs Kitty’s [Debra Jo Rupp] equilibrium, as well as challenging all the men.”

If her TV gig is proving to be a hit, Shields’ off-camera life seems even more charmed. For one thing, a 2001 Broadway stint as Sally Bowles in the Tony-winning revival of the musical “Cabaret” silenced most of the critics who had savaged the actress’ work earlier in her career.

“It was absolutely life-changing,” Shields says of her “Cabaret” run. “I would go so far as to say it was the single best thing that I’ve ever done. If I had to choose the most rewarding and most challenging role I’ve done, I can say that the feedback I got from that is unlike anything I’ve ever gotten before.”

That same year, she married comedy writer Chris Henchy, whose ABC sitcom, “I’m With Her,” is loosely based on the couple’s real-life courtship. Henchy and Shields welcomed their first child, Rowan Francis, in May 2003.

“I am still in the whirlwind of it, because she is so young, so I’m still in a fog,” Shields concedes. “It’s all-consuming. On the set [of ‘That ‘70s Show’] they have a whole area set up for babies, so it’s a lot of fun to still have a job yet have my baby be incorporated into it as well.”

Sometimes their daughter spends time with Henchy on his ABC series set, but Shields’ over-the-top “‘70s Show” hair and makeup definitely have a unique appeal for the visiting tot.

Though Shields is having a ball in her guest-star gig, she makes no bones about her top priority these days: spending quality time with her daughter.

“I can’t remember not being with her, and I really want to know her. It would break my heart if she reached for a nanny before me. That takes effort because [babies] are creatures of habit, so I want to be there when she wakes up so my face or my husband’s is the one she is used to seeing. That kind of consistency is a blessing.”

John Crook writes for Tribune Media Services.

“That ‘70s Show” airs at 8 p.m. Wednesday on Fox. The network has rated it TV14-DL (may be unsuitable for children younger than 14, with advisories for suggestive dialogue and coarse language).

Cover photo by Joe Viles.