The Stupid Helmet

Thank you! I'm happy you enjoy my One Difference stories! 🤗♥️

Haven't written One Difference: Eric Shows Up at His Wedding Rehearsal Dinner.

I imagine this would not be a happy story in my hands until the midpoint reversal, where Eric and Donna have their marriage secretly annulled with Bob's help. They'd pretend to be married until the pressure of lying got to them and/or Bob. Then big reveal: "We're not married!"

Kitty: But I was at your wedding. Pastor Dan said, "Husband and wife!"

As I'm reading, I have been thinking and curious as to what got you interested in T7S? Your writing really takes all the characters voices, it's ike a continuation of the show - only better! Yes, I said it! And I mean it!

On a side note, how long did it take you to create/write HLWH? If you don't mind commenting on? That story is something else. And by something else, I mean SUPER AMAZIN' !!!!!! I have no idea what to expect!!

Thank you so, so much! 😊😊😊 Your message is like sunshine on a cloudy day -- wait, that's a lyric from one of my favorite childhood songs, but it fits. ☀️ I'm very happy you're enjoying my T7S stories. ♥️

I originally became interested in T7S because I saw a commercial for it before the show originally aired. I didn't join the (active) fandom until 2010. I've been drawing comic strips since I was a child, and I decided to see if I could satirize T7S. I posted what I thought would be a hundred comics total on Fan Forum's T7S message board. But the comics morphed into a deep, novelistic project with over three-thousand sequential comics. @those70scomics

Hyde's Long Way Home remains the easiest and fastest complex T7S fanfic I've written. I followed what the characters chose to do, and they surprised me. The story "wrote itself" through me trusting my subconscious understanding of the characters. The first draft took a month (iirc), and I wrote only one revision. That's not my usual writing protocol.

The gang's reaction to Jackie evolve throughout each season and through seasons 1-3. Reasonable might be the wrong word. Realistic is probably more precise. Considering each character's personality, goals and desires, emotional wounds and triggers, I think their interactions make story sense.

(Fun question! ☺️)

Every soap needs a powerful family or two. And a lot of other families.

The Burkharts

Jack Burkhart, the Patriarch who's both an attorney and owns what seems like half the businesses in Point Place.

Pam Burkhart, the Matriarch who has x great deal of influential about who moves to Point Place since she's the town's premier real estate agent. Her husband might technically have the most power, but she has the most information. Nothing happens in Point Place without her knowledge or, often, influence.

Jackie Burkhart, the secretly rebellious daughter. On the surface, she seems to be a clone of her parents. Underneath, she's doing what she can to dismantle their chokehold on the town, even as a teenager.

A bunch of extended family -- aunts, uncles, cousins (to Jackie) -- each with their own agenda.

The Pinciottis

Bob Pinciotti, who aspires to be where Jackie Burkhart is now and acts like a sycophant while planning to take his place in the town.

Midge Pinciotti, a somewhat ditzy but insightful member of Pam Burkhart's circle. She reports back whatever information she learns to Bob, not all of it accurate since Pam is on to Bob's plans. When they align with Pam's, Midge's reports are accurate.

Donna Pinciotti, the daughter who wants nothing to do with her father's machinations -- despite Bob believing she has no idea about any of them. Lots of tension between daughter and father, with mother in between.

A bunch of extended family -- aunts, uncles, cousins (to Donna) -- each with their own agenda.

The Formans

This family is the moral center of the town.

Red Forman, who sees through bull crap and does what he can to foil Jack Burkhart's plans for the town. He works with Bob sometimes to do so. Ultimately, Red hopes for a balance of power between the Burkharts and Pinciottis ... although he'd prefer them both to leave Point Place.

Kitty Forman let's herself be underestimated by Pam Burkhart and ends up being a thorn in Pam's side. Of course, Kitty also works at the hospital, where tons of soapy drama occurs.

Laurie Forman, chaos incarnate. She'll use whatever means necessary to get whatever she wants from whomever she wants. Switching babies. Kidnapping people and leaving them in wells. Every daytime soap opera trope ever.

Eric Forman, the goodhearted but insecure son who finds himself fighting the corrupt forces in town when all he wants to do is read comic books and spend time with his girlfriend, Donna Pinciotti.

Steven Hyde, the wild card. People of all kinds trust him because he's willing to get his hands dirty if it means freeing Point Place from Jack and Pam Burkhart. Through his girlfriend, Jackie Burkhart, he gets into Jack and Pam's good graces. While seemingly working for them, he's actually working on dismantling their power.

Red's family (mother, brothers) and Kitty's family (parents, sister) get involved during certain storylines, some as antagonists and others as helpers.

The Kelsos

This family has a lot of members, and each plays a role. Michael Kelso and Casey Kelso have a contentious relationship but will work together when they deem it necessary.

The Erdmans

Mr. and Mrs. Erdman are Point Place's morality police. Annoying to everyone, especially the student they're hosting from another country.

Fez is both naive and psychologically savvy. He often gets pulled into situations too big for him to handle. But his ability to disarm someone through his understanding of their mind saves him and others from nefarious people and plots.

Many ways in different circumstances. 😂 Another question with more than one answer. I've written him proposing in several fanfics, none the same way.

If it's the first time, concerned and take care of him. And try to find out what triggered his over-drinking.

If it's one time among several, Jackie would be concerned and insist he get help before he turns into Edna or Bud.

Kelso and Brooke are canonically the first couple who have a kid. Kelso was “ready” (willing?) to marry Jackie in S1’s “The Pill” during her pregnancy scare. He’s actually in love with Brooke, and I think they could be the first to marry (although it depends on how their relationship develops).

Eric and Donna would get married when they truly feel ready (they already rushed toward it once; they’re not going to make that mistake again). Donna’s career and desire to travel are very important to her, so she’d likely want to delay having kid (or kids) for a while. Eric, though, would be ready sooner but respect Donna’s wishes.

I wouldn’t, but I have a good fic rec for you! 😀

Face by heartlessromantic667

This isn't a question about the fictional T7S characters or T7S fanfic or imaginative writing. This is a question about what I believe about real people. But I'll indulge it because the short answer is simple: of course not.

The longer answer is that I have many people in my life with careers that don't align with their passion(s). The framing of, "[L]ess intelligent or less capable" — is thisclose to putting words in my stylus that I never typed or implied. I don't think in those terms.

Everyone is different. They have their motivations and emotional reasons and a plethora of other internal and external circumstances that lead them to choose what they do.

Some advice: don't assume facts about people that aren't in evidence. This Ask is framed as a question, but it functions as an accusation.

How I depict them in @those70scomics is one way. At some point, the comics' goal became to keep the characters from veering off their clearly established paths.

I wish T7S had done what The Middle did and create a fictional college that was close enough that the gang would end up hanging out at the basement seemingly more than they were in college. But barring that:

Rhonda never leaves. She and Fez continue to grow as individuals and as a couple. Their mutual interest in sweets becomes a joint career venture (that they'll go to the same school for).

Brooke never leaves. She and Kelso continue to grow as individuals and as a couple. We see them being parents to an infant than toddler, and Betsy's presence would affect everyone some way (but she wouldn't be a constant on-screen presence).

Hyde confronts Jackie and Kelso at the Pinciottis' in season 5. Hyde learns the truth about Jackie comforting Kelso -- and about his own insecurities. Hyde actually works on himself because, in large part, he doesn't want to hurt Jackie the way his parents hurt him. This storyline would be full of organic internal conflict, affecting his relationship with Jackie (organic external conflict). Jackie and Hyde's relationship would go through its trials but no breakups.

Eric and Donna have a long engagement with no wedding date set. They go off to college together at the end of the series.

Hyde's relationships with W.B. and Angie are more deeply developed. And W.B. and Angie themselves are more deeply developed. Who's Angie's mom? Did she die, and is that why W.B. and Edna have a brief relationship? Give us details, baby show. Details.

No alcoholic Kitty past S5. She actually gives up her schnapps and regains her normal level of intelligence.

Bob and Joanne stay together. Donna and Joanne develope a relationship.

Pam Burkhart is actually held accountable for her absence and abandonment of her minor child, who's left to deal (albeit unrealistically) with the family's financial fallout.

Considering how peaceful Hyde sounds in S7 when he tells Eric, "No, I've decided [to marry Jackie]," I think he'd be nervous because Jackie leaves before the deadline she set for the ultimatum. Sounds contradictory, but now that he understands what he wants, Jackie's tossed a monkey wrench into a ln already screwed up situation.

Hyde can't be sure Jackie will say yes. He'd be feeling a mix of emotions, including resentment, but he'd let love override them. Once Jackie says yes, they'll have a LOT to talk about and work out.

Jackie, feeling secure in Hyde's commitment to her, would be more open to hearing his anger and resentment at the ultimatum and how she handled it. And that would allow her to explain how the ultimatum was a culmination of his attitude toward their relationship since "Winter" (7x11) and that him waiting until the last minute of the ultimatum deadline made her think he'd say no.

"It shouldn't have taken you a day and night of drinking beer to commit to me."

"Had to drink to think, man."

"Steven, that's horrible."

"I'm kidding ... okay, no I'm not. And you're not wrong."