Those '70s Show Comics

Over the years, I been asked many times why Jackie trusts Hyde, particularly in "Kiss of Death" (2x20) when she goes to him for comfort over Donna and Eric. Nothing in the text (the show suggests) a reason why. He's not helpful to her in "Ski Trip" (1x13). Rather, he essentially tries to get rid of her so he can be alone with Donna.

Key:

Table Draft = TD

Revised First Draft: RFD

Prissy (aka @that70sshowgoldencouple ) and I talked in the phone today (we've been friends for fifteen years) to compare my Table Draft of the T7S pilot to her earlier Revised First Draft of the pilot (hers was completed a month before mine). We had a lot of fun, and now onto our discovery.

In the TD, Hyde explains that he's taken Fez under his wing to teach him "[Americans' strange ways." This line isn't in the RFD. Regardless, Jackie learns Fez is a foreign exchange student and says in both drafts, "What did we trade for him?" (Exact wording is from the TD.) Below, you'll find what follows in the TD.

What Jackie's response, That is so like you," refers to is ambiguous. Does she mean Hyde's insult or the fact he's helping Fez and believes"no one should be without friends"?

The RFD removes this ambiguity. Below, you'll find the earlier version of what follows Jackie's question, "What did we trade [Fez] for?"

Both the RFD and TD of the pilot reveal that Hyde's compassionate heart and desire to help the vulnerable was an original part of his core characterization. On the show, these aspects of him become part and parcel of his core starting in "Prom Night" (1x19).

Further, the RFD and TD reveal that Jackie's been around Hyde long enough to recognize that helping people is part of his nature.

Despite that the show doesn't depict Hyde as such until "Prom Night," so it's not technically in the text, Hyde's initial characterization and Jackie's knowledge of it may well have left an imprint on the show's creators and original showrunners.

Jackie having witnessed Hyde's compassion toward others who need it would create an implicit trust in him when she needs help and support.

Key:

TD = Table Draft

AP = Aired Pilot

--The title of the show is still Teenage Wasteland.

--In the TD, Eric is grounded strongly in his "the man is the man" attitude that is more subtly developed in the actual show over many episodes. In the AP, Eric is grounded in overcoming his lack of confidence that Donna inspires him to do.

--Donna and Eric's relationship in the TD is combative and about control, created by tension over Eric insisting on traditional gender roles and Donna demonstrating that she won't be beholden to them. Quite frankly, I found them both obnoxious during their interactions.

--In the AP, Eric and Donna far more emotionally connected. The focus is on the beginning of their relationship's transition from friendship to romance.

--Donna isn't obviously viewed as "one of the guys" in the TD. She even seems to be somewhat of an outlier except where Eric is concerned.

--Kelso is more prominent in the TD and written as the third most important of the friend group.

--Jackie's characterization is more complex and savvy in the TD. She's accepted as one of the group -- by the group -- to the group's despair because they realize she is one of them by the end of the episode (i.e. belongs).

--The TD heavily implies that Jackie's and Kelso have sex abd often.

--Reading Jackie call Kelso David was bizarre, lol.

--Fez's first scene (at The Hub) in the TD is later than in the AP. Hyde directly states he's taken Fez under his wing to teach him the ways of American life. In the AP and show, this fact is shown throughput S1, not stated.

--Jackie's response to Hyde when he says the above about Fez in the TD is, "You would," and they have more antagonistic interaction in the TD than in the AP.

--Jackie's and Donna actually have a scene in The Hub's girl's bathroom, and it's significantly characterizing for both of them (individually and for their dynamic).

--A scene exists between Jackie and her father, which is a payoff to a dialogue exchange in the TD's cold opening.

--When Bonnie Turner said in an interview that she, Terry Turner, and Mark Brazill didn't know who Hyde was when they first began writing the show, she wasn't exaggerating. MB, of course, intended to use Hyde as the romantic foil to Eric in regard to Donna, since this was him rewriting what happened in his high school days. But ...

--In the TD:

Hyde's conspiracy-spouting in the circle is more extreme.

Hyde is characterized as being literary minded. He has two lines in particular that would make many English Lit majors recognize as him as a kindred spirit.

Hyde and Eric's connection and closeness is barely hinted at in the TD. In the AP, it's explicitly established in the cold opening.

Hyde is characterized as a typical mid-1970s casually homophobic teen. 😬 Eric and Donna are characterized as the opposite. Hyde is essentially told to shut up when he uses a certain word twice (not starting with F) to explain to Fez why the gas station guy (Randy) brings a male date to the concert.

--Speaking of Randy and his date, their stage directions in the TD are much more affectionate and intimate than what we see in the AP.

--A bumper sticker on the Vista Cruiser in the TD reveals Red voted for Nixon. That doesn't contradict Red feeling Nixon betrayed the country. The TD makes clear the Vista Cruiser has been rusting in the garage for years.

--Eric, Donna, Kelso (with prompting), and all work to refurbish the Vista Cruiser in the TD. They remove the Vista part on the side of the car so it officially becomes The Cruiser.

--Kitty and Red are not that prominent in the TD. They have a few scenes, but Kitty's personality is clearly a product of Debra Jo Rupp playing Kitty as somewhat cartoonist because we're seeing her from Eric's perspective (she said in an interview this was her understanding and made the acting choice), and the writers liked that performance so much they made it her actual characterization.

I don't think the show would've gotten past the pilot had it remained the TD version. Eric and Donna's dynamic in the AP is the heart of the show. Their dynamic in the TD isn't endearing but abrasive. Donna and Jackie have more chemistry (not romantic, character-wise) in the TD than Donna and Eric.

V 33: Vacation, Kelso/Brooke

Michael insisted on bringing Betsy camping on her sixth birthday. Brooke had agreed when Betsy turned one, hoping the idea would fade from his memory. He forgot a lot of his crazy ideas, which she was grateful for, but not this one.

So she'd researched all she could about the subject at the Chicago Public Library where she worked. What they would need. The best locations.

Michael bought all the necessary provisions at a camping specialty store. Tonight, she and Betsy watched as he practiced putting up the tent in their living room. He fumbled with setting up the A-frame.

"Damn aluminum poles," he muttered.

Betsy pointed at him. "You said a no-no word! One dollar."

He grunted then patted his jeans pocket. "Brooke, could you?

She could, but she was sitting in the armchair with Betsy on her lap. "If we're going camping, you have to multitask."

"I have to get this tent up. I'm so close! I'll put a buck in the jar later."

"Is that what you'll say if it's raining at the Willows Springs campsite and it starts to rain?"

His hands tightened around the poles. His knuckles grew white, and shock made his whole face appear to stretch vertically. "It could rain?"

Brooke held Betsy closer. She'd disliked using the truth this way to get what wanted, but it was effective. "Of course! And rain draws out earthworms and slugs from the dirt."

"Ew!" Betsy and Michael said together.

"They're not dangerous," Brooke said, mostly to comfort Betsy. "The tent will protect us from the crawlies -- as long as it's up before the rain really pours." She tilted her head with purposeful mischievousness. "Come on, Michael. You've been camping before."

"Yeah, like twice." He let the A-frame fall to the living room floor. "But Eric was there both times, and he took care of all this stuff. He was a Boy Scout or something."

Brooke's chest grew tense. She was close to achieving her goal. One or two nudges ought to finish this nonsense. "Who's going to light the campfire?"

"What?"

"Well, you're both legally not allowed to start fires, and it was in our wedding vows. I'm certainly not going to do it," despite that she was perfectly capable of starting a campfire. "And before you say Betsy, our soon-to-be-six-year-old won't be learning that skill on her birthday vacation. She'll be taught by professionals."

Michael moved from the mess of metal and nylon on the floor and knelt before Betsy, who remained on Brooke's lap. "Bunny," he said, "how about we give you an awesome party in our backyard with a face painter, magician and a bounce house? It'll be like jumping on the moon."

Betsy leaped into Michael's waiting arms. "Bounce house!"

He flashed Brooke a look of relief. "I didn't want to disappoint you," he said to her. I know I promised you a camping trip years ago, but we gotta do what's best for Betsy."

"Oh, Michael ..." She laughed. Her own relief couldn't be suppressed. "You haven't disappointed me once since we became a family, a real family."

She reached for the back of his head and drew him in for a kiss. Betsy dashed off to her plastic kitchen set, clearly uncomfortable.

"Once she's sleep," Brooke whispered in Michael's ear

"Cool. ... If I do that thing you like, can I skip putting a dollar in the jar?"

She held him close. "Yes."

"Cool!" he repeated and nuzzled his face into her hair. She exhaled heavily. This moment right now was a vacation. No stress or worries. Just her family and love.

V 4: Vacation, Hyde

New York, Manhattan specifically, was nothing like Hyde imagined. TV and movies had lied to him, man. He'd expected the grit and grime of subways and sidewalks. The peep shows and prostitutes of Time Square. But W.B. insisted he stay in a four-star hotel called The Carlyle. Originally built in the jazz-age, and it and seemed stuck in that time. That part Hyde didn't mind, but all the places within walking distance were freakin' classy.

Museums. High-end stores. Central Park.

His dad wanted to expose him to experiences he'd never had. Given spending money Hyde had tried to reject. Angie got this opportunity at his age, so W.B. wasn't going to deprive Hyde of it.

But the Upper East Side, not his scene. Yeah, he had a list of rock clubs to visit, including CBGB's, in lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. "Just don't use the bathroom at CBGB's," W.B. said before Hyde left for the airport. "You can't unsee that."

Now he had to see it.

Got tickets to the Ramones' Blitz Benefit or the Benefit for Policemans' Bullet Proof Vest Fund, as it was advertised. Hyde and cops didn't go together, but this might be his only chance to catch one of his favorite bands play. The compromise was worth it.

1979 was turning out to be a good year ... except for Jackie dumping his ass again. This time over nothing but a shrug. A couple of shrugs. And an I don't know. 'Cause she needed him to be a goddamn fortune teller, and he couldn't predict the future.

Hyde strolled to the 77th Street and Lexington Avenue subway station. Passed by a couple of homeless folks and handed most of them a fiver. One exception was a thick-bearded guy spitting out conspiracy theories and plain ol' spitting. Without the threat of saliva landing in his eye, and a goal to be close to the CBGB stage, Hyde might've stopped to talk to the man.

Riding the 6 train finally thrust Hyde into the New York he'd dreamed of since he was four. The ear-piercing screech of wheels on the tracks. The sleeping passengers who'd probably boarded in the Bronx. The dude jerking off through his open jeans fly. Hell.

Hyde switched cars soon as he could.

He exited to the street at the Bleeker Street Station, and a small crowd was already clustered in front of CBGB by the time be arrived. Small enough. He'd get to the stage even if he had to throw elbows.

That wasn't necessary, though. Dee Dee Ramone's bass vibrated through his chest. Marky Ramone's drums rattled his teeth. Johnny's guitar tangled his nerves, and Joey's voice cut into his stony heart. The band played its songs fast and loud, just as it should.

Hyde never thought he'd be here. The reality of this moment raised goosebumps on his arms like Jackie's fingers used to, but he withstood the combination of joy and discomfort until the end of the show.

Pushing through the crowd to the bathroom proved no small task. He waited eight minutes to enter the crap-stenched room, with its graffiti-sprayed brick walls and urinal twenty times dirtier than The Hub's toilets.

This was the New York City of his imagination made real. W.B. spoke truth: Hyde would never unsee this place, and he was glad.

The results are in!

7/10 of you chose correctly: "Donna Runs Free" is the fully AI song. First challenge had around the same percentage of correct guesses (but three times the voting pool, lol).

Now for the explanation.

The genre for the song, as chosen by you, was 1960s Psychedelic Blues Rock. This genre has specifically lyrics conventions. Metaphors, sometimes on the abstract side, are part of that.

I'm going to compare and contrast the prompts I gave ChatGPT to create "Donna Runs Free," the lyrics, as well as the musical mode with what the work I did in "Foul Jewel".

If you read below the cut, there's a little contest for ya. 👀

The music genre with the largest percentage of votes (50%) is 1960s psychedelic blues rock.

The lyrical content was chosen by @ariandrine and is as follows: "Hot Donna Without a Boyfriend".

Your task is to suss out which song has extensive human creativity behind it (musical theory, full lyric-writing, etc.) vs. the song that's all AI except for the basic music genre and lyrical prompt.

Remember, this vote is not about the song you enjoy most but the one you believe does or doesn't have significant human creativity behind it.

Please leave in the replies why you voted the way you did. It might reveal interesting information about what registers in our subconscious (or consciously).

***

The music genre with the largest percentage of votes (50%) is 1960s psychedelic blues rock.

The lyrical content was chosen by @ariandrine and is as follows: "Hot Donna Without a Boyfriend".

Your task is to suss out which song has extensive human creativity behind it (musical theory, full lyric-writing, etc.) vs. the song that's all AI except for the basic music genre and lyrical prompt.

Remember, this vote is not about the song you enjoy most but the one you believe does or doesn't have significant human creativity behind it.

Please leave in the replies why you voted the way you did. It might reveal interesting information about what registers in our subconscious (or consciously).

***

The music genre with the largest percentage of votes (50%) is 1960s psychedelic blues rock.

The lyrical content was chosen by @ariandrine and is as follows: "Hot Donna Without a Boyfriend".

Your task is to suss out which song has extensive human creativity behind it (musical theory, full lyric-writing, etc.) vs. the song that's all AI except for the basic music genre and lyrical prompt.

Remember, this vote is not about the song you enjoy most but the one you believe does or doesn't have significant human creativity behind it.

Please leave in the replies why you voted the way you did. It might reveal interesting information about what registers in our subconscious (or consciously).

***

The poll to create another song challenge landed on the positive side, but I'm going to conduct this one differently. You will decide subject matter and genre (based on the options I provide). First, the lyrics' subject matter will be T7S-related.

Please put in the replies what and/or whom you'd like the song to be about.

This challenge will test your ability to hear the extensive human work behind an AI song vs. a purely AI-created song.

That’s a good idea for a One Difference story! It would probably be a short one, but it could be fun.

The poll to create another song challenge landed on the positive side, but I'm going to conduct this one differently. You will decide subject matter and genre (based on the options I provide). First, the lyrics' subject matter will be T7S-related.

Please put in the replies what and/or whom you'd like the song to be about.

This challenge will test your ability to hear the extensive human work behind an AI song vs. a purely AI-created song.

Turns out no one's impersonating my blog. Other blogs are getting hacked. If you get the message below from a blog you know, it's been compromised.