MovieChat Forums > That '70s Show (1998) Discussion > I could never get invested in this show ...

I could never get invested in this show because I found Hyde to be a completely unlikable scumbag

posted 5 years ago by Threadkiller (3089)
23 replies | jump to latest

I've watched maybe 5-10 episodes total of this series during its run and maybe tidbits of other episodes here and there but there was always something off about the show that I didn't like. I finally realized it was Hyde. I couldn't stand the character. He's a total prick, constantly mocking everything & everyone and a pretty crappy friend on numerous occasions. I'm sure there are lots more examples but most predominately I remember that he casually tries to bang his "best friend's" girlfriend & later in the series starts dating his other "friend's" recently ex girlfriend despite this friend still being heartbroken over it. Never mind that Hyde (like he does with most everyone else) had been mocking and insulting her for years. I found Hyde to be the perfect example of the scumbag "friend" that many people have but that nobody wants. I just found the character to be a completely insufferable scumbag of a friend & hated how prominently he was featured. I'm sure I would have watched more of the show if not for him.

[–] Eric56 (4580) 5 years ago

He does come across as a douche for sure.

[–] snepts (11123) 5 years ago

Most of the characters are clueless to their own short-comings so I suppose this was Hyde. I never took the show so seriously as to be concerned over his character. He seemed like maybe he should have been hanging out with a different group of friends, but simply for a comedy show, he delivered pretty well.

[–] pioneergrrrl (2412) 5 years ago

he was supposed to be the 'fonzie' of the show.. but it didn't work bc 1) Danny Masterson never became a teen hearthrob off screen ala Henry Winkler 2) Hyde remained 'sour' and 'edgy' throughout the entire series and did not change personality in any way.

Kelso actually assumed the 'growing up' role in this series.

[–] snepts (11123) 5 years ago

Whenever I see comments directed at an actor I often wonder if it's more a director/writer/producer problem.
Not that I care about Masterson one way or the other, and I guess Fonzie took everyone by surprise, but if 70's failed to deliver on Hyde, I'm not sure it's all Danny's fault.
No, I didn't find him terribly charismatic, but I didn't find him odious either. Just a guy hanging with his pals. Kelso was a brain-dead doofus, but I guess because he was tall and good-looking he was adopted by the viewers. A lot like Travolta from Welcome Back, Kotter.

[–] pioneergrrrl (2412) 5 years ago

personally on that show I liked Horshack a LOT better. Yes I know everybody was SUPPOSED to gush over Travolta/Barbarino---did not do anything for me. Actually it annoyed me.

[–] Threadkiller (3089) 5 years ago

It was hardly just Kelso's looks that explains why he was the more popular character & why Kutcher had far more success & popularity outside of the show. Kutcher brought a certain degree of likable charm & on screen charisma, despite playing an air headed doofus, that the Hyde actor was woefully lacking.

[–] BillySlater (4282) 3 years ago

That is a very apt comparison. Even though, I didn´t really see much of WBK since it was way before my time.

[–] bobbydallas (8682) 5 years ago

i thought he was totally out of place with those friends as well.. even Fez kinda fit better.

but then again so was Kramer on Seinfeld. idk he was OK i guess, the show was alright

[–] pioneergrrrl (2412) 5 years ago

Eric does not come across as the total prick in that group. Really he's too good for them....oh but he lets them use his basement? Fez would be a close second since he is trying to be good.

[–] Degree8 (0) 5 years ago

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[–] Threadkiller (3089) 5 years ago

How could that be when I described being put off by the character during the show's original run that began over 20 years ago. I was a kid at the time and I hated his character then. Perhaps it could have been his real scumbag personality coming out through the character.

[–] captainbucky (15252) 5 years ago

He was

[–] GreenGoblinsOck8 (7986) 5 years ago

To be fair, about Hyde having an affair with Jackie, Kelso had cheated on her numerous times which is why she got with Hyde later.

[–] Threadkiller (3089) 5 years ago

My point in highlighting Hyde as a scumbag & terrible friend wasn't meant to excuse Kelso's behavior which in turn doesn't excuse Hyde's scumbag move of "poaching" his "friend's" recently ex girlfriend against his wishes, along with with other laundry list of scumbag behavior

[–] GreenGoblinsOck8 (7986) 5 years ago

From what I remember though Jackie broke up with Kelso before getting with Hyde. I will agree he is a jerk at times though.

[–] Threadkiller (3089) 5 years ago

The point you're missing is that it doesn't matter that they were broken up, because any half decent friend isn't going to "poach" on their friend's recently ex girlfriend. Let alone a recently ex girlfriend who said friend is still hung up on. It's a scumbag move, for a consistently scumbag character.

[–] scannerdarkly (1399) 3 years ago

its Bro Code for sure. Anyone that argues against it is either a scumbag who would take your girl, or has never seen the ramifications of this scenario first hand.

A mutual "friend" of my brother and me, got with my brothers ex-girlfriend a mere two weeks after they broke-up. It was a bad break-up as my brother was living with her at the time and caught her cheating. Now my brother has to wonder if our "friend" cheated with her on top of the guy he caught, because of how quickly they got together. To top it off, the "friend" was my roommate at the time and I was in the drama since he wanted to invite her to our place. I shut that crap down! She wasnt coming over to our place being my brothers ex-girlfriend. It was a dang mess. It ended when the "friend" bailed from the apartment leaving me with all the bills moving out with no notice.

This asshole "friend" got dumped by her a year or so later leaving him for another guy. So he lost two friends he had known for a decade over a piece of ass that wasnt even worth all this mess.

I learned two things from all this:
1) Never fully trust a friendship, years of friendship may not mean much to the friend.
2) Dont live with roommates, figure out a living arrangement where you can live alone.

[–] kwestmo (4385) 4 years ago

Here's the way I see it.

You are confusing TV scumbags with real life scum bags. Also you are not considering when the show jumped the shark (JTS).

As you described, my group of high school friends had a scumbag who was only like by one person in the group. He had no redeeming qualities. Well, he was highly intelligent which is a trait of a sociopath.

Hyde is a TV scumbag and does have redeeming qualities. He doesn't steal from friends. He wouldn't let someone take the fall for something he did. My "friend" would and did. If you relate Hyde to real life I can understand why you don't like him. Because in real life he would really suck.

Once most shows JTS the writing becomes inconsistent and other forms of bad. That's 70's Show followed that pattern.

Pre-JTS Hyde did not like Jackie and would not have dated her. Hyde only started dating her post-JTS, so he did care for Jackie and believe felt a modicum of guilt, but was concerned about the way Kelso had treated her than he felt guilt about dating her.

Real life Hyde would have banged Jackie a few times because she was a fox and bragged to Kelso to hurt him further.

So I understand your point of view.

.

[–] Threadkiller (3089) 4 years ago

I think I touched on this before but the key problem with the Hyde character was that on top of his scumbag "friend" tendencies & general crappy personality, the actor simply wasn't funny or charismatic enough to make the character likable, unlike Ashton Kutcher

[–] kwestmo (4385) 4 years ago

I can see that, too

[–] pioneergrrrl (2412) 3 years ago

It was more than he wasn't funny. It was that the actor playing him was also a creep. Got the feeling that Masterson was too comfy in the role. yes I picked up Masterson really wasn't acting. did like Eric the best out of all the characters--wanted to cuddle him.

[–] pioneergrrrl (2412) 3 years ago

[deleted]

[–] BillySlater (4282) 4 years ago

He was kinda scummy in the first season when the writers seemed to be developing a love triangle between Hyde, Eric and Donna. After they abandoned that, he wasn´t that bad imo. I always thought the banter between him and Laurie was one of the highlights of the show before they replaced the actress.