Steven Hyde

Steven Hyde is a central character in *That ’70s Show*, the sitcom set in the fictional town of Point Place, Wisconsin, during the late 1970s. Played by Danny Masterson, Hyde belongs to the group of teenagers who regularly gather in Eric Forman’s basement. His sunglasses, curly hair, and suspicion of authority make him recognizable, but the series ties that attitude to a specific, unstable home life.

Hyde’s mother, Edna, leaves him, and the Forman family takes him in. He becomes more than a frequent visitor to Eric’s house: Red and Kitty Forman give him a place to live, and Red’s stern guidance becomes an important part of his life. Hyde’s friendship with Eric consequently has a sibling-like dimension, even when the two disagree. He is close to the rest of the basement group, including Donna Pinciotti, Michael Kelso, Jackie Burkhart, and Fez, but often mocks their romantic dramas and ambitions.

One of Hyde’s distinctive jobs is at the Foto Hut, where he works for Leo, an easygoing older man whose habits frequently frustrate the people around him. Hyde’s interest in music later leads to work at a record store. That job becomes entangled with a major discovery about his family: the man he had believed was his father, Bud Hyde, is not his biological father. Hyde learns that his father is William Barnett, a record-store owner, and meets William’s daughter Angie, his half-sister. The revelation gives Hyde a new family connection without undoing his longstanding place in the Forman household.

Hyde’s relationship with Jackie is one of the show’s notable departures from its early pairings. Jackie initially dates Kelso, Hyde’s friend, and Hyde frequently makes fun of her. Their eventual romance puts those old loyalties under pressure. Although Hyde and Jackie care about each other, jealousy, misunderstandings, and their different expectations repeatedly disrupt the relationship.

Near the end of the series, Hyde returns from Las Vegas married to Samantha, a woman he has only recently met. Their marriage ends after it emerges that Samantha was already married to someone else. The plot contrasts sharply with the caution Hyde often claims to bring to other people’s decisions.

Hyde’s story runs from being abandoned at home to gaining a place with the Formans, finding work connected to his love of music, and confronting a surprising family history. Through those developments, *That ’70s Show* makes his distrust of others more than a running joke.