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That '70s Show character guide

Who is Steven Hyde in That '70s Show?

Eric Forman's cool, cynical best friend in That '70s Show, a sunglasses-wearing rebel who distrusts authority and ends up living with the Formans as a second son.

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Steven Hyde's Sitcomdle clue card

The five clues the game shows when Steven Hyde is the answer or a guess.

Show
That '70s Show
Debut
1998
Network
FOX
Role
Main
Gender
Male

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Show
That '70s Show
Played by
Danny Masterson
First episode
“That '70s Pilot”Season 1, Episode 1, aired August 23, 1998
Role
Main cast
Network
FOX
Occupation
Record store manager, later owner, Grooves
Show run
1998 to 2006
Also known as
Hyde

Steven Hyde is the gang's resident rebel: sarcastic, unshockable, and always ready with a theory about who is really running things. Played by Danny Masterson, he moves in with the Formans early in the series and becomes part of the family.

On That '70s Show, Steven Hyde's story runs through Eric Forman (Best Friend), Jackie Burkhart (Ex-girlfriend), Kitty Forman (Foster Mother), Red Forman (Foster Father), Michael Kelso (Friend), and Fez (Friend).

Steven Hyde from That '70s Show: Sitcomdle character card

Who is Steven Hyde?

Hyde is Eric's best friend and the most anti-establishment member of the basement crew. He comes from a rough home life: his mother, Edna, drifts in and out, and the man he believes is his father, Bud, is rarely around. Late in season one his mother leaves for good, and Eric talks his parents into taking Hyde in.

Kitty adores him from the start, and even Red comes to treat him as a son. Living with the Formans gives Hyde the stable home he never had, though he would never admit how much it means to him.

Personality and comedy

Hyde's comedy is all attitude. He hides behind his ever-present sunglasses, mocks anything that smells of authority or the mainstream, and treats every crisis as proof that the world is rigged. His deadpan put-downs make him the group's sharpest needle, especially when Kelso walks into one.

Under the cool exterior he is loyal and protective. When Jackie is caught with marijuana at the end of season two, he takes the blame and goes to jail rather than let her get in trouble, which is the moment she starts to see him differently.

Key storylines

Hyde's biggest romance is with Jackie Burkhart. They start a secret fling after Kelso leaves for California, and they date for about three seasons through breakups, jealousy, and Jackie's dreams of marriage. At the end of season seven, Hyde finds Jackie with Kelso in a Chicago motel room, misreads what he sees, and the relationship falls apart. He comes back from Las Vegas married to a stripper named Samantha, a marriage that turns out not to be legal because she was still married to someone else.

Season six ends with a twist: Kitty finds Hyde's birth certificate and learns that Bud is not his father. In season seven Hyde meets his biological father, William Barnett, a wealthy Black businessman who owns the Grooves record store chain. William gives Hyde a job, then makes him manager of the Point Place store, and late in the final season Hyde learns the store will be his to own.

Behind the scenes and legacy

Danny Masterson played Hyde for all eight seasons, and the character's look, from the curly hair to the sunglasses, became one of the show's most recognizable images.

Hyde does not appear in the Netflix sequel That '90s Show and is not mentioned there, following sexual assault allegations against Masterson and his later conviction.

Key Steven Hyde episodes

  1. “Hyde Moves In”Season 1, Episode 24Hyde's mother abandons him, and Eric persuades Red and Kitty to take him in.
  2. “Moon Over Point Place”Season 2, Episode 26Hyde goes to jail after taking the blame for Jackie's marijuana bust.
  3. “Hyde's Father”Season 3, Episode 3Bud comes back wanting Hyde to live with him, and Kitty tries to bring them together.
  4. “Let's Spend the Night Together”Season 7, Episode 2Hyde meets his biological father, William Barnett, for the first time.
  5. “Till the Next Goodbye”Season 7, Episode 25Hyde finds Jackie and Kelso together in a Chicago motel, which ends his relationship with Jackie.
  6. “My Fairy King”Season 8, Episode 16Hyde learns his Las Vegas wife, Samantha, was already married.

Season and episode numbers follow the original broadcast order.

Steven Hyde: frequently asked questions

Who plays Hyde in That '70s Show?

Danny Masterson plays Steven Hyde in all eight seasons of That '70s Show.

Who is Hyde's real father?

His biological father is William Barnett, a wealthy businessman played by Tim Reid. Hyde learns that Bud is not his father at the end of season six and meets William in season seven.

Do Hyde and Jackie end up together?

No. They date for about three seasons, but they split after Hyde sees Jackie with Kelso in a Chicago motel at the end of season seven, and Jackie ends the series with Fez.

Who does Hyde marry?

Hyde marries Samantha, a stripper, during a drunken trip to Las Vegas after his breakup with Jackie, and the marriage is revealed at the start of season eight. In "My Fairy King" he learns she was already married, so their marriage is not legal.

Is Hyde in That '90s Show?

No. Hyde does not appear in That '90s Show and is not mentioned, following the allegations and conviction against Danny Masterson.

Test yourself: Steven Hyde quiz

5 questions about Steven Hyde. Think of your answer, then open the reveal to check it.

  1. Question 1

    Why does Hyde move in with the Formans in season one?

    1. His house burns down
    2. His father is sent to prison
    3. He loses a bet to Eric
    4. His mother runs off and leaves him alone
    Show the answer

    Answer: D. His mother runs off and leaves him alone

    In "Hyde Moves In," Hyde's mom, Edna, takes off with a trucker, and Eric talks Red and Kitty into taking his best friend in.

    See question 7 in the full quiz

  2. Question 2

    What does Kelso yell, out of sight of the camera, whenever Hyde roughs him up?

    1. "Uncle!"
    2. "I'm okay!"
    3. "Ow, my eye!"
    4. "Not the face!"
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. "Ow, my eye!"

    The gag repeats across the series, and the flashbacks in "Class Picture" use it again and again.

    See question 14 in the full quiz

  3. Question 3

    Who turns out to be Hyde's biological father?

    1. Bud Hyde
    2. William Barnett
    3. Bob Pinciotti
    4. Jack Burkhart
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. William Barnett

    Played by Tim Reid, Barnett owns a chain of record stores and helps Hyde go from employee to owner of Grooves.

    See question 15 in the full quiz

  4. Question 4

    In the final season, which exotic dancer turns up at the Forman house claiming to be Hyde's wife?

    1. Angie
    2. Pam Macy
    3. Sarah
    4. Samantha
    Show the answer

    Answer: D. Samantha

    Samantha arrives in the season eight premiere, and in "My Fairy King" Hyde learns she already had a husband, so their marriage was never legal.

    See question 18 in the full quiz

  5. Question 5

    Who plays Steven Hyde in That '70s Show?

    1. Jessica Walter
    2. Colton Dunn
    3. Danny Masterson
    4. Bebe Neuwirth
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. Danny Masterson

    Danny Masterson plays Steven Hyde.

Take the full That '70s Show quiz (20 questions)

Sources and corrections

Reference pages used for this guide, including character, cast, and episode details.

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