Hello again! I'm back with another That '70s Show original script. This time we'll be looking at S3xE23 "Backstage Pass"!
This one is extra special because of who it belonged to - one Corey Landis. And it's a table draft, which means there were quite a few changes (some of them significant!). Read on for my summary.
Who's Corey Landis? you may ask. Fair question.
He is the actor who plays a young Red Forman a few different times throughout the series! It's really cool to see the different notes he wrote to himself about how a scene should be staged or acted.
First up, right off the bat the cold open has some different lines.
As you can see, the scene still ends in the same place and most of what the characters say is similar. You can see how they made it slightly shorter in the episode.
I like that Fez is interested in the soybean futures lol, that in the actual episode Eric's line was, "Pork belly prices. How cute is that?" instead, and that LP might've improvised her bit about forgetting to turn off the microphone (or it was added by a writer/producer in a later version of the script).
Eric and Donna's next scene is virtually the same, except for one major difference...
... the band they went to see was originally going to be Aerosmith! In the actual episode, they went to see Ted Nugent. There must have been some kind of licensing issue with being able to use Aerosmith. It's a significant difference, though, because this episode would've continued the characterization that Donna has a crush on Steven Tyler.
There's also this funny, cut moment at the end of Eric and Donna's scene at the radio station:
Now onto the parents.
Some more Bob and Midge lore:
Red and Kitty's interaction is nearly word for word, but check out the actor's notes from the table read!! Pretty cool.
The next scene sees the gang waiting for the Aerosmith Ted Nugent concert to begin. And again it's similar, though not identical, to the scene that aired - Jackie and Kelso discuss their week of romance, Eric and Donna are eager for the concert to begin, and Fez and Hyde reveal their misspelled concert merch.
I was robbed of another Eric & Donna kiss (and a hug!), though 😡 + Eric calling her his "best girl". 🥹
Next we're back to the parents.
Red is still trying to remember how he and Kitty really met, and Kitty is becoming increasingly upset. In the episode she told him her version of events at this point, but in the script it is dragged out a little longer.
The Packer refrigerator magent line made me chuckle, ngl.
Back at the concert. This scene is again nearly identical to what really aired, but I enjoyed Kelso's Aerosmith versions of the songs he changed for Jackie. 😂
Then we check in on Fez and Hyde, who are struggling to sell their misprinted t-shirts just like in the episode.
Donna's scene backstage is word for word, except she's interviewing Steven Tyler instead of Ted Nugent.
In the next scene, Fez and Hyde get arrested. The scene is practically the same, except we get a little more insight into how upset Eric is with Donna. "Tonight was supposed to be about us," 😫. And I like Fez's Cheryl Tiegs line from the actual episode better.
Then the script cuts back to Red and Kitty. It's basically the same scene from the actual episode, but with a few added details. Horseface Lynn Taylor is mentioned again 🤣
Then Eric's scene with the janitor (Stanley!!), and Donna's scene backstage where Ted/Steven offers to let her touch the guitar are word for word.
Kelso and Jackie's storyline and lines are mostly unchanged throughout, but this added line from Eric at the end of their final scene made me 😂🤣
Then we're back to Red and Kitty to conclude their storyline for the episode. The scene starts out the exact same, but ends with slightly different lines.
I just love getting to see the actor's notes!
And finally, the biggest difference of all: in the script, Eric and Donna's final scene takes place in the Forman basement, not outside of the concert venue. I'm glad they changed that, because all I can think is: how did Donna get home that night? Even though he was pissed, Eric really left her there? No no no no no. 😣 I think it's much more in character that he waited.
I do like that in the script Donna at least actually apologized - in the episode, she didn't. It's widely acknowledged within the fandom that this is one of Donna's worst moments on the show, regardless.
As one of the final episodes of season 3, this episode/storyline was integral to setting the stage for Eric and Donna's emerging break-up and it does the job. The original script even more so than the actual episode, in my opinion.
Well, that's all I've got for this one! Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more in the series. I'm your *very* pregnant and uncomfortable host, @thatseventiesbitch 😄.
Other Scripts I've Posted:
S2xE20 "Kiss of Death" S2xE22 "Jackie Moves On" S2xE23 "Holy Crap!" S2xE26 "Moon Over Point Place" S5xE21 "Trampled Under Foot" S6xE20 "Squeezebox" S7xE8 "Angie"
