From Page to Screen: 3RD ROCK FROM THE SUN (“Dick Solomon of the Indiana Solomons”)

Welcome to a new Wildcard Wednesday! This week, in conjunction with our current coverage of 3rd Rock From The Sun, I’m sharing — with subscribers who comment below to alert me of their private, non-commercial interest — access to a Table Draft script for one of my favorite episodes from this series’ fourth season: “Dick Solomon of the Indiana Solomons.”

This episode — written by Gregg Mettler — concerns a Solomon family reunion to which Dick has accidentally been invited, not knowing that the real “Richard Solomon” for whom the invite was intended has been estranged from this group for decades. It’s a lot of fun — a great use of the premise within story — and this draft is interesting because there are many little differences between what’s on the page and the eventual filmed product, which first aired on January 12, 1999. The biggest changes involve Harry’s big speech during the climatic family picture, and the elimination of a final rooftop scene. Here’s a sample of the former — a firsthand look at the 3rd Rock production machine and its constant pursuit of hilarity.

 

 

Come back next week for a new Wildcard! And stay tuned Monday for a musical rarity!

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