The Adventures of Pete and Pete

INDULGENT MUSINGS:
No, I don't think that The Adventures of Pete and Pete is on the same tier in television history as The Twilight Zone or Cheers. Unfortunately the brand of this blog is beholden to whatever episode idea pops into my head in the shower and this week, I was thinkin' about Pete and Pete.

I'm not sure how many of you remember this show. It ran for only three seasons on Nickelodeon in the mid-nineties but has recently experienced a hefty nostalgia boost thanks to the Internet. The show was childish and silly and... hey, can I tell you guys a secret?

(I know I tried to play it cool back there in that opening paragraph, but to this day it's easily in my top ten favorite shows of all time.)  

Okay, I refuse to apologize for this! The Adventures of Pete and Pete was an extremely unique and important show with a singular voice and tone. It was grunge meets alternative comedy for kids and it still resonates with me. Watching it as an adult rekindles a sense of unparalleled fun and wonder that we all thought we lost after... I dunno... 9/11? Pete and Pete is the opposite of 9/11.

But what really matters here is why it was so great to watch when I was a kid. Each episode brought to life exactly how dramatic and weird and silly the world feels to a child. Staying up past your bedtime is a monumental act of rebellion in "The Nightcrawlers" episode. Students have the ability to rattle a slew of substitute teachers with the age old question of, "when am I ever going to use algebra?" in  "X=Why?" And let's not forget the trauma of being forced to grow up too fast in "Farewell My Little Viking." Sprinkle on a healthy dose of 90's alt aesthetic and BAM!

SEED OF THE IDEA:
How would The Adventures of Pete and Pete handle the plot of Terminator 2? If that pitch doesn't immediately earn me some reps, I give up. 

HONESTY CORNER:
After pointing out all the reasons that the show was special and specific, I gotta say: this spec was hard to write. I don't know if I matched it. It's 2017 and I'm almost 30 and Little Pete does a voice in Grand Theft Auto. I found it to be a hard tone to harness. I'm also really starting to feel the weight of the one-week deadline and it's effect on the story. I'm proud of what I was able to come up but I dare you to find a simpler (read "lazier") time travel story than this.

SPECIAL THANKS TO:
Andrew Williams for being a fellow Pete and Pete superfan and for reading my first draft and giving notes! He's also a singer songwriter! Check out his stuff here.

Anyone got advice for me? Please sound off in the comments!