pastrylikewolf

I shared a tiny bit of a story that I wrote in seventh grade, about a sinister version of Barney the Purple Dinosaur.

I’ve been listening to The Big Orange Couch, a podcast that discusses 1990s Nickelodeon shows and is therefore nostalgic catnip for me personally. The hosts have readily acknowledged that one of their favorite shows was The Adventures of Pete and Pete, which was one of my favorites as well. For those of you who don’t remember, the show was about two brothers, both named Pete, having surreal adventures in a surreal suburban town. (I’ve seen Craig of the Creek described as a spiritual successor of sorts, and I kind of agree, although Pete and Pete was a lot less racially diverse.)

Big Orange Couch’s countdown of their top ten episodes inspired me to try and list my top five, although hosts Andrew and Joey ordered their choices by preference and I have, as always, listed mine in chronological order.

1. “What We Did On Our Summer Vacation”

The Petes try to befriend the local ice cream man, even when he dodges their efforts by fleeing across the country.

This early episode does a beautiful job of introducing viewers to the community of Wellsville, and is filmed in a way that perfectly captures a certain experience of summer. (The only sour note is a running joke about a background character’s weight.) If you were lucky enough to get your hands on the DVDs when they became available in the mid-2000s, “Summer Vacation” has a commentary track by the creators and director, who agree that one of the final lines – “Some things are meant to stay a mystery” – sums up the show.

Also, when I watched I Saw The TV Glow, which was undeniably influenced by Pete and Pete along with various other 1990s media, this was the episode that came to mind first.

2. “The Nightcrawlers”

Little Pete and his friends try to break a world record by staying up for eleven days.

This episode takes a childhood wish-fulfillment fantasy (never having to go to bed, even when a literal conspiracy of adults are trying to make you!) and runs with it, with plenty of bizarre moments along the way, including young Clem’s inexplicable facial hair and the poised-for-flight stance that Artie, The Strongest Man in the World, falls into during his “Super Sleep.” (Despite being Little Pete’s personal superhero, Artie doesn’t ever actually fly on the show that I can recall.) But the episode ends with a sweet conversation between Pete and his mother about compromise and the passage of time, and the ending lines are perfect.

3. “The Call”

Little Pete resolves to answer a pay phone that’s been ringing for twenty-seven years, as the ringing – and the fear surrounding it – start to affect his neighbors’ sanity.

Like “Summer Vacation,” this episode leans into the idiosyncrasies of Wellsville in a way that I really appreciate. It also carries an important message about how destructive fear of the unknown can be. I think that my only complaint is that while Big Pete’s narration lists the supposed “superpowers” of his brother’s friends, we never actually get to see any of those abilities in action, in this episode or any other.

4. “Yellow Fever”

Big Pete has to confront his hidden resentments while on a class trip, where everybody – including the bus driver – is acting even more strangely than usual.

The title of this episode is deeply unfortunate (it’s the name of the school bus that the kids are riding), and I’ve never cared much for Pete’s jealous pining over Ellen. On the other hand, the quirky supporting characters are a delight, especially the high-strung and lovelorn bus driver, Stu Benedict (“Excuse me, Farmer Extremely Unhelpful – you’re straw!”), and recurring antagonist Endless Mike is in fine Chaotic Evil form.

5. “Last Laugh”

On April Fool’s Day, Little Pete and his friends work together to disrupt their school’s “Up With Personal Hygiene!” assembly with an epic prank on their principal.

I’ve been very emphatic about my dislike of April Fool’s Day, but I’m still grateful that it inspired this episode, which – like many of Little Pete’s most memorable stories – centers around another childhood fantasy scenario: humiliating a tyrannical authority figure. The kids’ scheme has plenty of entertaining and dramatic twists and turns; Adam West plays Principal Schwinger with a perfect mixture of buffoonery and menace; and the Up With Personal Hygiene Singers are hilarious. My sister and I still quote “You don’t deserve the giant swab!” at each other to this day.

Did you watch Pete and Pete when it aired or in the years since then? Do you have any favorite episodes or moments?