The facts.
The Adventures of Pete and Pete was one of the coolest shows on TV in the 90s! It's an American television series created by Will McRobb, and Chris Viscardi, produced by Wellsville Pictures and broadcast by Nickelodeon. The show featured humorous and surreal elements in its narrative, and many recurring themes centered on two brothers both named Pete Wrigley ("Big Pete" and "Little Pete"), and their various interactions with family, friends, and enemies.
The series was reminiscent of NBC's Eerie, Indiana, in which a peaceful suburban neighborhood was a strange and skewed world as seen through the eyes of a preteen -- in this case hyperactive Little Pete. Strangeness abounded in the quiet town of Wellsville. For one thing Pete's teenage brother was also named Pete, for no particular reason. Don, his dad was a balding goofball obsessed with his lawn, and Joyce, his mom, had a plate in her head on which she could pick up police radio and other odd signals. Artie, the truly nutty neighbor, was a rubber-faced inventor who dressed in red tights and maybe really was a comic-book superhero. Certainly he was Little Pete's hero. Ellen was Big Pete's friend and Nonas was the oddly perceptive little girl next door; only Big Pete, who narrated, was half normal. Nimbus was the family dog, and Petunia was Little Pete's bizarre tattoo. Parents, teachers, neighbors, school crossing guards, and others all acted illogically (as adults often do from a kid's point of view), but Little Pete's adventures usually worked out in the end.
Popular rock star personalities such as Iggy Pop and Kate Pierson appeared in cameo roles, and the soundtrack featured music by indie music artists, helping the series gain a cult following.
The Adventures of Pete & Pete originated as a series of one-minute vignettes in 1990, was expanded into a series of five specials, and then became a regular series in late 1993. It was filmed in Leonia, New Jersey.
(sources: Wikipedia and Sitcoms Online)
The cast.
Who's who in Wellsville
Michael C. Maronna as Big Pete WrigleyDanny Tamberelli as Little Pete Wrigley
Hardy Rawls as Don Wrigley
Judy Grafe as Joyce Wrigley
Alison Fanelli as Ellen Hickle
Toby Huss as Artie, The Strongest Man in the World
Michelle Trachtenberg as Nona Mecklenberg
Iggy Pop as Mr. Mecklenberg
The complete cast list
The opening credits.
Hey smilin' strange,
Here's the TV show's original opening credits.
The muzak.
Music from the TV series.
The show also featured music by such artists as Luscious Jackson, Nice, Drop Nineteens, Racecar, Chug, Poi Dog Pondering, Syd Straw, and The Apples in Stereo. The music of Stephin Merritt can also be heard throughout the series, including songs from his projects The Magnetic Fields, The 6ths, and The Gothic Archies.
Music From the Adventures of Pete & Pete
Features the TV show's theme song "Hey Sandy". The band Polaris also acts as a house band and appears in the episode "Hard Day's Pete".
Amazon Price: $13.99 (as of 10/11/2008)
War and Peace
By Syd Straw. Syd also appears as math teacher Miss Fingerwood in some episodes. She also played bass in little Pete's band "Blowholes"
Amazon Price: (as of 10/11/2008)
Holiday
By the Magnetic Fields, one of the featured artists in the series
Amazon Price: $10.99 (as of 10/11/2008)
Fun Trick Noisemaker
By the Apples in Stereo, one of the featured artists in the series
Amazon Price: $13.98 (as of 10/11/2008)
Natural Ingredients
By Luscious Jackson, one of the featured artists in the series
Amazon Price: $7.97 (as of 10/11/2008)
The Adventures of Pete and Pete swag
T-shirt designs inspired by the TV series
Squirt on to Victory Dark T-Shirt
"Squirt on to Victory" - a design of Edna the Fighting Squid, Wellsville High's beloved mascot.
Price: 28.99
The Elbow Theory Jr. Ringer T-Shirt
"The Elbow Theory" - a design based on Big Pete's theory that the bigger the amount of elbow a dad has hanging out the window is directly proportional to how full of himself he is.
Price: 26.99
Gelatin Women's Cap Sleeve T-Shirt
"Gelatin!" - In Wellsville High's cafeteria, gelatin comes in two delicious flavors, "green" and "red"!
Price: 28.99
Mom's Plate Women's T-Shirt
Yes, the two Petes' mom has a metal plate inside her brain. It actually comes in handy once in a while since it can pick up radio signals and other odd sounds.
Price: 24.99
The Blowholes Yellow T-Shirt
The "Blowholes" is the name of the band Little Pete formed with his friends.
Price: 18.99
The first episode.
A scene from the first ever episode, "King of the Road"
The Wrigley family goes on their yearly trip to Hoover Dam. When the family stops to eat for lunch, another man and his family also stop off at the same place, on their way to the Hoover Dam. Dad is determined to beat the other father for the title 'King of the Road'. The outcome? A bunch of naked Wrigleys.
More swag!
Because one t-shirt is not enough.
King O Frod Light T-Shirt
The Wrigley brothers' dad thinks of himself as "The King of the Road" and got a license plate made to match his title... unfortunately it didn't turn out the way he wanted it to.
Price: 26.99
WART Radio Women's Dark T-Shirt
"WART Radio" is the name of little Pete's radio station, broadcast from his basement.
Price: 29.99
I Am A Dot Women's Tank Top
"I Am A Dot" design from the episode where Ellen took her role as Wellsville Marching Squid's "dot" to heart a tad too seriously.
Price: 27.99
The Artie Workout
A special exercise routine by the strongest man in the world, no less!
Adventures of Pete & Pete - The Artie Workout
It's time to get up and get strong with your personal trainer - Artie, the strongest man ... in the world! Billy West (of "The Ren and Stimpy Show" and "Futurama") narrates this short bonus feature from the 1994 "Classic Petes" videotape.
Runtime: 3:10
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The Videos.
Because you HAVE TO watch it.
The Adventures of Pete & Pete - Season 1
From Amazon: Pete and Pete took an alternative rock approach to the family sitcom. In other words, this wasn't your dad's situation comedy. Is it any wonder so many alternative musicians, like Juliana Hatfield, the B-52's Kate Pierson, R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe, and Blondie's Debbie Harry flocked to the (fictional) town of Wellsville? Nor could independent film actors, like Richard Edson (Stranger Than Paradise), Martin Donovan (Saved!), and Steve Buscemi (Fargo), resist the allure of the appealingly offbeat Wrigley family.
Meet the Wrigleys: redheaded teenager Pete (Michael Maronna, Home Alone), redheaded elementary school student Pete (Danny Tamberelli, The Mighty Ducks) and his tattoo Petunia, Dad (Hardy Rawls), Mom (Judy Grafe)--and the metal plate in her head. First season cast members include Big Pete's almost-girlfriend Ellen (Alison Fanelli), Little Pete's pal Natasha (Heather Matarazzo, Welcome to the Dollhouse), bus driver Stu (Damian Young), and Little Pete's personal superhero, Artie (Toby Huss), the strongest man in the world. Buscemi appears as Ellen's dad in "Apocalypse Pete" and would return for another episode in the second season.
The first season followed three years of 60-second shorts. It features 12 adventures (eight regular episodes plus four specials). Highlights include "King of the Road," in which the Wrigleys battle for road trip supremacy, "Tool and Die," in which Big Pete learns not to judge a shop teacher by his cover, and "Hard Day's Pete," in which Little Pete forms the Blowholes with Syd Straw and Marshall Crenshaw. Then there's "Don't Tread on Pete," in which Little Pete utters the immortal line, "Is this guy pickin' your scabs the way he's pickin' my scabs?" The Adventures of Pete and Pete ran on Nickelodeon for three well-loved, much-missed seasons. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Amazon Price: $14.99 (as of 10/11/2008)
The Adventures of Pete & Pete - Season 2
From Amazon: A new neighbor joins the redheaded brothers for their second season on Nickelodeon. The accident-prone Nona Mecklenberg (Michelle Trachtenberg) makes her first appearance in the premiere ("Grounded for Life"), where she is introduced as "the loneliest girl in Wellsville." By the end of the episode, that's no longer true as she and Little Pete (Danny Tamberelli) have become fast friends. Alas, nobody can take the place of his pet lizard, Gary, who makes his debut--and swan song--in the following adventure ("The Big Quiet'). Mona's dad, James (Iggy Pop, looking sharp in cardigan and khakis), will join the cast just in time for "Halloweenie," in which Pumpkin Eaters terrorize the neighborhood.
As for Big Pete (Michael Maronna), he'll finally ask Ellen (Alison Fanelli) out in "Time Tunnel". Endless Mike (Rick Gomez), in a rare moment of kindness, will lend him his car. It won't really change things, however. Maybe some people are meant to be friends--and others to be enemies. Then there are the Wrigley parents. In the first season, Dad (Hardy Rawls) fought for road trip supremacy. Now it's about having the best lawn and catching Bob, the biggest fish in the lake. Metal plate aside, Mom (Judy Grafe) does what she can to keep the craziness in check.
As before, Big Pete narrates in that delightful deadpan, and many old favorites are back: bus driver Stu (Damian Young), math teacher Miss Fingerwood (Syd Straw), Ellen's dad, Mr. Hickle (Steve Buscemi), and strongman Artie (Toby Huss). Little Pete's personal superhero will make his final appearance in the two-part "Farewell, My Little Viking." Guest stars include Gordon Gano as substitute teacher Zank ("X=Why?"), Bebe Neuwirth as McGinty the mailcarrier, David Johansen as park ranger Thorsen ("On Golden Pete"), and Chris Elliot as psychic meter man Ray ("Sick Day"). --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Amazon Price: $21.99 (as of 10/11/2008)
Adventures of Pete & Pete - Classic Petes
Amazon Price: (as of 10/11/2008)
The Adventures of Pete & Pete - School Daze
Amazon Price: (as of 10/11/2008)
Adventures of Pete & Pete: Farewell Little Viking
Amazon Price: (as of 10/11/2008)
Hey Sandy! (The Adventures of Pete & Pete's theme)
Lyrics by Polaris
Hey smilin' strangeYou're lookin' happily deranged
Could you settle to shoot me?
Or have you picked your target yet?
Hey Sandy
Don't you talk back,
Hey Sandy
Four feet away
End of speech, it's the end of the day
We was only funnin'
But guiltily I thought you had it comin'
Hey Sandy
Don't you talk back,
Hey Sandy
Hey Sandy
Don't you talk back,
Hey Sandy
Hey Sandy
Don't you talk back,
Hey Sandy
The portal.
Other sites and sources of additional information regarding our favorite show.
- The Adventures of Pete & Pete on Wikipedia
- Cliffnotes of what you need to know about the show.
- The Adventures of Pete & Pete on IMDB
- Created by Will McRobb, Chris Viscardi. With Michael C. Maronna, Danny Tamberelli, Alison Fanelli. This delightfully quirky show looks at the lives and adventures of two red headed brothers with the same name. Visit IMDb for Photos, Showtimes, Cast, Crew, Reviews, Plot Summary, Comments, Discussions
- TV.com Episode Guide
- The Adventures of Pete & Pete TV Show, TV.com is your reference guide to The Adventures of Pete & Pete Show. Episode guide, photos, videos, cast and crew information, forums, reviews and more.
- The Website of Pete and Pete
- A virtual encylopedia detailing everything there is to know about the show. Includes episode guides and lists of fictitious products (i.e. Krebstar brand products) seen throughout the series.
- The original Pete and Pete Fan Page
- The world's largest Pete and Pete website. Includes an FAQ, episode guides, character lists, music downloads, and more.
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JenniferAkers
I'm always amazed at how many shows I find Steve Buscemi. :-) Welcome to our group, Kids TV Shows. Check out your featured lens, The Adventures of Pete and Pete, and vote for your favorite network. Posted May 22, 2008 |
