First of all, characters: 2 brothers both named Pete (parents obviously crazy, and Mom even has a metal plate in her head and can pick up radio stations with it), jilted emotive school bus driver, creepy history teacher with legendarily disgusting varicose vein legs, Artie--unclassifiable random man always dressed in Where's Waldo-esque garb of red/striped spandex suits and accomplishing feats of strength as he hangs out with children.
Secondly, script: In an episode where the family takes a road trip and Dad has a complex about being "King of the Road," his confidence is measured by how far he lets his elbow stick out the window; at the end, after winning a competition with another vacationing family, Big Pete reflects on family loyalty and the feeling of a job well done: "We let our elbows do the talking."
Another episode, Big Pete, who plays trombone, complains of too much marching band rehearsal: "My lips feel like warm cheese."
Another episode, Little Pete, to a disciplinary adult: "Wax my nose hairs!"
Another episode, Big Pete is ashamed to work at the golf range, driving the cart and gathering all the golf balls, decides to wear a giant bear suit to hide his identity but at the end gains courage and unmasks himself in front of his peers, who promptly say in disgust, "You're a range boy?" to which he replies proudly: "I'm not a range boy, I'm a range bear."
Maybe you find this tantalizing taste I've given you to be completely incoherent and worthless. Maybe you will rush to rent the first season from Netflix or your nearest "movie buff's paradise" (if you're as lucky as I am to have one near you and so conveniently spelled out in neon letters for you so you know what it is). The way I see it, you can either take the random information that comes your way and let it add to your life, or you can assume seeming randomness does not apply to you, forget about it, and gain nothing.
Nickelodeon sure is better at teaching morals through a well crafted tale than I am!
But seriously. My teacher, Dr. Rosenkranz once told this story about a prestigious composer's class held by Olivier Messiaen, where Messiaen held all these preliminary examinations to select his pupils. He made them write fugues, take tests, all sorts of hoop jumping. And then, when they finally show up, he shows them, of all things, his rock collection. He points out how each rock is so amazing, has its own "suchness." Rosenkranz's friend who attended said he was simply befuddled until very much time had passed after the class and he was able to take what Messiaen said about the rocks and apply it to composition. Each piece of music needs to have its own "suchness," its own certain thing about it that makes it unique.
So, suck up everything you can, like you're a dustbuster and the world is a treasure trove of cat hair, because you'll never know when it may enrich something later on (or maybe you'll figure out something later that you really should've comprehended at the time it was offered to you but you were just too dense. Either way).
*This should say show, and I saw my error as soon as it happened, but I love the way shoe looks and the hilarious possibilities of visualization it offers so I left it.
Maybe you find this tantalizing taste I've given you to be completely incoherent and worthless. Maybe you will rush to rent the first season from Netflix or your nearest "movie buff's paradise" (if you're as lucky as I am to have one near you and so conveniently spelled out in neon letters for you so you know what it is). The way I see it, you can either take the random information that comes your way and let it add to your life, or you can assume seeming randomness does not apply to you, forget about it, and gain nothing.
Nickelodeon sure is better at teaching morals through a well crafted tale than I am!
But seriously. My teacher, Dr. Rosenkranz once told this story about a prestigious composer's class held by Olivier Messiaen, where Messiaen held all these preliminary examinations to select his pupils. He made them write fugues, take tests, all sorts of hoop jumping. And then, when they finally show up, he shows them, of all things, his rock collection. He points out how each rock is so amazing, has its own "suchness." Rosenkranz's friend who attended said he was simply befuddled until very much time had passed after the class and he was able to take what Messiaen said about the rocks and apply it to composition. Each piece of music needs to have its own "suchness," its own certain thing about it that makes it unique.
So, suck up everything you can, like you're a dustbuster and the world is a treasure trove of cat hair, because you'll never know when it may enrich something later on (or maybe you'll figure out something later that you really should've comprehended at the time it was offered to you but you were just too dense. Either way).
*This should say show, and I saw my error as soon as it happened, but I love the way shoe looks and the hilarious possibilities of visualization it offers so I left it.
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