''The Best of Times'' is a one-shot

television pilot A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie), in United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television network or other distri ...

that aired as a "

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...

Special Presentation" on August 29, 1983. It was originally going to be a replacement series for ''

Square Pegs ''Square Pegs'' is an American sitcom that aired on CBS during the 1982–1983 season. The series follows Patty Greene (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Lauren Hutchinson ( Amy Linker), two awkward teenage girls desperate to fit in at Weemawee High S ...

'', but dismal ratings for the pilot episode caused the network to not go further. The pilot was written by

Bob Comfort Bob, BOB, or B.O.B. may refer to: Places *Mount Bob, New York, United States *Bob Island, Palmer Archipelago, Antarctica People, fictional characters, and named animals *Bob (given name), a list of people and fictional characters *Bob (surname) ...

and Rick Kellard and directed by

Bill Bixby Wilfred Bailey Everett Bixby III (January 22, 1934 – November 21, 1993) professionally known as Bill Bixby, was an American actor, director, producer, and frequent game-show panellist. Bixby's career spanned more than three decades, includi ...

. The show was intended to be an hour-long comedy-drama set in the 1960s, with the characters progressing from high school to college. Comfort complained, "When we first took it to

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...

it was in an hour format. But

Brandon Tartikoff Brandon Tartikoff (January 13, 1949 – August 27, 1997) was an American television executive who was the president of NBC from 1981 to 1991. He was credited with turning around NBC's low prime time reputation with such hit series as ''Hill Stre ...

BC's 34-year-old "Child of TV" President of Entertainmentdidn't understand it. So then we took it took it to CBS and they immediately saw it as a half-hour comedy; maybe do it with three cameras on tape before a live audience. Then they said how about making it in contemporary times because CBS, at the time, was committed to doing ''

Diner A diner is a small, inexpensive restaurant found across the United States, as well as in Canada and parts of Western Europe. Diners offer a wide range of foods, mostly American cuisine, a casual atmosphere, and, characteristically, a com ...

'', which was set in the '60s."

Plot

Set in suburban Indiana, the show centers around three friends – smooth Pete Falcone (

Robert Romanus Robert Romanus (born July 17, 1956), also billed as Bob Romanus, is an American actor and musician who has starred in film and television. He is perhaps best known for his role as ticket scalper Mike Damone in the 1982 comedy ''Fast Times at Rid ...

), nerdy Neil Hefernan (

Leif Green Leif Green is an American actor and production manager. He is perhaps best known for portraying Davey Jaworski one of the T-Birds in the Grease 2, the 1982 sequel to the 1978 motion picture '' Grease'' as well as the hero Eugene Groebe in the 198 ...

) and aspiring musician Dewey "The Phantom" Hooper (

Chris Nash Christopher David Nash (born 19 May 1983) is a retired English cricketer who represented Sussex and Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club in an 18-year professional career. He also played first-class cricket for Loughborough UCCE in 2003 and 20 ...

) – starting their freshman year at Ulysses S. Grant High School. Pete has made an agreement with his caring, but strict father Gene (

Alex Rocco Alex Rocco (born Alessandro Federico Petricone Jr.; February 29, 1936 – July 18, 2015) was an American actor. Known for his distinctive, gravelly voice, he was often cast as villains, including Moe Greene in ''The Godfather'' (1972) and his Pr ...

) that he will stay out of trouble this year, since Gene promised Pete he could have his own car, as Neil is the only one currently with a driver's license. On the way to school, they pick up two girls, brash Robin DuPree (

Krista Errickson Krista Anne Errickson (born May 8, 1964) is an American actress, journalist, and documentary filmmaker, writer and producer who appeared in films and television productions in the 1980s and 1990s. As a teen actress, she is most recognized for ...

) and goody-goody Patti Eubanks (

Hallie Todd Hallie Todd (born January 7, 1962) is an American actress. She played Penny Waters on ''Brothers,''Jo McGuire on ''Lizzie McGuire,'' and Rhoda Markowitz, Dennis Stanton's assistant, on ''Murder, She Wrote''. She also made guest-starring appearan ...

), who takes a liking to Pete immediately. Patti enlists Robin's help to woo Pete at the upcoming freshman dance, as long as Patti pays her money. Dewey also has his hands full when the sadistic, hard-nosed vice principal Franklin T. Otto (

William G. Schilling William G. Schilling (August 30, 1939 – February 28, 2019) was an American actor of film and television. He played Dr. Harold Samuels on the television series ''Head of the Class ''Head of the Class'' is an American sitcom television ser ...

) reminds him that he will keep a close eye on Dewey for the entire semester as he is known for pranks and cutting classes. A subplot consists of hulking resident bully Garth Stimlovich (

Tony Longo Tony Longo (August 19, 1961 – June 21, 2015) was an American actor. Longo appeared in numerous television series, including ''Family Matters'', '' The Facts of Life'', '' Laverne & Shirley'', ''Simon & Simon'', '' Alice'', '' Perfect Strang ...

) returning to town to settle a score with Pete when he ratted him out in a school incident, causing him to get expelled and placed in military school. He also knows Pete has been taunting Garth's younger brother, as well. One night, as Gene is fixing the sink in the kitchen, he mistakenly receives a threatening phone call from Garth, complete with racial slurs, saying a fight is going to happen. Knowing Pete is a part of this, Gene firmly tells him that even though he does not condone fighting of any kind, and that they have a deal going on, Pete has his permission to teach Garth a lesson, even if it might get Pete suspended from school. He also tells Pete that he will not tell his mother, Peggy, about it, either. The night of the dance, the three hatch up a plan to get even with Garth's brother and his crony. Neil stands guard outside in the parking lot while Pete and Dewey act casual in the gymnasium. The two bullies corner Neil and he attempts to spray them with a hose, but discovers it is out of water. Pete and Dewey come to his rescue and push both bullies into a car trunk and lock it, but Garth shows up, in his military school uniform, and gives Pete a black eye, but Patti, hiding on the flatbed of a pickup truck, knocks Garth out cold with a trash can lid. To pay her back, Patti tells Pete to look her up in the phone book. The next morning, at breakfast, Peggy is infuriated about the fight and Pete's black eye and refuses to even talk about it. Pete is also confused about the advice Gene has given him and questions what kind of figure Gene is, his father or best friend, When Pete asks him who he is today, Gene briskly, but warmly, replies that he is his father.

Cast

as Pete Falcone, a student *

as Robin DuPree, a student *

as Patti Eubanks, a student *

as Dewey Hooper, a student *

as Neil Hefernan, a student *

as Gene Falcone, Pete's father *

Arlene Golonka Arlene Leanore Golonka (January 23, 1936 – May 31, 2021) was an American actress. She is perhaps best known for playing Millie Hutchins on the television comedy ''The Andy Griffith Show'' and Millie Swanson on ''Mayberry R.F.D.'', and often ...

as Peggy Falcone, Pete's mother *

Rosanna Locke Rosanna may refer to: * Rosanna (given name) * "Rosanna" (song), a 1982 song by Toto * ''Rosanna'' (film), a 1953 Mexican film * Rosanna, Victoria, a suburb of Melbourne ** Rosanna railway station * Rosanna, a community in the township of Norwich ...

as Theresa Falcone, Pete's sister

Production

The pilot was filmed in April 1983. The show's original working title was ''Changing Times''.

and

also appeared together in ''

Fast Times at Ridgemont High ''Fast Times at Ridgemont High'' is a 1982 American coming-of-age comedy film directed by Amy Heckerling (in her feature directorial debut), from a screenplay by Cameron Crowe, based on his 1981 book ''Fast Times at Ridgemont High: A True Story' ...

'', though they did not share any scenes together.

Reception

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' said that the pilot was "not bad", but says that it's hindered by trying to imitate the popular 1982 comedy-drama ''

'': "It is supposed to be about the funny goings-on among the students at good old Grant High, but other elements — slices of life, pieces of drama — keep intruding." ''The Manhattan, Kansas Mercury'' called the pilot "one of those forgettable shows that really has little to offer."

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Best of Times, The 1983 American television series debuts 1983 American television series endings CBS original programming Television pilots not picked up as a series Television series by Lorimar Television