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Do Over: Pilot

Episode score 8.8 Great

Pilot

  • 1.
  • Season: 1
  • Episode: 1
  • First Aired: 9/19/2002
  • Prod Code: 40374-001

EPISODE OVERVIEW

0 Reviews 9 Votes

One day Joel Larsen gets home from his boring work as a salesman and finds and ambulance on his doorway. His father was in an accident, but nothing too serious, just some over burned bread. His life is miserable, but it all changes after his sister accidentally shocks him in the head with the ambulance's resurrecting machine and he wakes up on his high school's baseball field. Somehow Joel Larsen is back to 1981, back to his high school days. Believing it's all a big dream, he goes home to what once was a regular (but slightly dysfunctional) American family. His parents are still married, and his sister is only a few years away from substance abuse. The next morning he wakes up and freaks after realizing he's trapped in 1981. To make matters worse, he has an Algebra test, which he flees. He is caught smoking by his principal and still has to face class elections and a speech on which he froze. But this time he knows better, and manages to change his past and win the election. Can this be not as bad as he thought? Add a recap »

Writers:
Rick WienerKenny Schwartz
Director:
Lev L. Spiro
Stars:
Tom Everett Scott (Adult Joel Larsen (voiceover; uncredited))
Michael Milhoan (Bill Larsen)
Gigi Rice (Karen Larsen)
Natasha Melnick (Isabelle Meyers)
Angela Goethals (Cheryl Larsen)
Penn Badgley (Joel Larsen)
Josh Wise (Pat Brody)
Recurring Role:
Thomas F. Wilson (Coach Dorsey)
Melinda Sward (Holly Kent)
Guest Star:
Davida Williams (Suzie)
Julius Carry (Principal Glen Rudd)
Jesse Heiman ((uncredited))
Leslie Stevens (II) (Cheryl)
David Earnest (Pat at 34)
Travis Perkins (Shawn)
Corie Henninger (teacher)
Alli Danziger (Student)
  • The first episode said that Joel went back to 1981. Later episodes state that the show takes place in 1980. edit »
  • Music



    Madness: Our House
    Wham!: Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go
    ZZ Top: Sharp Dressed Man
    Dead or Alive: You Spin Me Round
    Kim Wilde: Kids in America edit »
  • Joel's baseball team was sponsored by Beacon Street Pizza which was also the name of the pizza place in Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place. Both series were created by Wiener & Schwartz. The pizza place was owned by Julius Carey who is now Joel's principal. edit »
  • Adding to the above about the music: The songs heard were: ZZ Top's "Sharp Dressed Man" (it came out in 1984), Dead or Alive's "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" - it came out in 1985 and Wham's "Wake me up before you Go-Go" is from 1984. However, executive producer, Rick Wiener, says, "Sometimes there's just a song that's on theme with your episode. We knew Wham's{} "Wake me up before you Go-Go" wasn't from 1981, but it was the joke we wanted when Joel woke up in his teenage bedroom. We couldn't pass it up." Nor could they pass up recruiting the Go-Go's to write and perform the show's theme song.
    (The above was posted in TV Guide's September 28, 2002 issue) edit »
  • Many of the songs heard throughout the show came out after 1981. But considering that the show is from the point of view of a man from the year 2002 the music may all be in his head. edit »
  • Pat: (To Joel) All right either you got hit in the head too hard or I've been right all along. Pac-Man was sent by the Russians to warp the minds of America's youth. edit »
  • Joel: I'm really 34 years old!
    Pat: Ok Dorothy, I believe you...
    edit »
  • Joel: All right, you want proof? In college, we got drunk and you confessed that you didn't take karate on Monday nights. You're at home watching Little House on the Prairie.
    Pat: That is a good show. edit »
Show Score 8.1 great
  • Show Statistics
  • 2,043 of 17,905 Rating Rank
  • 5 Reviews
  • 61 Tracked by
  • 98 Votes
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