"The Patakis" Pitch Bible Leaked Online

[Alyce: Old Media Enthusiast]

One of the more well-known unsold pilot ideas, Craig Bartlett wanted to follow up Hey Arnold! with a spinoff series based on Helga and her family. The show would have been on Nick-at-Nite and would have been slightly more mature. Recently discovered was the pitch bible for what Bartlett wanted with the show.

[ayumidah]

ah man. I'm still really glad we got The Jungle Movie, but I always wondered what if about this project.

[thechase]

I probably would have hated it. I wanted a happy ending for Arnold and Helga, not have them separated later in life. I heard Craig's ultimate plan to conclude the series was to have Helga run away from home to find Arnold and they eventually get married, but I can't verify if that was legit or a rumour.

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

I really still hope we get this project somehow

Some things might change with how The Jungle Movie went, but I still think you could keep this at its core, and a general timeskip for the show itself

I still hate that MTV also rejected it because it felt "Too close to Daria"... and then they went and canceled Daria anyway lol

[schma]

Mar 27, 2023 1:42:08 GMT -5 Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-] said:

I really still hope we get this project somehow

Some things might change with how The Jungle Movie went, but I still think you could keep this at its core, and a general timeskip for the show itself

I still hate that MTV also rejected it because it felt "Too close to Daria"... and then they went and canceled Daria anyway lol

MTV had so many animated gems back in the day that got one season and then dumped. It was really frustrating.

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

Mar 27, 2023 2:05:31 GMT -5 schma said:

Mar 27, 2023 1:42:08 GMT -5 Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-] said:

I really still hope we get this project somehow

Some things might change with how The Jungle Movie went, but I still think you could keep this at its core, and a general timeskip for the show itself

I still hate that MTV also rejected it because it felt "Too close to Daria"... and then they went and canceled Daria anyway lol

MTV had so many animated gems back in the day that got one season and then dumped. It was really frustrating.

At least Clone High is coming back and Beavis and Butthead's revival is going well

They were gonna make a Daria Spinoff based on Jodie but now it's apparently been condensed to a film because I assume they realized making Jodie the focus wasn't gonna be enough for an entire series cause there's like... barely anything there... like just do a Daria continuation?

[ayumidah]

Mar 27, 2023 1:32:08 GMT -5 thechase said:

I probably would have hated it. I wanted a happy ending for Arnold and Helga, not have them separated later in life. I heard Craig's ultimate plan to conclude the series was to have Helga run away from home to find Arnold and they eventually get married, but I can't verify if that was legit or a rumour.

I mean I definitely get wanting them together, but every interview I've seen with Craig says that even if they're not together all the time, they're end game so it'd for sure happen.

I looked up old interviews with him about the Patakis, and here's a quote:
Question

Where’s Arnold in the spinoff?

Craig Bartlett

He’s … MOVED AWAY! Okay, calm down, he’s still her true love. A lot of stuff happens before The Patakis starts between Arnold and Helga. They are meant for each other, you know, duh (I mean doi). They will get together, but I want Helga to have her own show in the meantime, ya know? Arnold is Arnold and how could it be The Patakis unless he’s out of the way for a while.


So yeah. Everything I heard Craig say in the last twenty+ years never once hinted that they wouldn't end up together. Considering everything Helga's gone through with her family and everything, it'd probably be healthier for them in the long run to give her time to figure herself out more before he and her get older and more serious.

[thechase]

Mar 27, 2023 3:26:01 GMT -5 ayumidah said:

Mar 27, 2023 1:32:08 GMT -5 thechase said:

I probably would have hated it. I wanted a happy ending for Arnold and Helga, not have them separated later in life. I heard Craig's ultimate plan to conclude the series was to have Helga run away from home to find Arnold and they eventually get married, but I can't verify if that was legit or a rumour.

I mean I definitely get wanting them together, but every interview I've seen with Craig says that even if they're not together all the time, they're end game so it'd for sure happen.

I looked up old interviews with him about the Patakis, and here's a quote:
Question

Where’s Arnold in the spinoff?

Craig Bartlett

He’s … MOVED AWAY! Okay, calm down, he’s still her true love. A lot of stuff happens before The Patakis starts between Arnold and Helga. They are meant for each other, you know, duh (I mean doi). They will get together, but I want Helga to have her own show in the meantime, ya know? Arnold is Arnold and how could it be The Patakis unless he’s out of the way for a while.


So yeah. Everything I heard Craig say in the last twenty+ years never once hinted that they wouldn't end up together. Considering everything Helga's gone through with her family and everything, it'd probably be healthier for them in the long run to give her time to figure herself out more before he and her get older and more serious.

Thanks for that.

I wish we'd gotten season six of Hey Arnold after Jungle Movie, it was hinted Helga and Arnold would keep being together a secret from everyone ('cept Gerald and Phoebe), but the short illustrated story Craig did during the pandemic had everyone find out.