Just so you all know, I am of the headcanon that TMPaSS is not real. As in, it's a scripted show. And I know it already is, but I mean it's a show within a show. Like the unexpected gags and crazy stuff that happens is also scripted. I cannot take it seriously and let it be in line with the movie canon otherwise for numerous reasons. Peabody being OoC for one, Sherman slightly less so, they have so many gags of the teleprompter saying that things go wrong right as they go wrong, and many others.
So, here is a little thing me and my very good friend TheWriterOfTruth (who also thinks the same thing) came up with in the MPaS channel on my discord server. Also, we got lots of great stuff in the pipeline, so expect lots more MPaS content from both of us…
The set was a bustling hub of activity as everyone tended to their duties. Cameramen adjusted their cameras, sound guys made sure their microphones were working, and producers stood around making sure everyone else was doing their jobs.
In the center of the set, a penthouse, constructed almost exactly like the penthouse of a certain beagle and his adopted human son, stood that very beagle and his adopted 9-year-old human son, the stars of the show. They were currently speaking in semi hushed whispers, a stack of paper in both of their hands.
"Isn't this exciting, Sherman!? Our TV show is finally happening!" Peabody said as he flipped through the papers in his paws.
"I don't know, Mr. Peabody… I don't like some of the stuff in these scripts…" his son answered, his noticeably less enthusiastic reply not lost on his father.
"It will be alright, Sherman, much better than our documentary 2 years ago." Peabody said, trying to reassure him.
"…which didn't do too well at the box office, what makes you think this will be received any better?"
"That was unscripted, it showed the raw, unrefined ordeals of our personal lives."
Sherman threw his father a disbelieving glance. "I thought you were done selling out...?"
"Don't worry, Sherman, this is all scripted now, there's no risk this time!" Peabody said, slapping the script in his paw with the backside of his other paw.
"But it involves the WABAC, nothing ever goes as planned with that!"
"It's just a replica! Observe." Peabody turned to the WABAC that was sitting next to them and kicked it with his foot, causing it to promptly vanish with a flash.
"That's just a special effect!"
Sherman flipped through his script. "It says here in one of the episodes you encourage me to jump off a diving board into the penthouse pool. Isn't that something you'd never ask me to do?" he looked up at his father, brows knitted together in concern.
"It's just a show, Sherman! My character is hyperbolic! And it's a tiny diving board, we'll use special effects to make it look taller."
Still not finished, his son flipped through the script some more and continued. "Who is Christine and why is she always hurting you?"
"That's some harmless slapstick! It's all for comedy."
"Are you sure?... it says here you and her fall to the ground and make a giant hole, and then she dances while you're attached to her in handcuffs!... that's weird!" Sherman stuck out his tongue and acted like he had just tasted something he most certainly did not like the taste of. "Do the scriptwriters have a fetish or something?"
Peabody sighed. "Sherman, it's a show! Trust me, the audience will love it!"
Sherman gestured to the curved rows of seats opposite the penthouse set. "The audience is literally three rows of cardboard cutouts..."
Peabody rolled his eyes. "I mean the TV audience, Sherman."
Sherman's concern gaze shifted from the script in his hand up to his father. "Mr. Peabody, I'm scared. This is very out of character for you. I don't want you to go crazy because of this show."
Peabody put a paw behind his head in embarrassment. "Welll..."
"What?!"
"I am supposed to go crazy in episode 9…"
Sherman's head and eyes rolled heavenward, and his hands shot to his sides, causing the script pages to make a loud rustling. "I hate these scripts."
He brought them back up and began to flip through them frantically.
"What about this episode? 'Peabody's Parents'? You don't have parents!"
Peabody laughed. "Sherman, don't be ridiculous, everyone has parents."
"You know what I mean!" Sherman glared at him.
"So I had to wrangle some stray dogs to make the part! Why the concern, Sherman?"
"Your adoptive dog parents? Really? Did you write this yourself?"
"Certainly not! Though me going crazy was added after and was approved before I could stop it."
"It's just... this whole show is so ridiculous... no one will take it seriously... I'm worried this will mess with you mentally. You're sensible, and I like that, but I know you can get carried away. I just don't want you to lose your levelheadedness."
"It's just a character, Sherman. Now, I was thinking of working on my 'TV voice'"
Peabody cleared his throat and spoke in a new voice, one that sounded markedly different than his normal voice. "How does this sound to you?"
The sound was like nails on a chalkboard to Sherman and he cringed. "Ugh! Stop! That's it, we're cancelling the show."
Still using the same voice, Peabody answered. "What? Why?"
"You sound like a commercial! You sound exactly like that progressive insurance box in the progressive insurance commercials!"
"But I worked so hard on refining it!"
"Stop talking like that, it's giving me the creeps."
Peabody reverted to his normal voice. "Better?"
Sherman smiled. "Yes, that's my dad."
"Well unfortunately I have to talk like that in the show, it's in the script." Peabody said as he flipped through it some more.
Sherman sighed and rubbed his forehead. "How many seasons of this do we have to do?"
"Six."
"Six?!"
"…if all goes to plan."
"Well hopefully it doesn't."
Suddenly a red-haired child the same age as Sherman that looked eerily like him walked through his line of vision behind his father.
"Who is that?" Sherman pointed.
Peabody looked where he was pointing. "Oh, that is your stunt double, of course. You are absolutely not doing your own stunts; I won't allow it."
"This is a variety show! Why are there stunts!? This isn't an action movie!"
"The fans will love it!"
"Wait... is this a kid's show?"
"It's a show for all ages, Sherman."
The distance between Sherman's eyelids grew so small and he folded his arms at his father.
Peabody broke under his son's steely gaze. "Ok, it's aimed at children."
"Mr. Peabody, you're a massive sellout! And why is there a fountain next to the elevator? And why are there so many totem poles? This looks nothing like our penthouse! It looks like a water park!" Sherman gestured around at the set around them.
"It'll complement the fun-loving yet elegant nature of my character! Also, I refused to open our home to filming."
"Your character is just you but crazy and always being hurt! I don't want you getting hurt..." Sherman frowned at him.
"It's all pretend Sherman, I won't actually be getting hurt..." Peabody said, attempting to placate him.
Sherman remained silent, his concerned gaze not leaving his father.
"If you don't enjoy starring in your own show after one season... I'll end the contract prematurely. Please, Sherman. Promise me you'll take a chance? This has been a lifelong dream of mine."
Sherman rolled his eyes. "...Fine. But I get my own segment."
"You have a deal. I will force that into the script if I have to."
"Please be careful."
"I'm always careful, Sherman."
Sherman returned to his steely gaze.
"Oh, live a little!"
"You're already acting weird..."