Peter Lawrence

Peter Lawrence served as showrunner and head writer for the first season of The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest. Lawrence initially worked with director Dick Sebast to develop the show, and then with art director Takashi Masunaga.

General overview
Lawrence is a prolific screenwriter and has written over 400 episodes of animation. Prior to working on The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, Lawrence was best known for his work on Thundercats (1985-1989), The Burning (1981), and Silverhawks (1986).

Credits

 * The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest
 * Wrote the first version of the series writer's bible
 * Story editor on all 26 episodes of season 1
 * Recording director on 23 episodes of season 1
 * Writer of 16 episodes:
 * 1.01 The Darkest Fathoms - co-written with Harv Zimmel
 * 1.02 Escape to Questworld - co-written with Richard Merwin
 * 1.03 In the Realm of the Condor
 * 1.05 Ndovu's Last Journey - co-written with Michael Ryan
 * 1.06 Manhattan Maneater - co-written with Richard T. Murphy
 * 1.07 East of Zanzibar
 * 1.10 Alien in Washington - co-written with Matthew Malach
 * 1.11 Return of the Anasazi
 * 1.12 The Alchemist
 * 1.18 Heroes - co-written with Matthew Malach
 * 1.19 The Ballad of Belle Bonnet - co-written with Michael Ryan
 * 1.20 In the Darkness of the Moon - co-written with Michael Ryan and Michael Maurer
 * 1.22 Expedition to Khumbu - co-written with Harv Zimmel
 * 1.23 Ice Will Burn - co-written with Michael Ryan
 * 1.25 Alligators and Okeechobee Vikings
 * 1.26 To Bardo and Back - co-written with Dean Caccamo and Michael Ryan

Lawrence also appeared in the DVD special features:
 * Jonny Quest Returns
 * Journey Into QuestWorld

Development
Lawrence was brought onto the project by executive producer Buzz Potamkin in late 1992 or early 1993. He was brought on with Dick Sebast to develop the show, but after about six months, Sebast was let go. Potamkin asked Lawrence who he thought should replace him, and Lawrence suggested Takashi Masunaga, who was then brought on to further develop the series with Lawrence.

Later into production when Lawrence was informed that the executives were intending to fire Masunaga, Lawrence told them they'd have to fire him as well, which led to Lawrence and the production team being replaced for season two.

Intentions with the series
Lawrence wanted an updated version of Jonny Quest, and he described his version as "a smart, hip Action/Adventure version with a very realistic dramatic base and strong mystical overtones."

Lawrence wanted the show to be realistic, "like it's a live-action movie", and make what the characters be "absolutely believable". Vehicles like planes should be realistic, and the controls on a plane should work as they would in real life.

Lawrence wanted "cool characters that were believable" and authentic, which is why he "went for some rather 'out there' casting".
 * For Jonny, Lawrence wanted him "to be more on the cusp of adulthood" and described him as "a hero in training". He also wanted Jonny to be cool: "He has to be a kid that boys would look up to, that girls would like, that parents would admire, and yet he's got to have an edge to him."
 * For Hadji, Lawrence "was determined to make him real. Or as real as he could be in the context." He wanted Hadji's mysticism to be more realistic. Lawrence grew up in Zambia in Africa, and when he "went to Europe and, later, the US, [he] was stunned at the casual racism, the unthinking stereotyping, the sheer ignorance of other cultures", which informed his determination to portray Hadji more authentically.
 * For Race, Lawrence "wanted to give him a much more interesting philosophy" and "make him like a cowboy philosopher or a philosopher-warrior." He "wanted a man of action, not thought - though perfectly capable of deep thought. A cowboy. It's not what you think that counts, it's what you do. And, for gods' sake, aren't we all sick of the 1-D stereotypes? Whoever said that someone out of the West could not be a philospher/warrior. [...] One other thing - very important - Race's accent and mannerisms gave us something to write toward. Variety. Surprise. Dare I say it ... something approaching originality."
 * For Jessie, Lawrence described her as being "more mature" and "probably smarter than Jonny", and "athletic, smart, bright, and sensible". He considered her "a really strong, empowered [...] young woman".
 * For Dr. Quest, Lawrence "wanted him to be more a intellectual, kind-of muscular scientist, but a guy who would believe that there could be a Jersey Devil. 'What is it? Where is it? I'm open to believing it.'"