Fred Peters

Fred Peters turns up as one of the grown-ups circling the edges of PEN15's very specific, very awkward middle-school world. Whatever the scene calls for, he plays it straight-faced amid the show's deliberately cringe-heavy comedy, a steady adult presence against the chaos of thirteen-year-olds pretending to be thirteen.

Richard Karn brings an easy, lived-in familiarity to the role, the kind of comfortable dad-energy honed over years of sitcom work. PEN15 thrives on the gap between adult actors and adolescent behavior, and a recognizable face like Karn's adds a wink of nostalgia without ever undercutting the show's commitment to its bit.