PEPSI WHERE'S MY JET? Advertisers be Ware but Grows Weary

The true David v. Goliath story of a teen taking on the powers and deep pockets of a major corporation,  tends to win fans rooting for the underdog.  In the 1990s, Pepsi was gearing up its battle with Coke to win the cola wars.  Pepsi's plan was to gain more market shares with a campaign using swag, sex and a major gag.  Swag in exchange for redeemable Pepsi points, sex with just one look at Cindy Crawford cooling her thirst while adolescent boys watched drooling and a bad ass ad that commandeered a Harrier Jet.  The Harrier lands outside a school classroom causing havoc with a caption "7,000,000 Pepsi points" redeemable for the jet.  Those with nostalgia for this ad will be reminded of how it swept consumer interest with its wink at humor and youth associating Pepsi as your preferred drink.  Those seeing the ad (ad nauseam) in this four part (two part) too long Netflix series, will find it bemusing, at least at first.  How likely is it for someone to take the ad literally and take the challenge?  John Leonard was a college student in 1996 living at home, doing odd jobs.  One of his jobs was as a climbing guide where he crossed paths with Todd Hoffman.  The older, financially set Hoffman and amenable Leonard formed a friendship as they bonded over weeks on various climbing ventures.  Hoffman became Leonard's mentor and benefactor.  Leonard became obsessed with obtaining the jet and enlisted Hoffman's support with his ad hoc business plan to coerce Pepsi to make good on their promo.  An appealing friendship and underdog story unfolds but soon grows old. With Hoffman's tutelage and backing taking on the task to hold Pepsi with their deeper pockets and limitless lawyers, to keep their promise we sign on for their journey.  The initial media frenzy with fresh faced Leonard as a college kid calling Pepsi for pay up is fun and entertaining.  The problem is maintaining a compelling story that drags over a generation through mounting litigation.  Gnawing interviews with people at Pepsi, its ad agency, legal adversaries and Leonard and Hoffman grow wearisome.  Sympathy garnered for the young, assimilated actors portraying Hoffman and Leonard goes cold as the players grow old and become annoying.  Sizzle is added by the chance enlisting of the not yet certified attorney, Michael Avenatti.  Avenatti's corrupt advise for Leonard portends his own legal problems as a lawyer.  Avenatti's animated interviews are taped while under house arrest for his extortion and fraud convictions.  There is plenty of gusto spurting intermittently but it tastes flat.  The ongoing blind taste tests were clever; Coke won,  Take my advice with a spoiler alert:  Don't bother to take a look.  Take the money and run.