Arthur - Where is the Show Going?

[Drtooth]

Well, I dunno about you, but I SWEAR that my local PBS, the very SAME one that produces the show, mind you, wants to bump Arthur the heck off their channel by giving it odd airing times. Now the latest airing is 11:30. Really. I still don't understand the full hour of Curious George at 3:00 when the second half hour is a rerun of the previous day's episode.

 

[Sgt Floyd]

I never understood why they re-run the previous days episode at some set time. I mean, is it really necessary?

 

[Drtooth]

If it's at LEAST a couple hours in between, I don't mind. But these are 2 shows in a row, and only the 3:00 episode is new that day, while they rerun it the next. I really don't understand why Arthur or the new Cat in the Hat series can't have the 3:30 time slot, and the Curious George rerun can't be at 2:00. or better yet, move that horrid Super Why to the 11:30 slot (it's for younger, Preschool kids anyway) and keep Arthur at 2 or 2:30.

It's just not a very good sign. Again, this IS the same station that produces the show... and while they also produce Geroge (and possibly Cat in the Hat... I have to check when I see an episode later). But it doesn't bode well for the future of the show.

That said, I get a local PBS kids digital channel. And even THEN they could put Arthur on at a decent Kindergarten- 2nd Grade afterschool time slot at 3:00 on that channel, but they would rather have an hour of some 1990's dry as toast Crafts show... even though it would fit BETTER on Create. And after 5, the programs aren't all that kid friendly... older teen maybe... but NO ONE wants to watch Antiques Roadshow under the age of 40.

 

[Sgt Floyd]

I watch Antiques Roadshow when theres nothing else on XD

But yeah I get your point. I was not aware there was a new Cat in the Hat show. Honestly though, I think its about time they stop making new episodes of Arthur and just show re-runs. Kinda like how I feel about the Simpsons. Both shows are great, but they have been on for so long that basically anything they can writ about has already been done and nothing is new anymore

 

[Drtooth]

That's the rub, though. They ARE planning more episodes, at least one or two more seasons. But if this is the treatment that their own production company station (am I driving that point in hard enough?), I think they should either find a healthier time slot, OR just end it after next season. Clifford has been in solid reruns since they stopped production, due to John Ritter's death. Even after the rebranding of Clifford's Puppy Days, they still reran the original... now they ONLY air the original. Arthur could stand to be in reruns only.

That said, The Cat in the Hat knows a Lot about That. That's the show. I've only seen a 11 minute segment and the closing. it looks pretty good, Martin Short gives it his all as the Cat. Definitely for a slightly younger audience than Arthur, and I'm not crazy about flat flash looking (they use a variety of programs, so it isn't usually completely flash) computer animated shows... and I really haven't seen enough of Wubbulous World to judge the shows together. Plus, the series is based on a short lived and not all that popular line of educational books made a couple years after Dr. Seuss's death with drawings aping his style, and not the original Dr. Seuss works, and I doubt we'll see any of his other famous friends.

Still better than Seussical and a million times better than that Cat in the Hat movie.

 

[D'Snowth]

Arthur comes on at 4:00 in the afternoon on my PBS station... not only that, but it's currently on VOD as well.

 

[beakerfan76]

Having loved this show and watched it up to this point since it's premiere, I feel I should give my 2 cents on the matter.

Personally, Arthur is kinda like PBS' answer to The Simpsons, with the running out of ideas and whatnot. Plus the tolerance angle has gotten out of control.

Just put this into perspective: When the show began, all the main characters were pretty much your garden variety kid show kids, with the exception of Muffy, who had a Miss Piggy complex since day one. Now, they decide to make Buster's parents have a divorce, giving way to a interesting yet cheaply done spin-off, turn Francine Jewish, despite the fact she celebrated Christmas in an earlier episode, giving Binky a peanut allergy and a Chinese sister, not to mention the now obligatory Hispanic characters to shoehorn some Spanish into the show, and the most recent, giving MacGrady cancer.

I'm all for acceptance and such (That was one of the main themes of Fraggle Rock and Sesame Street, wasn't it?), but having EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER some different form of nationality or have some disability kinda disgusts me, seeing as the original seasons didn't make it an acceptathon.

As for plots, I can see them recycling plot ideas, but changing out certain variables to where it seems different (Like an episode with an embarrassing secret like wetting the bed or failing Kindergarten). Plus they hit some issues other kid shows would never touch (The Bleep episode, though to be fair, Tiny Toons did an episode about bleeps, but it was for one guy to get a girl, not so much stop cursing for his own good, but I digress)

 

[The Shoe Fairy]

I'm in Australia and we're getting reruns every day at 3pm and 7:30am; but I own the last three seasons anyway. I enjoy the pop culture references and jokes aimed above the target audience, but I don't think they should stop producing the show. Although a lot of territory has been covered regarding issues untouched by other childrens programmes, there are surely still more issues/ideas yet to be explored. I find a good case point for this is the episode where George meets Carl. The idea of presenting an issue such as Asperger's Syndrome is putting not only the syndrome at hand into the spotlight but dealing with the idea of autistic spectrum disorders, an idea that is present but so far left untouched by childrens television programming is a smart step in my opinion for the show; as it highlights an occurence that may just happen in day to day life for the intended responder.

Oh man, my fingers are tired after that one.

 

[Drtooth]

Personally, Arthur is kinda like PBS' answer to The Simpsons, with the running out of ideas and whatnot. Plus the tolerance angle has gotten out of control.

Just put this into perspective: When the show began, all the main characters were pretty much your garden variety kid show kids, with the exception of Muffy, who had a Miss Piggy complex since day one. Now, they decide to make Buster's parents have a divorce, giving way to a interesting yet cheaply done spin-off, turn Francine Jewish, despite the fact she celebrated Christmas in an earlier episode, giving Binky a peanut allergy and a Chinese sister, not to mention the now obligatory Hispanic characters to shoehorn some Spanish into the show, and the most recent, giving MacGrady cancer.

That's the problem with a show like Arthur. Sometimes they need vehicles to actually teach things. Let it be known, though, it was their every intention to have Buster's parents divorced to begin with, as they never showed the father. Some of the other stuff I don't really care for. The episode where Brain had to be held back because he couldn't emotionally carry on with first grade annoyed me. And using Jenna to talk about bed wetting was... well, I never liked Jenna in the first place. She's such a useless character with an ugly design.

I think when they actually ADD characters like Marina and Carl, characters with disabilities, rather than giving them to characters is great. I agree, more kids need to know about stuff like Asperger's, and they explained it wonderfully.

Now, we have to also remember, PBS can give shows longevity that no where else can. Do you think Sesame Street would have lasted 41 years if it was a kid's show in syndication? No. Maybe 5 years of 13 episode seasons at best. Unless it was always reinventing itself like Scooby-Doo did. Maybe then. Mr. Rogers, Reading Rainbow, and stuff like that enjoyed long runs on PBS. Unfortunately so didn't Barney and Tellitubbies, even though their pop fizzled out within years after their initial popularity. Again, Clifford still is in reruns, even though it stopped production about 2002. Even if they stopped producing Arthur, it would still be on TV for quite some time.

That said, my local PBS (again, stressing these are the people behind the show) stopped running Postcards from Buster, probably before any of the other PBS's did (controversial episodes aside)... even though the show was still apparently in production. Can't say I blame them. It wasn't all that exciting or interesting half the time. Oddly enough, Cookie Jar is going to release the show... the ENTIRE show in one set, all for just 15 bucks. And a 10 episode season of Arthur costs over 50 bucks. And they only have a couple newer seasons.

 

[crazed gonzo fa]

On the subject of Buster's parent's divorce, weren't they seperated long before Postcards from Buster?