Arthur - Where is the Show Going?

[Drtooth]

I know that, and we don't even know for sure just yet if Mrs. MacGrady is going to die, I was just saying in the event she might, knowing the show they might bring her back like they did Mr. Morris when he was supposed to have moved away after he broke his ankle during the fire at school; and while I certainly see your point about sending the heavy message across to the kiddies, something about this episode (the timing of it this far into the series and all) to me just screams how short they are on ideas for the show.

Well, I think Mr. Morris was a continuity error on the part of the animators. I almost wonder if they either forgot the episode entirely, or they never redesigned a new Janitor character, thus using the old one as a BG character. I've seen new episodes where he is indeed in the background, but I don't think I've seen any where he's mentioned by name. Unless there is one, I can't fault the writers. So, again, it could just be an animation error.

As for MacGrady... well, I don't see the writers having her die at all, just dealing with the illness. The brilliant idea of having Lance Armstrong guest voice shows that they intend to spread the message that it isn't exactly the end. Similar to Kami from that South African Sesame Street co-production. And I think I like that better than just killing a character off. It shows that there are survivors, and people who live for a long time dealing with it... not that it's an instant kill or a fatal disease. And knowing MacGrady, she's strong enough to beat it.

 

[PurpleHonker]

I admit it, I love Arthur and watch it almost every day after work.
I don't think they are going to kill off Mrs. MacGrady at all. I think they are instead, once again, showing how everyone is different but still in one community together. This situation has the potential to be another great display of togetherness assuming the plot gets carried out appropriately (and why wouldn't it be?). I also agree that having Lance Armstrong involved is a powerful message that not everyone living with cancer will have a tragic death from it.

However, am I the only one enjoying these allegorical/literary allusion episodes? I didn't even get the King Lear episode until someone pointed it out for me (the one where D.W. gives up all her toys to see who really loves her... read King Lear then watch the episode)... and I just LOVED yesterday's Macbeth based episode.

I really enjoyed those as well. After all these years, there's been some repetition and some inconsistency, but these episodes show there is still some creativity to tap into. The show isn't dead yet... it's just wilting a little.

Oh yeah, and Letters from Buster stunk. It was great to take a nap to, and that's about it.

 

[D'Snowth]

And when are they going to get a new kid actor who actually sounds like Arthur? It seems like the current kid they have took forever to grow into his voice, but even to this day, he still seems swerve in and out of what his voice usually sounds like and still sounding almost like D.W.

But I have to say, to me, it seems like ever since 2005 or so (I have trouble know what seasons what with this show, because everyone else's sources aren't consistent with my PBS station), the overall plots and scenarios have been hit and miss/trial-and-error of sorts... I did like a recent new episode though about Elwood City in the middle of a black out on the hottest day of the summer; not only is it relatable to me because the summers in Tennessee can be absolutely miserable, but at the same time, there were countless references to the blizzard episode years earlier, and that was one of my favorites growing up because hey, I love winter and I love snow!

 

[Drtooth]

And when are they going to get a new kid actor who actually sounds like Arthur? It seems like the current kid they have took forever to grow into his voice, but even to this day, he still seems swerve in and out of what his voice usually sounds like and still sounding almost like D.W.

Is it just me, or did the last one kinda sound like Charlie Brown? That's the trouble with using real kid voices, you know... they go through puberty, their voices change. But I see what you mean... they all sound a little different, while DW sounds exactly the same. What I don't like is the new Sue Ellen voice... something's missing.

Anyway, even with the new episodes, the only episode I downright didn't like was that one about the Ocean Zone. I think that one had a new writer who just didn't get the tone of the characters down right.

 

[D'Snowth]

Is it just me, or did the last one kinda sound like Charlie Brown? That's the trouble with using real kid voices, you know... they go through puberty, their voices change. But I see what you mean... they all sound a little different, while DW sounds exactly the same. What I don't like is the new Sue Ellen voice... something's missing.

Yeah, she makes Sue Ellen sound like a hooker, lol.

Ironically, I think Sue Ellen's the only kid character that's played by an adult who went through a cast change... Buster, Francine, Muffy, Binky, Prunella, Fern, etc, they all have the same actors since day one. In fact, Bruce Dinsmore does a dual/role voice as Binky and Mr. Read (but then again, Dinsmore uses the exact same voice for Binky as he did for Horace on Wimzie's House and Tubby on The Little Lulu Show). I think the best new kid they had for Arthur since Michael Yarmush (the original) was Mark Rendall, whom they used for a couple of seasons (when the show was still pretty good), then later had him redub all of Arthur's dialogue for a previous season.

Anyway, even with the new episodes, the only episode I downright didn't like was that one about the Ocean Zone. I think that one had a new writer who just didn't get the tone of the characters down right.

Yeah, we all know new writers have a tendancy to kill the characters, lol.

 

[crazed gonzo fa]

One major change I really hated was making Pal and Kate talk in their own world... now what is up with that? ! Anytime those kinds of episodes are on, I immediately switch the channel because they annoy me so much, lol.

I really hate those episodes too, probably one of the worst 'Jump the Shark' moments the show's had. Also, the show's been on for more than ten years, and they never bothered to move any of the characters up a grade? Couldn't that be a topic of discussion?

 

[Drtooth]

Yeah, we all know new writers have a tendancy to kill the characters, lol.

Not so much kill... the writer really didn't have a handle on the characters or the humor of the show that much. Everything seemed a little off... and the episode itself was pretty dull. The writer came back for a couple other episodes, I think, and got the hang of it quite quickly after that.

That said, if they're gonna make random background characters recurring characters (AKA the Simpsons), I nominate the old guy Buster tried to sell chocolate to... "CHOCOLATE? I'm allllllleerrrrgic to chocolate, even the WORD chocolate gives me a rash!"

 

[D'Snowth]

I always wondered about that green rat or whatever it was that used to be seen in the background quite frequently at school in the early days.

The only time I remember him speaking was when Binky said he enjoys a joke as much as the next guy... then he walks by acting much like Droop, to which Binky says "Okay, the guy AFTER the next guy."

 

[Drtooth]

The only time I remember him speaking was when Binky said he enjoys a joke as much as the next guy... then he walks by acting much like Droop, to which Binky says "Okay, the guy AFTER the next guy."

THANK YOU! I thought I was the only one that thought he looked like Droop. And then there's that kid at Miss Sweetwater's class that looks like Baby Rowlf.

Nahh... gimme the chocolate guy any day.

 

[mr3urious]

Is it just me, or did the last one kinda sound like Charlie Brown? That's the trouble with using real kid voices, you know... they go through puberty, their voices change. But I see what you mean... they all sound a little different, while DW sounds exactly the same. What I don't like is the new Sue Ellen voice... something's missing.

But when girls go through puberty, their voices don't change as drastically as boys, so that's why they are used more often to voice boys in cartoons as well as girls.