Too bad one of the episodes was made to help kids deal with if a loved one gets cancer.
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Arthur - Where is the Show Going?
- Thread starter D'Snowth
- Start date
I'm bumping this because every time I rewatch the episode where Buster steals the Cybertoy, I get more and more annoyed at it. It's not a bad episode, but it's so incredibly Anvilicious AND klutzy with its message. Here's why...
this is NOT the first time Buster stole something and NOT the first time he felt guilty about it, first of all. Remember? He stole a freaking priceless dinosaur footprint fossil back in the first season. It was eating him up since he took it. Why? Why I ask you did he completely forget the intense psychological torment, especially since he goes through the exact same psychological torment to the point where the episode is an unintended remake of that prior episode?
Secondly... how freaking heavy handed was that punishment and Buster's Mom's reaction?! He stole a, I'm going to guess 20... yeah... 20 dollar kid's toy, which itself is immoral wrong and bad, sure... but, remember, he stole a freaking priceless dinosaur footprint fossil. And when he returned it, he was rewarded. Not punished at all. And the worst thing? Buster only got in trouble for returning the stolen merchandise! Had he kept it, nothing would have happened. No one would have noticed. He had a moment of bad moral judgement... the same one exhibited in the dinosaur one, felt guilty, returned it (just like the last time too) fessed up to it, and his mother throws the book at him. I take it back... he did deserve a heavy handed punishment. Despite the fact that the guilt eats him up inside BOTH times, he was willing to do it all over again!
And Arthur... jeez... where to begin? Buster uses him as a coke mule. And what does Arthur do? Does he seek revenge on his friend and go screaming to the nearest adult to get him in trouble, all the while being the innocent party? No. He does the classy true blue friend thing, takes pity on Buster and wants to help him out of this terrible jam. Morally ambiguous? perhaps... but a friendship that can withstand THAT, your best friend being that much of a weasel to you is stronger than stone. What he did for Buster was admirable, and guess what? He's just as bad as Buster for not protecting his own butt and squealing to everyone.
So, let's see here... Broken Aesop number 1: Stealing is bad! It's VERY VERY VERY bad and you're a terrible person for doing it.... but if you don't let your guilt eat at you and you don;t get caught, you'll get away with it. Broken Aesop number 2: If the best friend you ever had, a life long bond is worth crap if they do anything. Rat, snitch, tattle... your friend will hate you, you'll be seen as a self preserving little skunk, but it's the right thing to do.
this is NOT the first time Buster stole something and NOT the first time he felt guilty about it, first of all. Remember? He stole a freaking priceless dinosaur footprint fossil back in the first season. It was eating him up since he took it. Why? Why I ask you did he completely forget the intense psychological torment, especially since he goes through the exact same psychological torment to the point where the episode is an unintended remake of that prior episode?
Secondly... how freaking heavy handed was that punishment and Buster's Mom's reaction?! He stole a, I'm going to guess 20... yeah... 20 dollar kid's toy, which itself is immoral wrong and bad, sure... but, remember, he stole a freaking priceless dinosaur footprint fossil. And when he returned it, he was rewarded. Not punished at all. And the worst thing? Buster only got in trouble for returning the stolen merchandise! Had he kept it, nothing would have happened. No one would have noticed. He had a moment of bad moral judgement... the same one exhibited in the dinosaur one, felt guilty, returned it (just like the last time too) fessed up to it, and his mother throws the book at him. I take it back... he did deserve a heavy handed punishment. Despite the fact that the guilt eats him up inside BOTH times, he was willing to do it all over again!
And Arthur... jeez... where to begin? Buster uses him as a coke mule. And what does Arthur do? Does he seek revenge on his friend and go screaming to the nearest adult to get him in trouble, all the while being the innocent party? No. He does the classy true blue friend thing, takes pity on Buster and wants to help him out of this terrible jam. Morally ambiguous? perhaps... but a friendship that can withstand THAT, your best friend being that much of a weasel to you is stronger than stone. What he did for Buster was admirable, and guess what? He's just as bad as Buster for not protecting his own butt and squealing to everyone.
So, let's see here... Broken Aesop number 1: Stealing is bad! It's VERY VERY VERY bad and you're a terrible person for doing it.... but if you don't let your guilt eat at you and you don;t get caught, you'll get away with it. Broken Aesop number 2: If the best friend you ever had, a life long bond is worth crap if they do anything. Rat, snitch, tattle... your friend will hate you, you'll be seen as a self preserving little skunk, but it's the right thing to do.
I'm not sure, but I don't believe "Buster's Dino Dilemma" necessarily put the don't steal moral in the forefront of the episode's message (yeah, it was there, but the episode itself wasn't necessarily about not stealing)... in fact, when you think about it, I don't believe Buster necessarily "stole" the fossil, he just didn't want to part with it when he found out they couldn't keep their findings. It's not quite like walking into a department store and brassinly shoplift: he found the fossil himself and wanted to keep it.
And besides... YOU BROKE MY MACKEREL MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!
And besides... YOU BROKE MY MACKEREL MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!
As long as they didn't screw with the DIC properties that Cookie Jar absorbed, I'm okay with it.
Still, they should've gone with the studio that does Martha Speaks.
Probably makes sense in context.
The Animation still kinda bugs me, but hey... at least it's not Gofrette.
For the love of Mike. The worst flash animation and the ugliest character designs come together to make something guaranteed to cause blindness.
The Animation still kinda bugs me, but hey... at least it's not Gofrette.
For the love of Mike. The worst flash animation and the ugliest character designs come together to make something guaranteed to cause blindness.
