Arthur - Where is the Show Going?

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

This is somewhat unrelated but this is Marc Brown's website and I just thought it was really nice that he actually took the time to reply to everyone's comments:
http://marcbrownstudios.com/drawing-arthur-all-these-years/

 

[Drtooth]

So the remaining new (or, should I say "unaired") episodes will finally be shown next week . . . and for whatever reason, they're actually going to start with "The Last Day." I really wonder what possessed PBS to suddenly start being all weird and random with the way they air new episodes lately?

To stretch the episodes out, obviously. Don't see why they have to stretch them out that thin.

 

[D'Snowth]

But what I mean is after we got the first week of Season 18, they delayed that "Fountain Abbey" episode to coincide with the new season of DOWNTON ABBEY, obviously, and since then, they had been airing a mix of both Season 18 and 19 episodes totally at random, as opposed to their usual half a season in October and the other half in May/June.

 

[D'Snowth]

So, remember what Drtooth was saying about how bad the character designers at 9 Story have been with the celebrity guest stars? The M.C. guy was the worst yet . . . creepiest-looking design ever on this show . . . the detailed eyes with irises and such just don't fit well in this show's overall look; I don't even know who B.J. Novak is, but after looking him up, his caricature looked nothing like him.

But, that and Arthur's girly voice aside, this was a sweet little episode. I still can't believe school is only six hours now, because back in my day, school was seven hours. I liked how grown-up D.W. and Bud kept trying to act to the point that D.W. actually drove herself to a nervous breakdown: that was actually a nice little touch for the character. The little show-stopping numbers were also a nice little touch too, especially the class's ode to Ratburn and how emotional he got.

And, the inclusion of Muffine subtext is always a nice touch.

So, had the show not been renewed for two more seasons, I think this would have made for a nice series finale.

 

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

And, the inclusion of Muffine subtext is always a nice touch.

Ooh, what's this, has there been a bit of "ho yay" going on in the show?
I've always shipped Francine and Arthur myself.

So, had the show not been renewed for two more seasons, I think this would have made for a nice series finale.

Yeah, there have been a lot of episodes that could have worked as a series finale, sadly they weren't.

 

[D'Snowth]

Ooh, what's this, has there been a bit of "ho yay" going on in the show?

You'd be surprised how many Ho Yay shippers there are out there. There's a lot of fans out there who ship Arthur and Buster hard, lol. I personally can't help but ship Prunella and Marina just a lil' . . . they're clearly written for each other. XD

Yeah, there have been a lot of episodes that could have worked as a series finale, sadly they weren't.

Greg Bailey once explained that the show is usually renewed on a season-to-season basis, so they don't often know if they'll be coming back for another season, which is why so many season finales often fall into series fauxnale territory just in case.

 

[mr3urious]

Mr. Enter just reviewed the episode "D.W.'s Very Bad Mood", disliking D.W.'s constant temper tantrums and its muddled message. He makes some pretty good points here, especially when he calls out Mr. Read for not scolding her during bedtime and delivering his horrible lesson to Arthur in "Arthur's Big Hit".

Fair warning: there is some language here.

 

[Drtooth]

I don't so much hate that episode so much as ahem that's kinda how little kids act. Irrational and jealous/envious and miserable because they're being left out. I'd admit any perspective that isn't a little kid's view of small, petty things being unfair sometimes comes off as "grow up you little brat" when you're out of it. I give the writers a lot of credit for portraying D.W. how they did. Bratty, but clearly the kind of upset and angry that a little kid would be like. And they did also show it from Arthur's perspective of being at the receiving end of her aggression. So it wasn't completely uneven handed. It does feel very authentic either in D.W.'s or Arthur's perspective. While I could agree that the Reads are strangely blaze about her attitude (which I'm going to bring up in context of another episode), I don't think that's the point. Francine is the cooler head and deliverer of the message because she was the younger sister.

Plus..come on. Who doesn't love D.W.'s revenge fantasy where she's doing her best Murky Dismal impersonation?

I actually like how authentic the episode is compared to the newer episodes having an abundance of 1980's kiddy cartoon cliches.

On the subject of D.W.'s behavior, I really think there are small examples of the Reads actually not knowing what they're doing every so often. The vacation episode sticks out as a time where they scolded D.W. (mildly) when they were in the wrong. How the heck did they think a little girl who has a history of picky eating (I forget if this episode aired before or after "D.W., the Picky Eater") would react to a giant, red mutant freaking sea bug with menacing looking pincers staring at her? No duh she would rather have a simple hot dog and freak out at the scorpion looking thing on her plate. That wasn't very bright. The least they could have done was asked the chef to crack hers open and pull out the meat. Or ordered a lobster pie. Heck, I was kinda afraid of lobsters when I was that young.

 

[D'Snowth]

So the infamous "Maria Speaks" episode finally aired today, and I just knew I had to check this out.

Now, when Greg Bailey announced they were doing this episode, he admitted that this was going to pander to the base, because he was actually well aware that there are a number of people out there who are actually obsessed with Maria, and have developed all of these different theories as to why she never talks . . . never mind the fact that she's always been a background extra specifically to fill up Ratburn's classroom.

And certainly enough, the teaser of this episode almost drives that fact home with a wooden stake through the heart with Arthur's opening monologue basically summarizing, "Maria's always been in our class, but I just realized that she never talks. I wonder why she never talks?" The teaser just screams pandering . . . but somehow, the episode itself didn't seem to come across as such. In fact, in all honesty, it kind of came across as just another one of those Disease of the Week episodes, since Maria has a stutter. And I'm sure Drtooth will be incensed that Jenna makes a trimphant return as Maria's best friend . . . which seems like an odd choice, considering I don't recall ever seeing Maria hanging out with Jenna in the background before - she's usually mingling with that Alex kid (the bunny in the orange sweater).

Arthur's remark toward the end of the episode really sold it for me: "Who knew Mr. Ratburn used to stutter?" Indeed, who knew? After all, who knew Brain had emotional issues? Or that Binky had a peanut allergy? Or that Buster used to suck his thumb? Or that Francine was afraid of public speaking? It's not like there's such a thing as an Arthur Affliction, where characters are given certain disabilities, disadvantages, or problems out of the clear blue that they've never exhibited any signs or symptoms of before. What kind of a show would that be?

Come to think of it, if Maria never told anyone she stutters, then how did Ratburn know and hone in on her because of it? I'm sure logically her parents must have said something about it to him at the beginning of the school year, but aside from that, it almost seems to suggest that because he used to stutter as a kid himself (again, who knew?) that he could just sense it in another kid.

Well, now that Maria has finally spoken, I guess all is right with the world now.

 

[Drtooth]

Perfectly honest here...

I TOTALLY forgot there were new episodes this week.

oops.