Arthur - Where is the Show Going?

[Drtooth]

Caught up on 3 of the 4. Last Day is scheduled to reair tomorrow. Also, yeah...saw B.J. Novack's "caricature" and it looks dreadful. Does look like the guy from Numbers, but still awful.

Anyway, I'll break it down episode by episode...

Maria Speaks: First off, I'm going to agree. She really should have been hanging around Alex. Jenna seemed to just be there and her role could have been filled by any character really. Jenna's mother...ugh... really, you have to wonder why Binky has a human nose and looks reasonable enough while Jenna and her mother look like mutants. But as for the episode itself, it's exactly the kind of episode it was. I kinda wish they just made it that Maria doesn't hang out with Arthur or any of his friends and they just don't know her that well outside of school. The stuttering bothered me, no so much the fact she did stutter, but she didn't sound authentic until the end of the episode. I've heard real stutterers and even I stammer a little sometimes when my mind works faster than my mouth and I sound like a Rick and Morty character. Maria just sounded Porky Pig/cartoon character out in the cold. I actually went to a panel at a convention hosted by someone with a bad speech impediment like that and it was more of a case of pausing and struggling to make certain sounds. Something that it took her the whole episode to finally do. That said, I apologize if there are those that do indeed stutter that way, I just only have heard more struggle in voices when it comes to stammerers and stutterers. Other than that, a blah episode.

Postcards from Binky: Not a really interesting episode, but an endearing one about Binky wanting to impress his grandparents. Nice callback to Postcards from Buster, too. And I especially liked the dramatic reenactment scene Muffy had about the lice episode.

Ratburn's Secret Identity: My favorite of the bunch. I like that they acknowledged the time they thought he was a vampire, so they weren't just making a copy of that episode. What made this one unique was the wild level of misunderstandings that made Buster's paranoia all the more believable, especially when even Arthur who doubted the whole thing saw Ratburn jump all over his house Batman style to get back in after getting locked out. Nice to have a comedy slice of life episode every once in a while. Something cartoony enough to be humorous, but grounded enough to give it that strong slice of life writing feel.

Besties: Another pretty good one. I kinda get vibes of the one where Buster had a Big Brother figure, but somehow I feel this episode was done a little better, especially showing Buster and Ladonna bonding specifically over that one "had to be there" moment. Not to mention Arthur's nightmare musical number and his passive aggressive attempts to get them to fight.

Carried Away: Look. I appreciate the Dr. Who Fourth Doctor parody here...but if I want to see a Dr. Who expy take characters on an epic intergalactic quest, I already saw it. It was called Nickelodeon's TMNT season 4 (even got one of the Doctors to play Fugitoid). Even removing that... it's...I didn't think I'd find an episode more juvenile and unwatchable than "Around the World in 11 Minutes." I really hate Mei Lin as a character, and I really don't dig these warmed over Muppet Babies wanna be episodes. I did like the one about the Sock Market because of the subversive messages about corrupt billionaires cornering the market. But this was just...dumb. And what's with Pal's relatives having fruit patterns on them? Awful.

Dueling Detectives: While it is pretty much similar to all the other Arthur mystery episodes, and very much "Binky Rules" with Binky as a procedural cop instead of Buster being a 40's hard boiled Sam Spade type. But fun enough for what it was. Liked the callback to "gleeping." At least they're starting to use these call backs right.

 

[D'Snowth]

I still keep getting an urge to do a YTP where Maria still won't speak, despite the episode itself having her do so.

Still, you have to admit, he going as a mime for Halloween to intentionally hide her stutter was rather clever.

 

[Drtooth]

Just saw "The Last Day." All I can say is...wow. I mean, I actually wish the show ended because that was such a beautiful and satisfying closing to the series without having to do all that much. It was kept simple and profound, and I really don't think there's any way the series can top this. Especially the ending with Mr. Ratburn. I'll get to that later.

The only thing that kinda...ehh...was the B.J. Novak character looked like Inspector Gadget for some reason. What have I always said? Only Binky can rock a human nose. But I like how his character wasn't heavily idealized or vilified. He was seen as maybe not as cool as he lets on, but also the less challenging alternative that made Mr. Ratburn a memorable teacher for them. When he first pooped on screen, I got flashbacks of that Simpsons episode where Bart spikes Mrs. Krabapple's coffee and she gets fired while a hipper teacher becomes their substitute...only to try pulling the same thing on him to get Edna back to find out he already spiked his own energy drink, drunkenly shouting "Children SUCK!!!" I'm glad they didn't make him too deep or too shallow. Just hints of each.

The Muffy/Francine class difference and interests thing came to a wonderful head with Muffy's line of "We aren't interested in the same things! Stop rubbing it in!" That's a recurring theme in the series, but this is the first time Muffy ever truly feels hurt and upset about it. And it resolves their character arcs perfectly.

D.W. freaking out about growing up has happened before, but I really like how it happened here, though it feels a little short. I love how she broke down and earnestly cried about being unready. She cries and screams a lot, but rarely does it come with actual emotion. And her song with Bud was pretty cute. I really feel they could have used any character, especially as Ladonna barely appears in the show. I think there could have been a counterpoint of her not caring as much since she wasn't there for the first day of school and doesn't have that connection to Ratburn (no matter what fall and winter based episodes they shoved her in), but that would be too clunky.

But the thing that impressed me the most was Mr. Ratburn. While the show never strongly vilified him outside of the odd dream sequence, they did start the character off as the impossibly strict teacher. While later episodes would go on to strongly hint at Ratburn being tough because he really believes in his students (like the one about the Medieval Faire and the doppleganger class), I'm glad that this episode ends with him giving a soulful speech about how he truly cares about his class and they were the best 3rd grader he ever had the privilege to work with. And having the class reciprocate at the end about how much they valued his faith in them. That's a very special moment right there. The series could totoally end now and it would be one of the most satisfying cartoon endings I've ever seen. Right up there with Batman talking directly to the kids about how Brave and the Bold may be over, but he'll always be there for his fans.

 

[D'Snowth]

Just saw "The Last Day." All I can say is...wow. I mean, I actually wish the show ended because that was such a beautiful and satisfying closing to the series without having to do all that much. It was kept simple and profound, and I really don't think there's any way the series can top this. Especially the ending with Mr. Ratburn.

Indeed, had the series not been continued for another season (and as I said, Greg Bailey had informed us that the show is renewed on a season-to-season basis, and at the time they were working on that episode, they still hadn't received word yet as to whether they'd be coming back or not), this would have been a most excellent series finale. And ironically, over ten years ago, I felt like "April 9th" was meant to be a series finale, because to me, it just felt like one.

When he first pooped on screen

Wow. Epic typo fail, my friend

D.W. freaking out about growing up has happened before, but I really like how it happened here, though it feels a little short. I love how she broke down and earnestly cried about being unready. She cries and screams a lot, but rarely does it come with actual emotion.

That's exactly what I was saying! This was like a defining character moment for her: this was like the first time she ever broke down into a crying fit, and yet it actually felt real. It actually felt natural. It actually felt human. The circumstances aside, this is perhaps my new, all-time favorite D.W. moment of the whole series.

Ladonna barely appears in the show. I think there could have been a counterpoint of her not caring as much since she wasn't there for the first day of school and doesn't have that connection to Ratburn (no matter what fall and winter based episodes they shoved her in), but that would be too clunky.

Well, I have to admit, I found it odd that Ladonna joined in on the song they dedicated to Ratburn . . . that felt a little clunky to me for the exact reasons you pointed out: she wasn't there for the first day of school and doesn't have a connection to Ratburn, so it almost seems to me she just joined in on the song for the sake of taking part in the class project. It's certainly less believe than, say, my last days of "high school" and I was seeing my elderly math teacher for the last time: I always hated math, but just having him as a teacher for four years actually made the subject bearable and tolerable, and he was very much like a grandfather to me . . . I swear, I almost cried when I left his house for the last time.

But the thing that impressed me the most was Mr. Ratburn. While the show never strongly vilified him outside of the odd dream sequence, they did start the character off as the impossibly strict teacher. While later episodes would go on to strongly hint at Ratburn being tough because he really believes in his students (like the one about the Medieval Faire and the doppleganger class), I'm glad that this episode ends with him giving a soulful speech about how he truly cares about his class and they were the best 3rd grader he ever had the privilege to work with. And having the class reciprocate at the end about how much they valued his faith in them. That's a very special moment right there. The series could totoally end now and it would be one of the most satisfying cartoon endings I've ever seen. Right up there with Batman talking directly to the kids about how Brave and the Bold may be over, but he'll always be there for his fans.

Yes, again, that was perhaps another one of my favorite moments from the episode. That and what you just posted goes to show you how even a kiddy show such as this can have some genuine character development over the years. And heck, even after you see later seasons and episodes and go back and watch earlier ones, you can actually pick up on the subtleties of Ratburn's care for his students, such as Arthur fabricating his story project with the elephants and the country music and everything, and Ratburn mentioning that he'd actually rather like to hear Arthur's original story about how he got Pal, and telling him not to worry about what others may think about his story.

 

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

"When he first pooped on screen"
Wow. Epic typo fail, my friend

lol

ndeed, had the series not been continued for another season (and as I said, Greg Bailey had informed us that the show is renewed on a season-to-season basis, and at the time they were working on that episode, they still hadn't received word yet as to whether they'd be coming back or not), this would have been a most excellent series finale. And ironically, over ten years ago, I felt like "April 9th" was meant to be a series finale, because to me, it just felt like one.

I agree, April 9th did feel like a series finale. And it would've been a really nice way to end the show, the writing on that episode and the way they delivered the message was absolutely beautiful. Although personally, since there are so many important characters on the show, I would prefer a series finale with a lot more characters.

 

[Drtooth]

Yes, again, that was perhaps another one of my favorite moments from the episode. That and what you just posted goes to show you how even a kiddy show such as this can have some genuine character development over the years. And heck, even after you see later seasons and episodes and go back and watch earlier ones, you can actually pick up on the subtleties of Ratburn's care for his students, such as Arthur fabricating his story project with the elephants and the country music and everything, and Ratburn mentioning that he'd actually rather like to hear Arthur's original story about how he got Pal, and telling him not to worry about what others may think about his story.

If this was any other show, Ratburn would slowly have become a villain and then slowly become a gag villain and then finally be a nonthreatening joke. There are episodes where he seems a little over the top here and there, and there are some imagine spots and dreams where he's portrayed as actually liking to hear the kids suffer, sure. But they've always hinted at him being the teacher that really cares deeply about the students' education. And while it was always subtext, it isn't so much that they had Ratburn reveal it to the audience that made this powerful, it was him revealing it to his students. Ratburn has always been one of my favorite characters on the show, even without the "Oh...are you having cake?" gag. The fact he was written so subtly and strongly is the reason why.

That said, since this is not the last episode, I think there's going to be a blown opportunity to have the characters age up one year in future seasons. I mean, Ratburn's still going to be their teacher and all. Time to bend the time loop.

lol


I agree, April 9th did feel like a series finale. And it would've been a really nice way to end the show, the writing on that episode and the way they delivered the message was absolutely beautiful. Although personally, since there are so many important characters on the show, I would prefer a series finale with a lot more characters.

I could see that working. April 9th was an episode made to cope with things, and the title should give a clue as to what it's meant to represent (although on a far, far smaller scale). It does have a nice vibe that it could be the last episode if you take it as one. There's certainly that tie in with Sue Ellen's diary.

It's also obvious that "Best Day Ever" (or whatever, if I'm confusing it with a Spongebob episode) was meant as one of these too, but a far less satisfying clip show example. Though I did like how it basically said that they all had these great moments because of Arthur. So I can see it working fine if it wasn't renewed.

 

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

I just watched The Last Day on Youtube and I agree with D'Snowth, I really wish it had been the series finale. It would've been a great way to end the show. Sadly we're getting another season and if there was any doubt before that the show was being stretched out too far...

 

[D'Snowth]

Again, since they never know for sure whether the current season they're producing will be the last, I think that's why so many season finales such as "The Best Day Ever" and "The Last Day" have an obvious series fauxnale feel to them: they're obvious enough to make them poignant enough so if it is the end, it can go out on a sweet note, but they're also subtle enough not to overly make it clear it's the end of the show in case they do get renewed.

There's still no further news about the next upcoming two seasons, other than D.W. is being recasted again, because they evidentally have a series procedure of recasting Arthur and D.W. every couple of seasons or so.

 

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

Again, since they never know for sure whether the current season they're producing will be the last, I think that's why so many season finales such as "The Best Day Ever" and "The Last Day" have an obvious series fauxnale feel to them: they're obvious enough to make them poignant enough so if it is the end, it can go out on a sweet note, but they're also subtle enough not to overly make it clear it's the end of the show in case they do get renewed.

There's still no further news about the next upcoming two seasons, other than D.W. is being recasted again, because they evidentally have a series procedure of recasting Arthur and D.W. every couple of seasons or so.

It seems its about time to recast Arthur as well, his voice actor is almost seventeen. As for DW, I just recently found out that all of her voice actors have been male, go figure.

 

[D'Snowth]

As for DW, I just recently found out that all of her voice actors have been male, go figure.

They do that on purpose to make her sound all the more irritating and obnoxious, as opposed to giving her a genuine sweet little girl's voice. . . . and when you hear the way she can scream and throw tantrums, it's hard to imagine a little girl pulling all that off.