Arthur - Where is the Show Going?

[mr3urious]

Still, Cookie Jar's crappy, almost criminal bookkeeping is the reason WGBH ran to a flash animation studio (who does better work with their other shows). I'm actually shocked CJ didn't force them into flash animation sooner. And WORSE flash animation to boot.

Then again, the last traditionally-animated season looked really stiff and obsessively on-model anyway, so they might as well have used Flash there.

 

[Drtooth]

Like this?

There is no reason for Arthur to be that creepy. The lizard tail and tongue aren't even the reason why.

But it at least felt organic. I've seen lots of Flash animated cartoon shows that get it... Teen Titans Go, Wander Over Yonder, the new Tom and Jerry cartoon... even 9 Stories other 2 PBS shows, Wild Kratts and Peg + Cat. Maybe, just maybe the style of the show wouldn't lend itself well to Flash anyway. At least, the stiffer kind they're going for.

Then again, you look at the shows Cookie Jar turned to Flash at the same time when WGBH was about to part ways. Caillou, Hurray for Huckle, Johnny Test (which was actually passable when WB was producing it), and worst of all, Doodlebops Road Show. Stiff, ugly, cheap. I'm surprised they didn't inflict that on Arthur sooner. So, it could have been much worse anyway.

But animation aside, the quality of writing is inconsistent. Long runner do tend to have this problem so I can sympathize on that level. The writing was starting to suffer (again, due to age) several seasons before the animation change over. But these last couple of seasons have some really painful moments. Ladonna (who I'd admit is getting better) was introduced Poochie style to the cast. While she does have some stand out good episodes, she comes across as yet another unnecessary addition to the cast. Not as painful as Binky's adopted sister in the ones where Kate and Pal can talk, which aren't great to being with (with certain exceptions)... but to add such a nasty, obnoxious, unlikable character to them makes a bad idea worse. Mei Lin Takes a Stand is just painfully unwatchable with her nonstop attitude.

Not to say there weren't some gems, like the one where D.W. throws a wedding because she saw a reality show, the super hero creation one (if you can look past the Commercial Free Childhood-like Author tract, and the hypocrisy of saying comic book characters were only created to sell you things then saying how great Jack Kirby was), the hilarious episode where Buster's Dark Bunnymobile keeps getting set off in school... even some current ones, like the aforementioned Brain's Ice Cream War (or whatever it was called) episode. There are still some fun episodes left in there, but it doesn't make "In My Africa" or "So Funny I forgot to Laugh" suck any less.

So Funny is one of the worst. Not only is it followed by a clip show (making the current animation look awful next to the more fluid classic clips), but the whole episode is poorly written and anvilicious. What's wrong with it? Muffy and Francine's complete hypocrisy (which is never called out on), Arthur's strange passive aggressive streak (that's more of a Fern thing), Sue Ellen overreacting (she gave Arthur a friendly warning once and then went straight to Ratburn when a second, more serious warning wasn't given), and Sue Ellen's strong character turning into a weak, emotional wreck, instead of someone who'd fight Arthur over it. Just all around a terrible episode that ignores character and continuity for a cheap message that they can't even deliver straight.

 

[sesamemuppetfan]

So Funny is one of the worst. Not only is it followed by a clip show (making the current animation look awful next to the more fluid classic clips), but the whole episode is poorly written and anvilicious. What's wrong with it? Muffy and Francine's complete hypocrisy (which is never called out on), Arthur's strange passive aggressive streak (that's more of a Fern thing), Sue Ellen overreacting (she gave Arthur a friendly warning once and then went straight to Ratburn when a second, more serious warning wasn't given), and Sue Ellen's strong character turning into a weak, emotional wreck, instead of someone who'd fight Arthur over it. Just all around a terrible episode that ignores character and continuity for a cheap message that they can't even deliver straight.

I completely agree. The main beef I have with this episode (in addition to your statement) is that in past seasons where Arthur is the one being teased ("Arthur's Eyes" and "Arthur's Tooth" being major examples), Francine and anyone else who takes her side repeatedly taunt Arthur until near the end of the episode, while this episode, the other kids immediately choose to stop laughing. Plus, it's incredibly tacky how Francine and Muffy refer to Arthur as a "bully", when they've done and said a lot worse things than what Arthur did in this episode. It's one thing for Ratburn to say that Arthur was acting like a bully, but for Francine and Muffy to flat out say Arthur is a bully? They have no room to talk! And yeah, you're right about how Sue Ellen should have stood up to Arthur, as opposed to just remaining overwhelmed about the whole situation. She's been tough with Binky, and the Brain, so why not Arthur? Literally, she only chose to glare at him and give him exasperated expressions!

Regarding the second episode being a clip show, it really bothers me how they dub Arthur's voice in the archival footage with that horrid new voice of his...unless the writers didn't want to confuse the current watchers of the show.

 

[Drtooth]

I completely agree. The main beef I have with this episode (in addition to your statement) is that in past seasons where Arthur is the one being teased ("Arthur's Eyes" and "Arthur's Tooth" being major examples), Francine and anyone else who takes her side repeatedly taunt Arthur until near the end of the episode, while this episode, the other kids immediately choose to stop laughing. Plus, it's incredibly tacky how Francine and Muffy refer to Arthur as a "bully", when they've done and said a lot worse things than what Arthur did in this episode. It's one thing for Ratburn to say that Arthur was acting like a bully, but for Francine and Muffy to flat out say Arthur is a bully? They have no room to talk! And yeah, you're right about how Sue Ellen should have stood up to Arthur, as opposed to just remaining overwhelmed about the whole situation. She's been tough with Binky, and the Brain, so why not Arthur? Literally, she only chose to glare at him and give him exasperated expressions!

If there's three things that bug me about the whole thing...

1) They lost the opportunity to lampshade Francine's character development. They made the character do a complete 180 with "Vomitrocious" when she actually started feeling guilty. If anything, Francine should have been called out on her being a bully, or at least have it mentioned that she used to be and at least feels bad about it and now wants to stick up for people. Muffy, on the other hand is COMPLETELY hypocritical. Her behavior actually got worse as the show went on.

2) While it is out of character for Arthur to be a bully, they've established that he sucks at telling jokes. His actions are essentially that he got some polite laughs and he was milking the joke further than it was funny. On the one hand, Sue Ellen does both underreact (warning him once, friendly... who actually lets that go with a friendly warning?) and overreact (going straight to Ratburn instead of giving Arthur a more stern ultimatum). Arthur's bullying past then, while very out of character, was nothing more than passive aggressiveness. Even Muffy and Francine treat each other worse when they're being passive aggressive. Look at the Sue Ellen Vegges Out episode.

3) Just... Sue Ellen's a strong, tough character. When she got ticked off at Buster in the club episode, she came up with the VERY passive aggressive "Reading and Walking Club." She didn't run home to cry in her diary. She could have yelled at Arthur, called him a name (again Passive aggressively to show him how terrible it is), and basically stand up for herself. Now, I'd admit there's at least some wiggle room about her being devastated that someone that close was mocking her, but wanting to completely sever all ties and move to another class/school? Even more out of character.

Just an awful episode all around.

Regarding the second episode being a clip show, it really bothers me how they dub Arthur's voice in the archival footage with that horrid new voice of his...unless the writers didn't want to confuse the current watchers of the show.

It bothers me more that the Flash Animation is the cheaper alternative and they still had to resort to a budget episode. That's what clip shows are for, after all. To compensate for the budget. That's why anime have so many clip shows. Filler. They didn't need to make a clip show, here.

 

[sesamemuppetfan]

Muffy, on the other hand is COMPLETELY hypocritical. Her behavior actually got worse as the show went on.

Regarding that factor, remember in the episode after reading Arthur's letter to Sue Ellen, she blurt out: "If I hurt someone's feelings, I'd apologize from the bottom of my heart and include a gift certificate to Crosswire Motors!"? Name ONE time throughout the whole series when she did that to any character!

 

[Drtooth]

A few observations on this last 3.

This really proves my point about the quality being inconsistent. Brain Freeze and Caught in the Crosswires were absolutely excellent, and most of the rest of the episodes this go around (3 episodes split from 5, used in a Spring promotion) were quite good. I especially liked the "WIRE HANGERS?!!?" bit in Caught in the Crosswires. The one where Buster paints only aliens spoke to me. It really seems that they've subtly put a creativity/dream pursuing/art imitative in these past episodes.

Now, I have to make a huge correction here. The Bang on a Trash Can All Stars was not some lame 2 decades old parody of Stomp. it's an actual thing. And the episode was basically about Binky not liking it. Considering how pretentious it is, can't blame him. Then they make him like it somehow in an annoying example of "The Complainer is always Wrong." Yeah... didn't quite like that one.

 

[Muppet Master]

I agree with how the show is turning into ****, the voice actors are even worse than they were than the previous few seasons, the animation is stupid, the show itself which could get pretty funny for older kids has become strictly for the 4 yr. olds, come on, please don't turn this into another simpsons story!

 

[Drtooth]

Again, that's why Timmy Turner, Bart Simpson, the Kids Next Door, and half the kids on Histeria! are voiced by adults doing kid voices. Kids as voice actors go through puberty and their voices change. The original Arthur VA has to do the voice of one of the Tough Customers now. You can't blame them for having to recast everyone voiced by a kid before they all start to sound like late teenagers.

 

[mr3urious]

Again, that's why Timmy Turner, Bart Simpson, the Kids Next Door, and half the kids on Histeria! are voiced by adults doing kid voices. Kids as voice actors go through puberty and their voices change. The original Arthur VA has to do the voice of one of the Tough Customers now. You can't blame them for having to recast everyone voiced by a kid before they all start to sound like late teenagers.

Plus, child labor laws limit the amount of time kids can spend in the studio.

 

[Drtooth]

Eh... that too.

The upside is that using child voices does sound more authentic. Especially if they can act. Arthur uses both, which gives the show an interesting sound. The only adult voice they had to recast (to my knowledge) was Sue Ellen's. Don't know exactly why, though.

Anyway, the show's iffy episode quality is just a sign of long runner syndrome, and that's pretty unavoidable. Shows rarely have a consistant quality, and there were some pretty lousy episodes well before the switch from Crappy Jar Cookie Jar to Studio 9 (or whatever it's called). I'll admit, there have been some lame episodes as of late, but other than that terrible Sue Ellen episode I'm running into the ground, there haven't been any episodes as unwatchable as "classics" like "In My Africa" and "Around the World in 11 Minutes."

Seriously, any episode where Mei Lin talks, it's a terrible episode. "HEY! Let's make her an assertive female role model! And by 'assertive' we mean overbearing, obnoxious, arrogant, unlikable, and loud. OH! And let's introducer as never shutting up once." Even Ladonna wasn't that bad, and managed to have a couple episodes where she redeemed herself.

THAT'S what's wrong with Arthur. STOP adding these terrible new characters. Only good one we've had was Carl, and he's barely used.