Arthur is one of those weird constants that just kind of exists. The books began in the 1970's and then the TV series premiered in 1996. That TV series kept running and running, unlike other shows that keep running and running, and maybe because of the target audience of said series, it's not as much noticed. When this series was announced to be ending, there was different reactions, including "That was still running?" Arthur did get in the news a few times, but it's nothing like The Simpsons where it gets news for breathing.
In 2022, PBS ran the 25th and final season of the long-running WGBH series. I do have the feeling the final few seasons were made together and just kind of broken up and order changed because of some stuff, but that's here nor there. (Though there is proof of that too) I've been writing blog posts about the series, shorter than I've seen the series, it's been apart of my life. My childhood love of it was stronger, but there was still a comfort to watching it. Of any series that should be having new episodes and just keep running, in my view, besides some game shows, soaps, some news shows, this might be one of the few that should just keep running.
I'm not really sure how "Arthur" can end in a way that is big or grand, because it's Arthur and that's not a bad thing, I'm not writing this because I think that' s a bad thing, I'm writing that in the sense, that Arthur is not a show that needs a finale in the sense that we have a long story line that needs to be wound up. The end was coming and it was actually already made, Arthur was ending.
I can think of episodes that would be good conclusions for this series , like "When Duty Calls" (don't read if you don't want to be spoiled , run!) There is something like lower expectations of how to super end this series. There is also that special where they start 4th grade, which I should get to.
Back to my constant statement, the idea that it was a constant, for now, it will still rerun and maybe they'll have future Arthur stories, but there is something final about a finale (I know, what I said) it feels weird in a way, even if it's alright. I hope I'm getting that out well. (Also this is not the last "Arthur" post on this site )
The finale wasn't a special, it was two-standard eleven minute segments, which also helps the reruns. This post is about them.
But first, let's talk to more after the jump (that was awful ouch)
Season 25/ Episode 4a : Blabbermouth
An episode about the big best friends in the show, Arthur and Buster, we've got it! Arthur decides to only invite Buster to a surprise party for , checks notes... for Muffy's return from Hawaii (uhh) after she's right there on her way. Why? And this happened like four times, but why? Apparently, Buster likes to let secrets slip out , or he's a blabbermouth. (roll credits)
We get a slightly horrifying visual of talking mouth people, before Arthur starts listing things that Buster has let slip, including a few past episodes for effect. Buster wants a test secret and Arthur does obliviously fake secret, to test him and he failed. Good thing it was a fake secret. Buster begs again for another secret. This time with not talking action! The pencil fails, the notebook fails, and he starts to speak and then lets another secret spill out. Good thing, it's just about D.W's brain transplant (bless her).
Arthur tells him the truth it wasn't true, I love how the background music became self aware. Buster is offended that Arthur didn't trust him with a real secret. He talks to Muffy , who apparently gives him some help, in a weird way, because Muffy. It turns into an idea where Buster things there should be no secrets, and Muffy and he decide to some thing where people tell him his secret to get them posted on the internet. (So he wants to be twitter?)
Internet corporate meeting in action/ Copyright WGBH
George was the only one to give a secret, which we don't know what it is, after he gives one that wasn't juicy. Buster then comes to Arthur for help, because he feels about the whole secret thing and needs his help to stop Muffy from posting it. Thankfully, he also seems to have learned not to say a secret; Muffy also couldn't post the secret either. That was good.
This segment was fun, and there are some people out there who are not good at keeping secrets (also known as celebrity entertainment media) and it was the idea of why to keep a secret, is how it might affect the other person and that trust is the important key. A good effort. I like Arthur and Buster's friendship in this series and they've always been close and fun duo, and you can understand how they work with each other , including each other's faults. This was a good effort of an episode.
Now our feature presentation
Season 25/ Episode 4b: All Grown Up
Finally an episode about the Nickelodeon animated series from.,. oh never mind. I'm going back to my mode of talking about the cold opening, notice I didn't do that in the other episode. Arthur talks about how sometimes you don't get what you expect but it turns out well after all. (Is this their cover for the episode?) I do get the idea, though and I'll bring that up later.
Ha aardvark mention, I see what you did. Arthur got the wrong book, he wasn't wanting a how to draw animals book. Also we see creator of "Arthur" not his parents, Marc Brown, he's here in the library. Since Arthur, Buster, Francine, and Muffy are looking for the library. There's this game that talks and says it can predict the future.
It's like Buzzfeed quiz the game. I do like the little moments of them playing the game and it shows their characterizations very well. Like how Buster thinks of an answer was pretty well done. Anyway the machine starts to give predictions like Muffy will be a public servant, Muffy doesn't like this but politician is something that entices her.
Francine gets business person, because it apparently knows Francine is competitive. We get another imagination spot of Francine being a business person and not doing to well. Then it gives Buster a teacher, which I think is an interesting thought. Buster takes it better than the other two did theirs and he gets a spot of thinking of his whole class like the Brain. Meanwhile, Arthur wants to try but the machine is mean and commits not alive anymore.
They leave the room and Arthur runs into Marc Brown who tells him he forgot the book, and Brown encourages him to take it. (Ironic) The episode skips ahead 20 years and we see hipster Arthur, and teacher Buster, with other future versions of other characters. D.W and even Bud shows up! (Bud!)
The future confuses me / Copyright WGBH
The episode ends with Arthur showing his new written thing, a graphic novel about that time he got his first glasses, or the very first episode of "Arthur". Uh, he was inspired by book about drawing animals, what?
D.W the cop and Bud her Biker Boy, coming this fall to CBS/ Copyright WGBH
The way it goes to this ending, does leave things open ,meaning was it really the real 20 years or just a what could be? It's vague and it works, it leaves open the idea, that even you, yes YOU could even think of your future for Arthur characters. I do like how the episode is trying to circle you back to the very first episode, a hark back to what started everything was a nice touch.
The episode's message of how the unexpected can turn out to be something that works, it goes with the book being a way where Arthur could become an author (ha ha) you never know what a wrong turn or a new idea can get you. Maybe even turning to a PBS station in Colorado one day leads one to find a fun series about an aardvark and his friends and family that lasts for years and is loved by many.
This episode was fun, and even if it wasn't a finale, it still has some value to it. I wasn't sure what to expect to see how this series ends, but it was fun to see how they ended it. It felt satisfying. at least. I think this episode also explains "Arthur" as a whole, or I'm way over reading (might be both) that what does one expect from this show? It's an educational show, but more in the sense of social learning versus the idea of teaching science or being instructional, it feels more like a normal show that's there to show different life scenarios and bring them to the audience. The characters bring the story, and the characters all are different and bring something to the table. Watch an episode and it might not have been something you wanted, but it ended up being something you needed.
Sometimes an episode misses the mark and that's what happens in story stelling, and even that's fine. It shows the imperfections that we as humans have and that humans make the show, not some weird A.I , but for Buster's sake, I wish aliens worked on it some how.
Let's tie together these two episodes, Buster and Arthur are good friends, and does show they have differences, but Buster works hard to make sure Arthur can trust him because he values that. The final episode also works to show the bond they have, I can believe that in the future even 20 years later, Buster and Arthur would still find each other and still share a friendship; same with Francine and Muff. I can see that and friendship and family is also a basis of this show. There's a lot to love about this series and I hope it's long lastingly loved.
That's it for now, tune in next time, in 20 years when we wonder why Arthur has hair like that...
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