Arthur: Season 20 and Season 21 : Buster's Second Chance / Francine and the Soccer Spy

Arthur  PBS 


       Back during the 20th anniversary set of posts I did back in 2016, I stopped at season 19 because season 20 hadn't premiered yet, it was to start the month after I was doing the post.  Over that time , season 21 also premiered.   There are also the noted reaction by some to say , "Arthur is still running and has new episodes?" to that answer yes.  Also the show will at least be running to a season 25.

  Let's start with season 20.


   Season 20 ran from October 2016 to June 2017. Somethings to note about this season: Arthur seasons got shorter over time  but,this one was the shortest producing  7 half hours.  The animation studio also changed, again, leaving 9-Story and WGBH went with another Canadian studio, Oasis Animation.   D.W's voice actor changed again (for those that don't know Arthur's sister is voiced by males) , and Arthur's voice actor also changed again. (because they use male children for his voice too).

       We are looking at the first episode of the season with the first half 1a called "Buster's Second Chance"  which premiered on October 10th,2016.

 

 
 Monologue : Arthur says that Buster has always been his best friend, and flashback to when they first met. Then a montage of them doing best friends stuff. Yep Best Friends until this week. What hold on what?

   Episode:  Buster is unhappy that the Brain won  the statewide science competition because the report was Brain finding types of bacteria in the drinking fountain. Buster says he knew there was something strange about that fountain.   Arthur tells him everyone knew the water tasted like feet (what?)  and that Brain was the only one to go study it.   Buster gives a  backstory on his not studying.  He was brought to a pre-school for "brainy kids" he stuck a marble up his nose and not where it was supposed to go. If he didn't try to outsmart the test he says, then his life could have been different.

       Buster says he would have just as smart as The Brian. Arthur suggests time travel but, not really. Buster reads time travel comics and fall asleep , guess where this episode is going?  He sees a passage way that sends him back in time. Back to the time  with the marble.  Where he impresses the teacher with magic and puts the marble in the right spot.  He wakes up and finds out that he is a genius now.   (Also all smart people wear glasses in Buster's mind, apparently)

Hmm , what?/ Copyright WGBH 

    Buster's life is different because he wears glasses and goes to a different school in the mornings and the other one he normally goes to in the afternoon. He tries to wave at Arthur but I don't think he's friends with him in this alternate universe.  Apparently, because Buster is smart now and didn't meet Arthur, Arthur has become a gang-leader (kind of joking) but he does become the leader of the tough customers.  His nickname is Specs. (get it because he wears glasses)  Buster goes to find Arthur and doesn't know where he went then finds him at the comic book store. Buster finds out that since he went to the fancy pre-school he never met Arthur at the park and they didn't become friends. (How does Buster know Arthur? Well it's a dream don't question it)

EEEEEEH/ Copyright WGBH 

 

       Arthur ended up being a tough customer.  Buster jumps out of a time warp (he wakes up) and everything is back to normal.

      I guess this episode's  moral is that a different paths in life result in different results, they kind of did this idea before in this series. The other is at the end where Buster decides to study something to prove  a point and do it with his best friend.  It's a fun episode where you see some of the outlandishness of Buster's fantasy.

The Loud House Season 2: Baby Steps/ Lock 'N' Loud

The Loud House  Nickelodeon 

         For those reading this post in January of 2019: This wraps up our look at "The Loud House" for now, more in the future.

                 Once again, dipping into season 2 of "The Loud House" with a look at couple episodes.

  Let's start with  4th episode of season 2 called "Baby Steps" what's this episode about?  It first aired in the US on January  10th 2017.

           Time to give Clyde more time and attention TV show , and that's what this episode does.  So it starts in the middle of the night where Lincoln is sleeping when he gets awoken by Clyde on the walkie talkie. Clyde tells him that his Dads are planning on having another baby now, they didn't tell him this news he suspects it because they were getting baby clothes and baby-proofing the house. (remember this line)  So, he tells Lincoln that he is going to be an older brother.   Also, I like the shot during the split screen of them taking where Lincoln has Charles the dog on his bed, and Clyde has his cat on his bed. (Remember this line later)  Lincoln says that he is the best person to talk to about being an other brother. (why? oh that's right)
is
    The next morning, Lincoln shows Clyde the best steps to being a big brother or as Lincoln calls them the 3 C's which are Confidence, Caring, and Cookies. (cookies mmm) Lincoln decides to show him these skills by example. (Lincoln is that kind of teacher)   Helping with Baby Lilly's pain he shows off the three C's in action.  Up next it's the twins fighting. Then it's the 4-year-old genius, Lisa, who has Lincoln make a  PBJ sandwich. (This later comes up in that Mad Scientist episode)  Then Lucy just need simple help on a poem rhyme.

    Now the student gets to do some experience training. Clyde puts his training into work and  if you can guess how this guess, you win something. This bad mess causes Clyde to stress out. Later, Lincoln leaves to get something while Clyde is waiting Lisa enters the room asking for help with her shoe strings which should make him skeptical (remember this line later too). Lucy asks for help with a poem rhyme a word that rhymes with Lori. (Hmm)  Remember that line above there? (Also remember the characters  mentioned plus Lilly) Well Lincoln pai d them off for them to do what they did to help Clyde.  Clyde hears this and is unhappy and decides to leave.  Lana is stuck in a tree (remember she wasn't mentioned)  and Clyde thinks she's part of the plan but she's not. He saves the day.

awww/ Copyright Viacom 

    Remember those details above?  Well Clyde finds out that his parents aren't getting a baby they are getting a kitten   Clyde finds that Lincoln's tips also work with cats.

       The charming thing for this episode is Lincoln showing how good a bigger brother he is to the younger ones.  The show does run from his perspective as middle child in the family and we've seen interactions where the sisters act as one, his interactions with the older ones and younger ones as well.  It's also nice to see Clyde do more in the series as well. I speak from the framing of him in season 1.   It makes a nice episode with a nice fit to it, and the ending doesn't ruin it because he learned something valuable.   I give this one a 97% out of 100.

 More after the Jump 

But First These Messages but We have undersold ad time so PSA's instead!

PSAs 

          We'll be right back more popular children's program  "The Loud Bob Universe of Odd Parents" after these messages.
 
        So this time we are doing a new "But First These Messages" but with a twist , we don't have ads , instead we have  PSAs ,public service announcements, because someone (sorry) forgot to sell some ad time so have to fill the gap with PSAs.   That's what we are doing this time.

     Sometimes you get lost , so what do you do when you get lost?   Panic!
   
    I could make fun of this one, but it does a good message of  if you get lost (as a kid?) check your area and find a police person to help. (Doesn't work in the middle no where)

   

Is that balloon supposed to say Fail? 

         Today's weather forecast calls for 100% sun and 0% rain if we are wrong it's channel 20's fault. 

           
        I have some questions , why is that guy in the water?  Did that kid want to die?  That metal suit might be dangerous too!
       

This is the face you see before you die! 

       Now it's time to pet this strange dog. 

         

      
      Don't pet random animals he said animals not dogs , so don't pet random bears, only bears you know!

 

mean doggy mean doggy 

Don't forget to watch new episodes of Cyborg Lassie , every Tuesday!  More after the jump

Arthur : Season 12 and 13 : I Owe You One/ Arthur's Number Nightmare

Arthur PBS 

   In our January journey looking at Arthur we have skipped a head from season 5 to Seasons 12 and 13 mostly to keep us from sticking to a cluster of seasons.  Let's take a look at an episode from season 12 first, called "I owe you one" .

  This episode aired on April 21st, 2009 it is 7B of the season paired with "War of Worms".

  Monologue: This time done with Muffy because why not?  Muffy is playing as Suze Orman on her old CNBC show and trying to give money advice. Different Elwood  City characters call in.  So What Muffy says that when you ask a favor or borrow money you in their debt, and you shouldn't say "I Owe you One" ( Sorry, I owe you one).  It never ends up being one, and she decides to tell a story which happens to be our episode.


    The episode:  Buster's mom tells him to rake the leaves by 5 O'Clock, and he forgets to do so because he focused on a video game.  Arthur is called to help and he tells Arthur he owes him one. Francine asks him what he's going to do and Buster says he doesn't know. Then they find out that Buster owes Arthur alot.  They tell him that he also owes interest while telling everyone that credit cards are dangerous.  Buster gets a call from Arthur asking him to come over and help him out. Apparently, two aliens  wanted to abduct Arthur  and since Buster owes him some favors it was time for Buster to pay up.
 

This is the best payback/ Copyright WGBH 

    Oh, it was a dream, I was thinking this episode got dark. Buster starts trying to do stuff for Arthur. He starts talking to Binky and Binky happens to tell him that Arthur owes him a few things. This makes Buster help Arthur pay back his debts first, by doing stuff for Binky. Arthur calls Buster but then Francine decides to come over and ask if Buster can pay off some of Arthur's debt to her , then others come by as well to the same. (Well then)  It's apparently been two weeks Since Arthur spent time together and Arthur thinks that Buster is mad at him.  Buster tells him that he paying back Arthur.

         Arthur tells him that Buster owes him no more favors. Then Arthur tell Muffy that is his show.

This is my show and you can't stop me/ Copyright WGBH 

    The message of the episode is to be careful with taking favors because you don't want to take advantage of people. I really kind of like that it wasn't Arthur who was like "where's my favors, man?" but more Buster thinking he has to pay Arthur back to make sure things are square. I found it a genuinely alright episode with some charm to it. 

More after the jump

The Loud House: Season 1: For Bros about to Rock / Ties that Bind

The Loud House Nickelodeon 


  Since I was writing these posts as part of a theme or in this a Loud House look every Tuesday in January and I decided to use all 5 Tuesdays in January, I found that since this show only 3 seasons I have to double up on a couple seasons, so that's what's happening here. For those reading outside January, first Thankyou! and second, this doesn't matter as much since it's part of the collection of season 1 episodes I've written about.

         
         We look at episode 13A from season  1 called "For Bros about to Rock".  They've characterized the sisters in this show each have a primary thing they like, mostly done to get us identifier for each one. So Luna is the music loving girl mostly rock, but she likes music so there's an episode for her to interact with Lincoln and Clyde.

     Lincoln and Clyde are going to a Smooch concert, (I wonder what that's a parody of )  the other non-Luna sisters want to warn Lincoln not have Luna know that he going to his first concert. Why? Well, Luna gets over zealous at concerts. Each sister tells Lincoln what happened at their first concerts.  So, they help him escape but she already knew and saved them a spot in  line (That was nice of her). She changes their threads (Don't how this works, we don't question it). Luna even starts singing and eventually Luna annoys Lincoln and makes her leave.   They also lost their space in line meaning that they made to the end and didn't get tickets.  A strange man in a beard asks them if they wanted tickets. Today's moral: if a strange man in a beard asks if you want tickets don't buy them or talk to him. Thank you.  Now back to the episode.

These Bros are about to Rock/ Copyright Viacom 

      The strange man in a beard ended up being a mall cop who is really invested into his job. He arrests  Lincoln and Clyde for buying scalped tickets  you know the ones he was selling, that's how tings work. (Court TV needs to return to answer my question)  Bobby had a running gag in the series early on where he was going through more jobs than Homer Simpson.   Luna appears disguised as their mother, and guess who figures out that it's Luna? (That information is behind our new pay wall please give us 50 cents)

Luna the Mom,coming this fall to CBS/ Copyright Viacom 

     Luna gets thrown behind bars.  Lincoln wonders why concerts are so important to her. Flashback time!  Luna talks about her  first rock concert at the age of 12 and how it changed her life  The Mick Swagger song ( I wonder who that's a parody of?)  The story makes the mall cop cry and decides to let them go and give them the tickets.  Lincoln asks if  he has a third ticket for his sister he does. (This is how the law should work!)     Luna helps them have a great concert and a good time was had by all.

past Luna/ Copyright Viacom 

         So, this episodes tell us that why Luna is engulfed in rock music and has a general love of music in the first place.  They also did a good job of even though Luna was being over zealous to annoying that didn't make her unlikable and it didn't make Lincoln un justified in saying that she was being annoying.   The episode itself was fun and enjoyable nothing seemed to drag on, and had some funny moments.    I give it  9.5/10. 

Up next, the Loud parents think it's time to get rid of one of their kids , after the jump.

2019 Oscar Nominations announced

Awards 

   The 91st annual Academy Awards nominations have been announced we have the full list for you here :  and the awards air on Sunday, February 24th on ABC.

         Here is the list

Best Picture 

• BlacKkKlansman
• Black Panther
• Bohemian Rhapsody
• The Favourite
• Green Book
• Roma
• A Star Is Born
• Vice

Best Director 

• Alfonso Cuaron (Roma)
• Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite)
• Spike Lee (BlacKkKlansman)
• Adam McKay (Vice)
• Pawel Pawlikowski (Cold War)

Best Actress

• Yalitza Aparicio (Roma)
• Glenn Close (The Wife)
• Olivia Colman (The Favourite)
• Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born)
• Melissa McCarthy (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)

Best Actor 

• Christian Bale (Vice)
• Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born)
• Willem Dafoe (At Eternity's Gate)
• Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody)
• Viggo Mortensen (Green Book)

Best Supporting Actress

• Amy Adams (Vice)
• Marina de Tavira (Roma)
• Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk)
• Emma Stone (The Favourite)
• Rachel Weisz (The Favourite)

Best Supporting Actor

• Mahershala Ali (Green Book)
• Adam Driver (BlacKkKlansman)
• Sam Elliott (A Star Is Born)
• Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)
• Sam Rockwell (Vice)

Best Documentary Feature

• Free Solo
• Hale County This Morning, This Evening
• Minding the Gap
• Of Fathers and Sons
• R.B.G.

Best Animated Feature 

• Incredibles 2
• Isle of Dogs
• Mirai
• Ralph Breaks the Internet
• Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Best Foreign-Language Film 

• Capernaum (Lebanon)
• Cold War (Poland)
• Never Look Away (Germany)
• Roma (Mexico)
• Shoplifters (Japan)

more after the jump

Those PSA episodes: Captian Planet Says stop having children (Again!)

PSA 


   Previously on Joshauonline:  Captain Planet did an episode about people having way too many children you know, on a show for children!   Well they did it again!  (read here)

         Now on Joshuaonline: "Numbers Game" from season 5.

              Captain Planet provides a treasure trove of PSA themed episodes and provides us with entertainment. (not really) 

                  Our Show : Captain Planet
             What are they trying to tell the audience: There's too many People on Earth  but this time it's 1995! 

                                     Let's see, it starts with Wheeler having a birthday and they put a candle in a burger (because America). They also got him some gifts  the Gaya the earth goddess lady has to bring down the party because there's mudslides ad they have to help.  That's just what do and yes more Captain Planet having puns.  The saving part does take up sometime.   They help clean up the mess and Wheeler talks about people living to stacked up  and near a mudslide prone area  and others apparently know everything. (Because not America)   So Wheeler doesn't go to Coney Island but they get to go an eco-themed park. (That exists) 

  American burger/copyright Warner Media 

     Wheeler wonders why people bring children into the world under such conditions (you know living in cities and messy).  The next ride is about population (that's why this park shutdown the next week).   The ride says that children in more developed nations use more resources than those in developing nations. Wheeler falls asleep.  They wake up, finally, the tunnel of love between Wheeler and Linka (so they became a couple? alright then.  Then apparently, Linka and Wheeler get married. (what?)

        Then he wakes up and is older and still married. Also Linka is pregnant and they already have 8 children. So old Wheeler has to go shopping with his children.   Captain Planet villains are selling stuff  at the mall as well, because why not?  We also had time for one his  kids wetting their pants.
 Later on, Kwame and Ma-Ti show up  and talk to him like normal people, no wait they yell at him that he has too many children. (Sorry, you are going to have to kill like 3 of them)  Kwame even says it must stop.  (what?)  Right near the kids too, dang man. Then Kwame says that Wheeler is using too much resources  then Wheeler says like your 40 foot TV  (what?) but Kwame says he has two children.  Even the Earth godess has given up.  Captain Planet has also given up. (The Show and the man) Still hasn't given up on bad puns.

Wheeler went forth and multiplied / Copyright Warner Media 

         It was a dream (duh?)  and they are still on the ride. Then Wheeler tells her if they do get married  that he doesn't even want more than two children.   I also have to laugh at the alert they have to say that soon the Earth will soon have 6 billion people.

             In my last post on the last population episode I said that one here was worst, because it is now, directly it's not saying as much as the first one where it's telling its child audience  that might have 3 kids that one of them is killing the planet so, it at least learned that. Though it is saying they are draining resources or something.  This one also drags out too much trying to make a point that population is too much and people are trying to live in cities for better lives, then it twists to say that you have to use resources better.    But having the characters tell Wheeler that he has too many children makes me think they mean that too many children drain resources but it showed earlier that a country that is developed has less children (true) but uses more resources. (ehh)

     Did it do it's PSA message clearly?   No. Even the last episode was at least clear. Here, we get a mess of insanity. They could be saying that having too many children can drain resources as much as a guy with a 40-foot TV (and with modern tech might not be as true) and two kids.  I don't know.

          Was it a good PSA?  No. There's nothing wrong with telling your audience to use things wisely and be responsible but stop telling your audience who in this show was targeted to children that there are too many children. If they did a focus on using resources wisely or else you are going to have some problems I would at least given them some points but nope, they didn't have any clear message at all. 

    That's it for us, now I have to tell this family of 11 kids  that 7 have to go.  Tune in next time and find out the results. 

Arthur : Season 5: You Are Arthur

Arthur  PBS 

  We are only looking at one episode of Arthur this week.   I should say you are looking at one episode because you are writing this blog post.  So go on... 

        [7 Weeks Later] 

               

          Rude.   Fine, I'll the blog post.  Today's episode of Arthur comes from season 5 it's episode 5b of Season 5 and it aired on October 23rd 2000. (For the United States) Today's episode gets creative.

  

   Monologue:  Arthur's reading "Treasure Island" in bed and says that is one of his favorite books.  He likes to imagine himself as a pirate with buried treasure. Arthur says that one of the fun things is imagining to be someone else and how much fun that would be if you really do that. Then he imagines himself as Mr.Ratburn.  Then he gets a big idea:  We get to imagine would it would be like to be him and he imagines what it's like to him. (So he's going to finish this blog post, good). This is going to be some switching is it?

They should have done this in 3D/ Copyright WGBH 

 Now the episode:   You wake up and notice that you have ten fingers and toes. Alright this episode is taking an interesting approach that you won't be seeing Arthur instead you will be seeing everything from Arthur's perspective.  I'm going to say what Arthur does as Arthur because this post is already strange enough.   So, Arthur is training to be in 3K race for the library and new children's reading room. Arthur decided to run to prove "The Brain" that  he can do it.   Now Arthur trains. 

       Since D.W overfeeds him he starts feeling queasy. Now I am feeling queasy with these close up shots of characters, and Buster starts to tap on the screen trying to break the 4th wall.  The race starts. Arthur takes the lead and he has time to imagine if he wins the race. (He has time for this)  Muffy falls down because she wasn't paying attention and Arthur helps her up. (such a gentleman)  Eventually he makes it to the finish line.
 

Being Arthur is strange/ Copyright WGBH

      We now have everything back to normal , and Arthur has made it to the front page of newspaper for helping Muffy.  Then he tells us next time we should run the race and he'll watch us on TV .(Well now I'm scared.) 

         This is quite an interesting episode mostly for it's gimmick of the viewer seeing everything from Arthur's point of view. It's not something you see much and they took a risk with the idea.  The plot of the episode is simple where Arthur runs a 3k race and that's pretty much the episode. We kind of just experience the things Arthur does before, during , and after the race.  So for this episode you kind of just come for the experience and not the show but the plot fits for what they want to bring into the episode. 

        

    This episode reminds me of the 1947 movie "Lady in the Lake"  where it was shot from the point of view of the main character and where you could feel like you were seeing what the detective is seeing from their view like you are the detective. Now I've done a film noir mention in the middle of an Arthur look, well then.  

      Tune in next time, when we become you and force you to write the next post for you. Wait what?