Episode 1 : Fifteen
Arthur turned 15 years old and began its fifteenth season in the year 2011. They decided to go for a full half hour (24 minute) length episode to commemorate and also to really nail in the fact that the show is fifteen by using the number alot.
The Cold Open: Arthur asks do you always feel like you are in a rush? (modern living) Then it cuts because Arthur runs out of time. Not really ironic.
The episode: This episode goes big on the number 15 and 15 minutes. But what it also does is provide three running stories into each other. The first of part of the episode sets this up. First, George is going to be on a radio quiz called 15 minutes of fame (ding) and will have to answer questions for a grand prize of $500, which will be donated to the school. (not $1500?, weak) That will be happening the next day. Also that next day, the students of Mr. Ratburn's class have to turn in their reports for art history. Also if every report is handed in time and the class will get enough points on whatever Ratburn is doing there for a no homework day. This part will focus on Arthur who did a report on Michelangelo ,but forgot to bring it to school, so he has 15 minutes to go back, get his report and bring it to school. And there's a plot with Pal and Kate.
The writer of this episode.
I've not really [ At least, I don't think I have as of this point] delved into the Arthur series and Baby Kate and Pal plots. They seemed to have started pretty early on, meaning season 6 with "The Secret Life of Dogs and Babies". This is where the go with the baby character of the Read Family and the dog , Pal, being able to communicate with each other ...and other babies and animals because sure? I don't think those are the most entertaining episodes of the show, since it seems to just take away from doing well anything else. What at least helps here is that it's not the only plot of this episode. They have a plot that will tie more into Arthur's.
George FM / Copyright WGBH
First, George's plot. George is practicing for the radio show quiz and asks Arthur to help him. Arthur's plot connects to his a few ways. Arthur tells him he has to go after helping for a minute and the Michelangelo thing will come to play later. George makes it to the radio station (92.5 fm Quiz fm , coming next week, we are 92.5 FM The Screech) after scaring a lady off the bus. Also odd running gag of messing up George's name,
The school gets to hear the radio show in an assembly. With a static shot of George, in case they forget who he is. George's way of figuring out answers for questions is pretty neat. He uses recalling different memories to get an answer. Though this episode decides to change Wally's, George's Dummy, origin story for some reason. Also the questions are real questions and accurate like baseball bat's traditional wood being ash wood. The Latin question works because the third grade teacher decides to teach like an 8th grade teacher and apparently uses Latin word when needed.
Arthur's plot, which will get fully into in a moment, ties into George's. That report he was doing on Michelangelo plays in the final question George has to answer. Also the part where the radio show uses the 'phone a friend' style thing works with Arthur's plot too. I'll just say here, George gets it right and woo hoo.
Are you going to eat that.. stapler, or the money/ Copyright WGBH
Let's go to the star of the show's plot, Arthur. Arthur comes to school and realizes he left it home. He has to hand it in so the class can get No Homework Day. He decides to turn around and go get it. Arthur's Dad found the report and decides he's going to bring it to Arthur. (Good ole Dad) Would make good question of who is faster? Anyway this goes wrong as the classic thing of dropping some papers he though he scooped up the right ones and brings it to Buster since Arthur is on his way back home. The real papers are in the recycle bin. The Kate and Pal plot also will tie into this, but that's later for us.
As mentioned earlier, Arthur meets some obstacles, like being stopped by George to help him with some last minute studying. He makes it home and thanks to his dad finding the report, he can't find the report now. (What a mess) Buster calls him on his cell phone, that's right Arthur characters have cell phones, and tells him that the report is at school. Buster doesn't know.
Thanks to Francine being curious about what Arthur wrote about she peeks at the report and it's not the report. Buster calls Arthur and tells him, now Arthur has to go back. Buster also has to cover for Arthur because he's a good friend like that. How Arthur finds his report, because he does, ties into the Pal and Kate plot, so we'll move on him going to school, right when George called his name for a 'phone a friend' thing. He thankfully makes it to give George the answer for Michelangelo's full name is Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni. (That's right you learn things in this blog) Good thing that Principal Haney being confused with tech gag played into the episode to give some time for Arthur to show up.
But even though the report has made it, and the class will get their day, Buster talked to much and Mr. Ratburn makes them write a report about what happened today.
More after the jump
Now we rewind, one more time. This time to Pal and Kate's plot. As mentioned before, their plot starts when Arthur's dad finds the report. Pal hears big trouble and wants to help Arthur out. The dog didn't catch what a report was and that Arthur's dad already picked it up. This is a strange thing to write. He and Kate go searching around for the report. They find a picture.
This episode goes deep with it's artist references Buster did a report on Pieter Bruegel , Dutch painter from the 1600's. The picture Pal and Kate find is an Arthurized version of L.H.O.O.Q. by Marcel Duchamp, a French artist, where he took the picture of the Mona Lisa and added a Mustache. (This is why Disney fears the public domain)
Nemo, Francine's Cat, decides to grab the picture because reasons. Francine's cat breaks into other people's houses apparently. This gets weirder, D.W's imaginary friend, Nadine, shows up. In "Arthur" lore the pets and babies can see imaginary friends of other kids. Also Vicita's friend and the Tibble's friend shows up. Why? They think the picture part of a plot by cats to eliminate imaginary friends to kids will play with cats more. (They don't know anything about cats do they?) Nadine says that Nemo is part of the group to find the secret formula and Pal and Kate have to get the picture back. Alright then.
Anyway, not going to deep into their plot and will just connect that Pal gets the image back from Nemo and drops it in front of Arthur. It has dog drool on it and Arthur is disgusted that causes him to bring it to the recycle bin, where he finds his report. Good thing because the truck comes and takes the stuff from the bin. That makes the the friends and Kate think their mission was accomplished.
That's the episode. It's a pretty fun episode with a mixture of things going on to not drag anything down too much. I like how each plot works with other and the side stuff being added in really brings a nice combination to it. It even manages to make a Pal and Baby Kate plot be entertaining. I do like the tension brought up each part. Will Arthur find his report? Will George do well? Will cats take out imaginary friends? (What?)
It's not a bad episode, it feels well paced, uses it's time well, and has an interesting set of plots. It plays well in the context of it being a 15th anniversary special but also can feel not to be one. I like the art references in this too. it is funny to forget that Arthur works under PBS' mission to explain and educate and the episode does that too without feeling too oft and forced.
It was fun. That does it for now for us, tune in next time when we write a blog post in 15 minutes.
