The episodes were still well written, but that animation style is an eyesore. I was not a fan of the animation change from Season 16 onward. This isn’t a ranking list, and there are so many I could choose from, but if I don’t limit myself, you’d be reading this well into next week.Īnd to make it even more narrow, I will only be including episodes from the first 15 seasons. Some of them are for the morals they convey, and the others are just based on the humor they deliver. In honor of the show’s final curtain call on February 21st, I’d like to take a look back at 25 of my favorite episodes. Get it!), in which he states “I like to think that one of the best things that Arthur has done all these many years is tell children the truth. I think Marc Brown put it best in his most recent book “Believe In Yourself: What We Learned From Arthur” (one sentence review: It’s amazing. Was it because of how well put together visually & musically? How the episodes were written, or just how savage the characters could be? What was it exactly? It derives from Spanish "juzgado".But what was it about Arthur that made it so good, likable, and very well praised? What made it my favorite PBS Kids series, and why did I watch it religiously up until I was a senior in high school? "Hoosegow" is an old slang term for jail used primarily in the American West.Brain compares Koko's voice to Bessie Smith and Muddy Waters, two famous blues musicians.That's a Scandinavian dish made of dried fish. George brings Lutefisk to the pot-luck.This episode is a parody of big mouth.In the cold open, Maria, her lookalike and a miscolored combination of the two are seen interchangeably from scene to scene at the same table in the ice cream shop.Moral: Dont make fun of other people for your own benefits.The truck driver who takes George to Tunefork is a clone of Ed Billings from "Grandpa Dave's Old Country Farm".Koko Taylor and Taj Mahal are blues musicians who voiced themselves.George's Unnamed Blues (George/Taj Mahal)."Leaving Trunk" (Taj Mahal) It is heard when George arrives in Tunefork.Koko’s friend Taj Mahal arrives and offers to fix the string and accompany George. McGrady’s house and plays for Koko and Mrs. Wally remarks, that things have not been the same between them since George made that guitar. When Wally advises George not to play for Koko again, George puts him in the closet. He practices in the park and shows some chords to Binky. George does and the musician says he’s got talent and should not be afraid to show it.īack in reality George builds a guitar with the help of his Dad and Brain. However, a guitar player (Taj Mahal) on the porch across the street encourages him to put more feeling in his singing. A lady (Francine) compares him to a mouse again. George sings “Pinocchio Blues” outside the store. He drinks a lemonade at the General Store, but since he has no money the barkeeper (Binky), who is also the sheriff, wants to arrest him, unless George earns the money by singing. George listens to Taj Mahal’s “Leaving Trunk” and his fantasy transports him to “Tunefork, Mississippi”. When George wants to return Brain’s CDs he notices that he hasn’t heard Taj Mahal yet. George leaves and throws his harmonica away.Īt home George talks to Wally, who tries to cheer him up. Koko follows and tells him that it is okay to be nervous and that she still gets butterflies despite singing for fifty years. When Francine says he sounds like a mouse., George runs out of the house. He sings “The Pinocchio Blues” and accompanies himself on the harmonica. While the other kids say they would just embarrass themselves, George wants to perform. McGrady’s house is attended by Koko with two other musicians, Brain, Binky and Francine. George listens to the music, buys a harmonica and composes a song. Since George has never heard of her, Brain takes him home, saying that blues “will cheer you up a lot more than ice cream”.īrain gives George an introduction to blues and plays him one of his own compositions: “Pi Blues”. She invites the boys to a jam session on Sunday. McGrady walks in with a lady who Brain recognizes as blues singer Koko Taylor. George asks for extra sprinkles at the Powers’ ice cream parlor because he is down. George becomes a fan and learns to sing with the help of Wally, Koko Taylor and Taj Mahal.
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