Arthur (1996–2022): Season 25, Episode 1 - Binky Wrestles with a Story/All Will Be Revealed - full transcript
Binky imagines like he's wrestling for real./Something will be revealed.
♪ Every day when you're
walking down the street ♪
♪ Everybody that you meet
has an original point of view ♪
(laughing)
♪ And I say hey ♪
Hey!
♪ What a wonderful
kind of day ♪
♪ If we could learn
to work and play ♪
♪ And get along
with each other ♪
♪ You got to listen to your
heart, listen to the beat ♪
♪ Listen to the rhythm,
the rhythm of the street ♪
♪ Open up your eyes,
open up your ears ♪
♪ Get together
and make things better ♪
♪ By working together ♪
♪ It's a simple message,
and it comes from the heart ♪
♪ Believe in yourself,
for that's the place to start ♪
♪ And I say hey ♪
Hey!
♪ What a wonderful
kind of day ♪
♪ If we could learn
to work and play ♪
♪ And get along
with each other ♪
Hey!
♪ What a wonderful kind of day ♪
Hey!
♪ What a wonderful
kind of day ♪
Hey!
ARTHUR:
Hey, D.W.!
Hey!
Whoa...
(crash)
♪ ♪
(groans)
How long have we
been waiting?
I don't know.
At least a million hours.
This movie
better be worth it.
It's "Dark Bunny
vs. Bionic Bunny"!
Of course it'll be worth it!
But what if we die of boredom
before we ever get to see it?
Then at least it'll have been
for a good cause.
Hey, I'm glad I brought
these raisins.
How about 20 Questions?
I'll think of a pair
of initials
and you try to guess who it is.
Uh... M.C.
Muffy Crosswire.
Okay.
That was too easy.
J.K.
Jacob Katzenellenbogan.
How on earth
did you guess that?!
It was obvious!
It's moving!
Ah, we're saved!
(both groan)
Bored, huh?
I'll say!
Are you in line, too?
No, I saw it already.
Waste of money.
Dark Bunny wins.
(both gasp)
But I've got a surefire way
to beat boredom.
Just watch this.
Okay, you can start
the episode now!
It's so much better
than that movie.
FRANCINE:
"Binky Wrestles with a Story."
Okay, students, we have
a special treat for you!
School is canceled?
Not exactly.
Tomorrow is
Take a Student to Work Day.
(papers rustling)
You'll each shadow an adult
at their workplace.
Shadow?
Learn about their job
by doing it with them.
Cool!
♪ ♪
"Mrs. Barnes, nurse."
Cool!
Say, "Ah!"
"Mrs. Hurley,
crossing guard."
Hey, I'm in law enforcement.
(stern voice):
Don't you even think about
littering.
Please, please, please let it be
a race car driver.
(papers rustling)
"Mrs. Baxter...
(faltering):
editor-in-chief,
'Elwood City Times.'"
Aw, man!
No offense.
You got Buster's mom?
No fair!
Can we trade?
No trading.
But that job
will be wasted on Binky.
Huh?
No, it won't be!
When you return, you'll all...
ALL:
Give a report...
Well, have fun,
I bet it'll be super exciting.
I will!
And I bet I'll be
really good at it, too.
Thanks, Mom!
See you after work.
This might actually be
kinda fun.
(alarm blaring)
Okay now!
Smile!
(cries out)
I can't see!
(siren blaring,
cars approaching)
He's all yours,
Officer Buster!
How did you get here
before us?
Sorry, a journalist
never reveals his sources.
BITZI:
Binky!
Welcome to my home
away from home:
"The Elwood City Times."
Hope you've done
your stretches today--
I like to walk fast.
(elevator chimes)
This is the main newsroom.
We've got an exciting day
ahead of us.
(phone ringing)
Got that story
on the busted traffic light.
Great, cut the first sentence
and get me a picture!
First you'll sit in
on an editorial meeting.
That's where we decide
what's newsworthy.
Macaulay!
Who's covering the Lord wedding?
I am!
Well, get on it!
The ceremony's in half an hour!
Then we'll cover Mayor Hirsch's
speech at City Hall.
Coffee, Mrs. Baxter?
Does a bunny have ears?
(sipping)
Sweet petunia, that's awful.
Then it's lunch
with our sports reporter.
And finally we'll edit
tomorrow's lead story.
Got all that?
Uh... not really.
Something about
a traffic light?
You'll do just fine.
The new cutbacks
to the Elwood City
Sanitation Department
might be a good story.
It certainly affects
the community.
(yawns)
Hildy,
you've been covering this.
What do you think?
Well, if you look at
the budget...
Blah blah-blah blah-blah
blah-blah-blah...
MAN:
Blah-blah-blah-blah
blah-blah...
Blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah...
Blah-blah-blah
blah-blah-blah...
(blahs continue, audio fading,
distorting)
Well, Binky?
Huh?
What story do you think
we should go with, Binky?
Um... Uh...
The latest budget cuts
or the need
for new traffic lights?
Were there any bank robberies?
(laughs)
Sorry.
We don't get
a lot of robberies here.
But you never know!
(birds chirping)
BITZI (quietly):
Prepare your question.
Mayor Hirsch removes his glasses
when he's winding down.
(clapping)
Got one?
Mr. Mayor?
My associate has a question.
My friend Lydia
still has trouble
taking her wheelchair
on Main Street.
Um, can you fix that?
Ooh! Good one!
What about your plans for making
downtown wheelchair-accessible?
Well, it's a complicated issue.
Blah-blah-blah
blah-blah-blah...
(audio fading)
(wings flapping slowly)
(wind whooshing slowly)
(barking slowly)
(blah-blahs continue)
Does that answer
your question?
Um, yeah.
Thanks.
(groans)
So, Harry,
what's new in the sports world?
Any big games coming up?
Well, it's not baseball season
so the Grebes aren't playing.
But they might get
a new manager, though.
Oh, is it that guy from
the Greenville Goshawks?
HARRY:
No, it's a new guy
from the Edgewood Egrets.
Blah-blah-blah-blah.
Blah-blah-blah-blah...
(audio fading)
Stop blah-blahing!
(laughs)
Well, I have been accused
of having purple prose,
but never blah-blahing.
Sorry.
It's just--
this is a newspaper, right?
Where's all the
exciting stuff?
The fires!
The car chases!
The bank robberies!
Sorry, Binky.
But our job is to report
the news-- not make it up.
I guess I thought
it would be different.
Hey, want to make copies
with me?
Okay.
Maybe the copier'll get jammed.
Three more hours to go...
For you.
I'm usually here
till 7:00 or 8:00.
Don't you ever get... bored?
(copier whirring)
Sure I do.
(beeping)
And frustrated.
Especially when Bartleby
the printer is acting up.
(paper rustling, Harry groans)
There we go!
(beeps)
(whirring)
Can I let you in
on a little secret?
Sure.
No job is fascinating
all the time.
Really?
There's nothing wrong
with boredom.
I get some of my best ideas
when I'm bored.
Three points!
Nice!
Sometimes all it takes
is a little imagination
to make your job
more interesting.
I don't know...
I got to give a report on this.
What am I gonna talk about?
Budget cuts?
A busted traffic light?
I'll put everyone to sleep!
Hey, it's only boring
if you think it is.
What do you mean?
When I find an assignment
uninspiring, I think,
what if I were writing about
something thrilling?
Like... the ninth inning
of a tense baseball game!
I like wrestling.
It'll work with that, too.
When you give that report,
try to imagine it
as something exciting,
something you love.
Hmm...
Wait,
was I just blah-blahing again?
(laughs)
No.
Actually, I think this was
the best part of the day so far.
Quick!
Go long!
(imitating announcer):
And there's the hit!
He's going
for the bleachers!
But Barnes makes the catch!
(crowd cheering)
He saved the game!
Ready to edit our lead story?
Ready.
Here's your most
important tool...
the red pen.
Oh!
I thought only Mr. Ratburn
had one of these.
Okay, read the first
sentence to me.
"If the recently proposed
budget cuts
"to the sanitation department
pass,
"Elwood City and the surrounding
metropolitan area
"could have a major
trash problem,
leading to higher levels of
pollution in nearby watersheds."
What do you think?
Are you
excited to read more?
Um... no.
Me neither.
But maybe I just
don't like the topic.
Maybe.
But maybe you would be
more interested
if it were a better sentence.
(clicks pen)
We need to open with a bang.
So...
how can we rewrite
this sentence?
Let's show that sentence
who's in charge.
(echoing):
Let's wrestle with it!
BINKY (imitating announcer):
Red Pen is more than ready
to face the Boring Sentence in a
challenge for the championship!
(crowd cheering)
You're going down, Sentence!
Keep dreamin', Red Pen!
BINKY:
Ooh, there's a lot of bad blood
between those two!
♪ ♪
Face it--
you're bloated, flabby!
I'm gonna cut you down!
(Boring Sentence grunts,
Red Pen gasps)
No one's changing me!
(grunting)
Red Pen's winded!
Can she recover?
(crowd cheering, Red Pen grunts)
BINKY:
She's up!
(crowd cheering)
(grunts)
Red Pen has made a comeback!
♪ ♪
Boring Sentence is flattened!
♪ ♪
(crowd cheering,
camera shutters clicking)
We worked on that sentence
for half an hour!
Until finally
it was done-- finished--
barely resembling
what it once was.
What was it?!
What was the new sentence?!
It's right here--
on the front page
of the "Elwood City Times."
"A city of overflowing trash,
struggling to breathe--
"that's what some say
Elwood City could become
with the latest round
of budget cuts."
(children gasp)
And I helped edit that sentence.
The end.
(applause)
Huh, I guess you got
the right job after all.
♪ ♪
KIDS:
And now, a word from us kids.
DARIUS:
My name is Darius,
and this is my third grade.
TEACHER:
We have been writing
our personal narratives
about a small moment
in our lives.
STUDENT:
We are working on
our own stories.
TEACHER:
Today's lesson is going to be on
writing a lead
to hook our reader.
STUDENT:
Binky had to figure out
the best way to start his story,
and that's what we're doing.
This is my first try.
"In an amusement park,
I lost my tooth."
This is my second draft.
"Eeeee! I was so excited to be
"in a big amusement park
in Florida.
Plus, my tooth was loose."
The "Eeee"
at the beginning shows
that I'm excited.
I think it hooks the reader
so that they're more interested
in reading my story.
This morning we were learning
about the four kinds of leads.
A setting lead
is being descriptive
like "long and tall
green grass."
A question lead, it asks you
a question at the start.
"Have you ever made a strike?
"'Cause I have
when I went bowling
and made a wonderful strike."
A dialogue lead
is when a character speaks
to start the story.
For example:
"'I just know we're going to win
the game today,'
I whispered to myself
as I got up to bat."
An action lead starts off
with a like...
like an action word,
like, "Crack!"
"Crack!
(pins falling sound)
When the pins fell down,
I made a fantastic strike."
This is my first draft lead:
"I shot a basketball
and I missed."
This is my second draft:
Swish! There was only seven
seconds
left on the clock in the game.
My second draft was better
because of the way
I started with "Swish,"
it was better.
I love to write
because you're putting the words
down on paper and other people
can read them too.
I think words are pretty cool.
KIDS:
And now, back to "Arthur"!
BUD:
Now you have to put
seven strawberries
into the peanut butter.
BUSTER:
Mmm!
What's that?
I'm showing D.W. how to make
the Bud Compson.
It's a sandwich I invented.
ARTHUR:
Let's finish our game
before dark.
Drink up.
Hey!
You took all the milk!
No, I didn't!
See, you have some.
You always take everything!
My leftover pie, my scissors...
You took my model airplane
and busted it!
That's not as bad
as taking my snowball!
For the millionth time,
I didn't do it!
Did too!
Did not!
(groans)
Buster-- tell her.
It's true, D.W.
You see, an alien came
and opened the freezer
with his long tongue and...
(groans)
Aw, forget it!
She'll always blame me.
Let's just finish our game.
What's all this
about a snowball?
Just the worst thing ever!
Here's what really happened.
BINKY:
"All Will Be Revealed!"
It was terrible, Rapty.
D.W. was so upset
she didn't even try
the Bud Compson I made her.
What?!
But that's the
best sandwich ever!
And then, when Arthur came back,
they started fighting again!
Poor D.W.!
Poor Arthur!
Poor snowball!
(blows nose loudly, honking)
Hey,
do you think Arthur really did
take her snowball?
I'm not so sure.
But we have to find out
the truth.
If we don't, those two
will fight about this forever.
Well, there's no better
truth finder-outter
and sandwich inventor
than Bud Compson!
Let's take the Compson vow.
I, Bud Compson...
And I, Rapty Compson...
BOTH:
Do solemnly swear to find out
what really happened
to D.W.'s snowball.
Great! Now what?
Let's talk to anyone
who knew D.W.'s snowball.
They might have some clues.
I know just the person!
Huh?
Hold on!
What's that--
♪ ♪
Wow, where are we?
Fanta-city!
It's where imaginary friends
live.
Come on, this way.
Nice disappearing, Wormy!
Keep at it, Stanley!
We study the latest techniques
in popping off and on,
reversing time, and how to be
a good imaginary friend.
I didn't know your job
was so complicated.
Oh, believe me,
it's an art.
Ah, there she is.
Other than D.W.,
Nadine probably knew
that snowball
best of all.
Nadine!
Hi, Rapty!
♪ ♪
Hey, you brought Bud.
Did you get a permit for that?
The tooth fairy gave me
a day pass
when I gave her one of these.
We're trying to find out what
happened to D.W.'s snowball.
(both gasp)
(strained chuckle)
Don't waste your time.
Everyone knows
the aliens took it.
Did you see them take it?
Uh... well... no...
Why don't you talk to Buster?
He's an alien expert.
Oh, I'm getting a call!
(phone beeps)
Hi, D.W.
Yeah, be right there.
Sorry guys--
gotta go!
Hmm...
She sure was in a hurry
to leave.
Where to next?
Let's visit Buster.
If aliens did take
the snowball,
maybe there's a way
we can get it back...
♪ ♪
(doorbell rings)
(cries out)
BUD:
Don't worry,
he won't hurt you.
Rapty's just
my imaginary friend.
Oh, phew.
And I thought I had some
scary-looking imaginary friends.
Mr. Baxter, I need
some information about aliens.
Really?! Sure!
Right this way!
(popping sound)
Huh?
BUSTER:
The best place
to start is with
"Alien Conspiracy Magazine."
I have every issue
for that past three years.
These are Snorgels.
They're strawberry aliens
and they landed outside
the house last year.
(sniffing)
This one is from the crab nebula
and only eats magnets.
I'm interested in the ones
that took D.W.'s snowball.
That would be this kind.
Is there any way
to contact them?
Funny you should say that.
I've been working on an idea
to do just that.
Come with me.
♪ ♪
Decoy snowballs
for attracting aliens.
I make them by scraping
the frost
off frozen spinach packages.
♪ ♪
When the aliens are lured
into the room-- we nab 'em!
How long will it take?
Can't say.
It's never been done before.
Can you play Crazy Eights?
Does a catfish
have whiskers?
(spaceship whirring)
(whooshing, electronic sound)
A-ha!
Caught you!
(both cry out)
Hey... you look familiar.
Yeah...
We get that a lot, Buster.
Y-you know my name?
Of course!
We alien-trolls
have been observing
you and your friends
for 20 years.
We know everything!
Really,
then what's D.W. stand for?
That's easy!
Dora Winifred.
My father's job?
Pilot.
Bud's favorite icing color?
Red.
Okay, smarty pants!
If you know so much
then why did these aliens
take D.W.'s snowball?
(laughing)
That photo is fake.
Look, the kitchen door
leads outside
instead of to the dining room.
He's right!
So if those aliens didn't take
the snowball, then who did?
Should we tell him?
Sure.
BOTH:
We did.
Why?
We collect...
...everything
from Elwood City.
That snowball is one of
our prized possessions.
These are pretty good, too.
But D.W.'s snowball
is the best.
You have to give it back.
If you don't, D.W. and Arthur
will fight about it forever.
Pretty please?
Okay.
But...
It'll cost you...
Name your price.
Buster's Cabinet
of Curiosities!
No, anything but that!
Buster, please!
Do it for D.W.!
For Arthur!
Well...
Okay.
Can I least keep
Skip Bitterman's
Mystery Stew #8?
Okay.
But you'll have to follow us
back to the planet Tabooni
to get the snowball.
Pack up!
(sighs)
(spaceship whirring)
Wow!
What are all these things?
Relics from Elwood City.
We're going to need
a new planet someday!
Where do you keep D.W.'s
snowball?
In the...
...main exhibit hall
BOTH ALIENS:
...of the museum.
♪ ♪
Hmm...
♪ ♪
Whoa...
(gasps)
(claps, lights switch on)
♪ ♪
Wow!
So that's really it!
It's beautiful!
(button beeps, air hissing)
Your food collection...
...please.
Whoa!
Whoa!
(all gasp)
(thudding)
Hey... this isn't a snowball!
It's wooden croquet ball!
I'm keeping this,
thank you very much!
Ah!
Somebody must have stolen it
and replaced it with a fake one!
But who?
Hmmm...
I have a hunch...
We have to get back
to Fanta-city!
(plate clatters)
Hey!
What about me?
Oops! Sorry!
We'll drop you off
on our way.
(gong crashes)
Nadine Flumberghast!
We need to speak to you.
NADINE (via speaker):
Meow! She's not in.
It's just me-- the cat.
We'll just wait here
until you open up!
Oh, Bud!
Rapty!
What a surprise!
BUD:
We were at the
Museum of Elwood City exhibits
on the planet Tabooni.
Oh, how's the weather there?
And look what we found there
where D.W.'s snowball should be.
A croquet ball.
And who do we know
who likes to play croquet?
Um... maybe Jenna?
What about this
long golden hair?
I wonder who this belongs to?
(stammering):
I bet it's Rapunzel's!
Admit it!
You stole D.W.'s snowball
from the alien-trolls!
Okay!
You're right!
Here's what happened...
That night, after D.W. put her
snowball in the freezer,
I was going to check on it
when the aliens came.
♪ ♪
I knew D.W. would be devastated
so I reversed time and replaced
the snowball with a croquet ball
before the aliens arrived.
But why didn't you put the
snowball back in the freezer?
Because Arthur
would've taken it.
He's always taking things
from D.W.--
her cake, her scissors,
the last of the milk.
But it's making them fight.
Don't you want there
to be peace between them?
(sighs)
You're right.
It's time they ended
that silly feud.
The snowball has been here
with me all along.
I'll put it
back in the freezer tonight.
I hope D.W. forgives me.
I know she will.
Oh!
(blows nose loudly)
I just love happy endings!
Time to go home, Rapty.
We've fulfilled
the sacred Compson vow.
Huh?
Wha...?
Oh, it was just a dream...
You know I had
the weirdest dream last night.
Really?
Me too!
D.W. (inside):
Mom! Dad!
My snowball!
It's back!
Does that mean...
Nah...
Nah...
Though it could be...
You think so?
BUSTER:
To watch more "Arthur"
and play games with all
the Elwood City friends,
You can find "Arthur" books
and lots of other books, too,
at your local library.
♪ ♪
walking down the street ♪
♪ Everybody that you meet
has an original point of view ♪
(laughing)
♪ And I say hey ♪
Hey!
♪ What a wonderful
kind of day ♪
♪ If we could learn
to work and play ♪
♪ And get along
with each other ♪
♪ You got to listen to your
heart, listen to the beat ♪
♪ Listen to the rhythm,
the rhythm of the street ♪
♪ Open up your eyes,
open up your ears ♪
♪ Get together
and make things better ♪
♪ By working together ♪
♪ It's a simple message,
and it comes from the heart ♪
♪ Believe in yourself,
for that's the place to start ♪
♪ And I say hey ♪
Hey!
♪ What a wonderful
kind of day ♪
♪ If we could learn
to work and play ♪
♪ And get along
with each other ♪
Hey!
♪ What a wonderful kind of day ♪
Hey!
♪ What a wonderful
kind of day ♪
Hey!
ARTHUR:
Hey, D.W.!
Hey!
Whoa...
(crash)
♪ ♪
(groans)
How long have we
been waiting?
I don't know.
At least a million hours.
This movie
better be worth it.
It's "Dark Bunny
vs. Bionic Bunny"!
Of course it'll be worth it!
But what if we die of boredom
before we ever get to see it?
Then at least it'll have been
for a good cause.
Hey, I'm glad I brought
these raisins.
How about 20 Questions?
I'll think of a pair
of initials
and you try to guess who it is.
Uh... M.C.
Muffy Crosswire.
Okay.
That was too easy.
J.K.
Jacob Katzenellenbogan.
How on earth
did you guess that?!
It was obvious!
It's moving!
Ah, we're saved!
(both groan)
Bored, huh?
I'll say!
Are you in line, too?
No, I saw it already.
Waste of money.
Dark Bunny wins.
(both gasp)
But I've got a surefire way
to beat boredom.
Just watch this.
Okay, you can start
the episode now!
It's so much better
than that movie.
FRANCINE:
"Binky Wrestles with a Story."
Okay, students, we have
a special treat for you!
School is canceled?
Not exactly.
Tomorrow is
Take a Student to Work Day.
(papers rustling)
You'll each shadow an adult
at their workplace.
Shadow?
Learn about their job
by doing it with them.
Cool!
♪ ♪
"Mrs. Barnes, nurse."
Cool!
Say, "Ah!"
"Mrs. Hurley,
crossing guard."
Hey, I'm in law enforcement.
(stern voice):
Don't you even think about
littering.
Please, please, please let it be
a race car driver.
(papers rustling)
"Mrs. Baxter...
(faltering):
editor-in-chief,
'Elwood City Times.'"
Aw, man!
No offense.
You got Buster's mom?
No fair!
Can we trade?
No trading.
But that job
will be wasted on Binky.
Huh?
No, it won't be!
When you return, you'll all...
ALL:
Give a report...
Well, have fun,
I bet it'll be super exciting.
I will!
And I bet I'll be
really good at it, too.
Thanks, Mom!
See you after work.
This might actually be
kinda fun.
(alarm blaring)
Okay now!
Smile!
(cries out)
I can't see!
(siren blaring,
cars approaching)
He's all yours,
Officer Buster!
How did you get here
before us?
Sorry, a journalist
never reveals his sources.
BITZI:
Binky!
Welcome to my home
away from home:
"The Elwood City Times."
Hope you've done
your stretches today--
I like to walk fast.
(elevator chimes)
This is the main newsroom.
We've got an exciting day
ahead of us.
(phone ringing)
Got that story
on the busted traffic light.
Great, cut the first sentence
and get me a picture!
First you'll sit in
on an editorial meeting.
That's where we decide
what's newsworthy.
Macaulay!
Who's covering the Lord wedding?
I am!
Well, get on it!
The ceremony's in half an hour!
Then we'll cover Mayor Hirsch's
speech at City Hall.
Coffee, Mrs. Baxter?
Does a bunny have ears?
(sipping)
Sweet petunia, that's awful.
Then it's lunch
with our sports reporter.
And finally we'll edit
tomorrow's lead story.
Got all that?
Uh... not really.
Something about
a traffic light?
You'll do just fine.
The new cutbacks
to the Elwood City
Sanitation Department
might be a good story.
It certainly affects
the community.
(yawns)
Hildy,
you've been covering this.
What do you think?
Well, if you look at
the budget...
Blah blah-blah blah-blah
blah-blah-blah...
MAN:
Blah-blah-blah-blah
blah-blah...
Blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah...
Blah-blah-blah
blah-blah-blah...
(blahs continue, audio fading,
distorting)
Well, Binky?
Huh?
What story do you think
we should go with, Binky?
Um... Uh...
The latest budget cuts
or the need
for new traffic lights?
Were there any bank robberies?
(laughs)
Sorry.
We don't get
a lot of robberies here.
But you never know!
(birds chirping)
BITZI (quietly):
Prepare your question.
Mayor Hirsch removes his glasses
when he's winding down.
(clapping)
Got one?
Mr. Mayor?
My associate has a question.
My friend Lydia
still has trouble
taking her wheelchair
on Main Street.
Um, can you fix that?
Ooh! Good one!
What about your plans for making
downtown wheelchair-accessible?
Well, it's a complicated issue.
Blah-blah-blah
blah-blah-blah...
(audio fading)
(wings flapping slowly)
(wind whooshing slowly)
(barking slowly)
(blah-blahs continue)
Does that answer
your question?
Um, yeah.
Thanks.
(groans)
So, Harry,
what's new in the sports world?
Any big games coming up?
Well, it's not baseball season
so the Grebes aren't playing.
But they might get
a new manager, though.
Oh, is it that guy from
the Greenville Goshawks?
HARRY:
No, it's a new guy
from the Edgewood Egrets.
Blah-blah-blah-blah.
Blah-blah-blah-blah...
(audio fading)
Stop blah-blahing!
(laughs)
Well, I have been accused
of having purple prose,
but never blah-blahing.
Sorry.
It's just--
this is a newspaper, right?
Where's all the
exciting stuff?
The fires!
The car chases!
The bank robberies!
Sorry, Binky.
But our job is to report
the news-- not make it up.
I guess I thought
it would be different.
Hey, want to make copies
with me?
Okay.
Maybe the copier'll get jammed.
Three more hours to go...
For you.
I'm usually here
till 7:00 or 8:00.
Don't you ever get... bored?
(copier whirring)
Sure I do.
(beeping)
And frustrated.
Especially when Bartleby
the printer is acting up.
(paper rustling, Harry groans)
There we go!
(beeps)
(whirring)
Can I let you in
on a little secret?
Sure.
No job is fascinating
all the time.
Really?
There's nothing wrong
with boredom.
I get some of my best ideas
when I'm bored.
Three points!
Nice!
Sometimes all it takes
is a little imagination
to make your job
more interesting.
I don't know...
I got to give a report on this.
What am I gonna talk about?
Budget cuts?
A busted traffic light?
I'll put everyone to sleep!
Hey, it's only boring
if you think it is.
What do you mean?
When I find an assignment
uninspiring, I think,
what if I were writing about
something thrilling?
Like... the ninth inning
of a tense baseball game!
I like wrestling.
It'll work with that, too.
When you give that report,
try to imagine it
as something exciting,
something you love.
Hmm...
Wait,
was I just blah-blahing again?
(laughs)
No.
Actually, I think this was
the best part of the day so far.
Quick!
Go long!
(imitating announcer):
And there's the hit!
He's going
for the bleachers!
But Barnes makes the catch!
(crowd cheering)
He saved the game!
Ready to edit our lead story?
Ready.
Here's your most
important tool...
the red pen.
Oh!
I thought only Mr. Ratburn
had one of these.
Okay, read the first
sentence to me.
"If the recently proposed
budget cuts
"to the sanitation department
pass,
"Elwood City and the surrounding
metropolitan area
"could have a major
trash problem,
leading to higher levels of
pollution in nearby watersheds."
What do you think?
Are you
excited to read more?
Um... no.
Me neither.
But maybe I just
don't like the topic.
Maybe.
But maybe you would be
more interested
if it were a better sentence.
(clicks pen)
We need to open with a bang.
So...
how can we rewrite
this sentence?
Let's show that sentence
who's in charge.
(echoing):
Let's wrestle with it!
BINKY (imitating announcer):
Red Pen is more than ready
to face the Boring Sentence in a
challenge for the championship!
(crowd cheering)
You're going down, Sentence!
Keep dreamin', Red Pen!
BINKY:
Ooh, there's a lot of bad blood
between those two!
♪ ♪
Face it--
you're bloated, flabby!
I'm gonna cut you down!
(Boring Sentence grunts,
Red Pen gasps)
No one's changing me!
(grunting)
Red Pen's winded!
Can she recover?
(crowd cheering, Red Pen grunts)
BINKY:
She's up!
(crowd cheering)
(grunts)
Red Pen has made a comeback!
♪ ♪
Boring Sentence is flattened!
♪ ♪
(crowd cheering,
camera shutters clicking)
We worked on that sentence
for half an hour!
Until finally
it was done-- finished--
barely resembling
what it once was.
What was it?!
What was the new sentence?!
It's right here--
on the front page
of the "Elwood City Times."
"A city of overflowing trash,
struggling to breathe--
"that's what some say
Elwood City could become
with the latest round
of budget cuts."
(children gasp)
And I helped edit that sentence.
The end.
(applause)
Huh, I guess you got
the right job after all.
♪ ♪
KIDS:
And now, a word from us kids.
DARIUS:
My name is Darius,
and this is my third grade.
TEACHER:
We have been writing
our personal narratives
about a small moment
in our lives.
STUDENT:
We are working on
our own stories.
TEACHER:
Today's lesson is going to be on
writing a lead
to hook our reader.
STUDENT:
Binky had to figure out
the best way to start his story,
and that's what we're doing.
This is my first try.
"In an amusement park,
I lost my tooth."
This is my second draft.
"Eeeee! I was so excited to be
"in a big amusement park
in Florida.
Plus, my tooth was loose."
The "Eeee"
at the beginning shows
that I'm excited.
I think it hooks the reader
so that they're more interested
in reading my story.
This morning we were learning
about the four kinds of leads.
A setting lead
is being descriptive
like "long and tall
green grass."
A question lead, it asks you
a question at the start.
"Have you ever made a strike?
"'Cause I have
when I went bowling
and made a wonderful strike."
A dialogue lead
is when a character speaks
to start the story.
For example:
"'I just know we're going to win
the game today,'
I whispered to myself
as I got up to bat."
An action lead starts off
with a like...
like an action word,
like, "Crack!"
"Crack!
(pins falling sound)
When the pins fell down,
I made a fantastic strike."
This is my first draft lead:
"I shot a basketball
and I missed."
This is my second draft:
Swish! There was only seven
seconds
left on the clock in the game.
My second draft was better
because of the way
I started with "Swish,"
it was better.
I love to write
because you're putting the words
down on paper and other people
can read them too.
I think words are pretty cool.
KIDS:
And now, back to "Arthur"!
BUD:
Now you have to put
seven strawberries
into the peanut butter.
BUSTER:
Mmm!
What's that?
I'm showing D.W. how to make
the Bud Compson.
It's a sandwich I invented.
ARTHUR:
Let's finish our game
before dark.
Drink up.
Hey!
You took all the milk!
No, I didn't!
See, you have some.
You always take everything!
My leftover pie, my scissors...
You took my model airplane
and busted it!
That's not as bad
as taking my snowball!
For the millionth time,
I didn't do it!
Did too!
Did not!
(groans)
Buster-- tell her.
It's true, D.W.
You see, an alien came
and opened the freezer
with his long tongue and...
(groans)
Aw, forget it!
She'll always blame me.
Let's just finish our game.
What's all this
about a snowball?
Just the worst thing ever!
Here's what really happened.
BINKY:
"All Will Be Revealed!"
It was terrible, Rapty.
D.W. was so upset
she didn't even try
the Bud Compson I made her.
What?!
But that's the
best sandwich ever!
And then, when Arthur came back,
they started fighting again!
Poor D.W.!
Poor Arthur!
Poor snowball!
(blows nose loudly, honking)
Hey,
do you think Arthur really did
take her snowball?
I'm not so sure.
But we have to find out
the truth.
If we don't, those two
will fight about this forever.
Well, there's no better
truth finder-outter
and sandwich inventor
than Bud Compson!
Let's take the Compson vow.
I, Bud Compson...
And I, Rapty Compson...
BOTH:
Do solemnly swear to find out
what really happened
to D.W.'s snowball.
Great! Now what?
Let's talk to anyone
who knew D.W.'s snowball.
They might have some clues.
I know just the person!
Huh?
Hold on!
What's that--
♪ ♪
Wow, where are we?
Fanta-city!
It's where imaginary friends
live.
Come on, this way.
Nice disappearing, Wormy!
Keep at it, Stanley!
We study the latest techniques
in popping off and on,
reversing time, and how to be
a good imaginary friend.
I didn't know your job
was so complicated.
Oh, believe me,
it's an art.
Ah, there she is.
Other than D.W.,
Nadine probably knew
that snowball
best of all.
Nadine!
Hi, Rapty!
♪ ♪
Hey, you brought Bud.
Did you get a permit for that?
The tooth fairy gave me
a day pass
when I gave her one of these.
We're trying to find out what
happened to D.W.'s snowball.
(both gasp)
(strained chuckle)
Don't waste your time.
Everyone knows
the aliens took it.
Did you see them take it?
Uh... well... no...
Why don't you talk to Buster?
He's an alien expert.
Oh, I'm getting a call!
(phone beeps)
Hi, D.W.
Yeah, be right there.
Sorry guys--
gotta go!
Hmm...
She sure was in a hurry
to leave.
Where to next?
Let's visit Buster.
If aliens did take
the snowball,
maybe there's a way
we can get it back...
♪ ♪
(doorbell rings)
(cries out)
BUD:
Don't worry,
he won't hurt you.
Rapty's just
my imaginary friend.
Oh, phew.
And I thought I had some
scary-looking imaginary friends.
Mr. Baxter, I need
some information about aliens.
Really?! Sure!
Right this way!
(popping sound)
Huh?
BUSTER:
The best place
to start is with
"Alien Conspiracy Magazine."
I have every issue
for that past three years.
These are Snorgels.
They're strawberry aliens
and they landed outside
the house last year.
(sniffing)
This one is from the crab nebula
and only eats magnets.
I'm interested in the ones
that took D.W.'s snowball.
That would be this kind.
Is there any way
to contact them?
Funny you should say that.
I've been working on an idea
to do just that.
Come with me.
♪ ♪
Decoy snowballs
for attracting aliens.
I make them by scraping
the frost
off frozen spinach packages.
♪ ♪
When the aliens are lured
into the room-- we nab 'em!
How long will it take?
Can't say.
It's never been done before.
Can you play Crazy Eights?
Does a catfish
have whiskers?
(spaceship whirring)
(whooshing, electronic sound)
A-ha!
Caught you!
(both cry out)
Hey... you look familiar.
Yeah...
We get that a lot, Buster.
Y-you know my name?
Of course!
We alien-trolls
have been observing
you and your friends
for 20 years.
We know everything!
Really,
then what's D.W. stand for?
That's easy!
Dora Winifred.
My father's job?
Pilot.
Bud's favorite icing color?
Red.
Okay, smarty pants!
If you know so much
then why did these aliens
take D.W.'s snowball?
(laughing)
That photo is fake.
Look, the kitchen door
leads outside
instead of to the dining room.
He's right!
So if those aliens didn't take
the snowball, then who did?
Should we tell him?
Sure.
BOTH:
We did.
Why?
We collect...
...everything
from Elwood City.
That snowball is one of
our prized possessions.
These are pretty good, too.
But D.W.'s snowball
is the best.
You have to give it back.
If you don't, D.W. and Arthur
will fight about it forever.
Pretty please?
Okay.
But...
It'll cost you...
Name your price.
Buster's Cabinet
of Curiosities!
No, anything but that!
Buster, please!
Do it for D.W.!
For Arthur!
Well...
Okay.
Can I least keep
Skip Bitterman's
Mystery Stew #8?
Okay.
But you'll have to follow us
back to the planet Tabooni
to get the snowball.
Pack up!
(sighs)
(spaceship whirring)
Wow!
What are all these things?
Relics from Elwood City.
We're going to need
a new planet someday!
Where do you keep D.W.'s
snowball?
In the...
...main exhibit hall
BOTH ALIENS:
...of the museum.
♪ ♪
Hmm...
♪ ♪
Whoa...
(gasps)
(claps, lights switch on)
♪ ♪
Wow!
So that's really it!
It's beautiful!
(button beeps, air hissing)
Your food collection...
...please.
Whoa!
Whoa!
(all gasp)
(thudding)
Hey... this isn't a snowball!
It's wooden croquet ball!
I'm keeping this,
thank you very much!
Ah!
Somebody must have stolen it
and replaced it with a fake one!
But who?
Hmmm...
I have a hunch...
We have to get back
to Fanta-city!
(plate clatters)
Hey!
What about me?
Oops! Sorry!
We'll drop you off
on our way.
(gong crashes)
Nadine Flumberghast!
We need to speak to you.
NADINE (via speaker):
Meow! She's not in.
It's just me-- the cat.
We'll just wait here
until you open up!
Oh, Bud!
Rapty!
What a surprise!
BUD:
We were at the
Museum of Elwood City exhibits
on the planet Tabooni.
Oh, how's the weather there?
And look what we found there
where D.W.'s snowball should be.
A croquet ball.
And who do we know
who likes to play croquet?
Um... maybe Jenna?
What about this
long golden hair?
I wonder who this belongs to?
(stammering):
I bet it's Rapunzel's!
Admit it!
You stole D.W.'s snowball
from the alien-trolls!
Okay!
You're right!
Here's what happened...
That night, after D.W. put her
snowball in the freezer,
I was going to check on it
when the aliens came.
♪ ♪
I knew D.W. would be devastated
so I reversed time and replaced
the snowball with a croquet ball
before the aliens arrived.
But why didn't you put the
snowball back in the freezer?
Because Arthur
would've taken it.
He's always taking things
from D.W.--
her cake, her scissors,
the last of the milk.
But it's making them fight.
Don't you want there
to be peace between them?
(sighs)
You're right.
It's time they ended
that silly feud.
The snowball has been here
with me all along.
I'll put it
back in the freezer tonight.
I hope D.W. forgives me.
I know she will.
Oh!
(blows nose loudly)
I just love happy endings!
Time to go home, Rapty.
We've fulfilled
the sacred Compson vow.
Huh?
Wha...?
Oh, it was just a dream...
You know I had
the weirdest dream last night.
Really?
Me too!
D.W. (inside):
Mom! Dad!
My snowball!
It's back!
Does that mean...
Nah...
Nah...
Though it could be...
You think so?
BUSTER:
To watch more "Arthur"
and play games with all
the Elwood City friends,
You can find "Arthur" books
and lots of other books, too,
at your local library.
♪ ♪