FAQ

Arthur is based on a series of children's full-colour picture books by Marc Brown. The character designs differ a great deal in the books, but overall the basic premise and stories are quite the same.

The writing for Arthur changed a great deal after the show's 14th season. Examples include most of the characters owning Smartphones, the characters drinking/eating things like "soy milk fro-yo's" and falafel, and an increase in focusing on sociopolitical issues. That being said, Arthur has always been considered a socially-progressive show as far back as when it first aired in the late 1990's. Some of the increased focus on progressive attitudes and the increased sociopolitical maturity of the child characters may be to blame on the political landscape in North America for the 2010's - 2020's, but also in that the series is almost 25 years old. The child audience that the writers of Arthur were trying to reach 25 years ago was very different than the audience the show is trying to reach today; the show's viewership also includes nostalgic adults who grew up with the series in the late 1990's - 2000's. Issues like climate change, gay marriage, internet safety and coping with a deployed military parent are issues that match the sociopolitical realities of the digital age that most North American schoolchildren are hearing about.

"April 9th" was based on the September 11th Attacks of 2001, however, the thematic content was drastically toned down to make the subject as approachable and as universal as possible. The series avoided mentioning 9/11 directly, choosing instead to focus on how people might feel in the event of a tragedy, as well as an episode bumper segment featuring real-life firefighters to explain fire safety to viewers.

As of 2021, Arthur is roughly 25 years old; the series started airing in the mid-1990's and has continued to persist as a popular animated series. Despite rumours that the series would be cancelled after viewer dissatisfaction with the change in animation style in Season 18, the series's creators have stated that they expect Arthur to remain being made for new seasons for another few years.

In the episode "So Funny I Forgot To Laugh." Arthur makes a joke about Sue Ellen's new Yak woven coat saying she looks like a Sheepdog. While the joke is funny at first Sue Ellen gets agitated when Arthur won't let the joke go. Thus Arthur gets angry and even goes as far as to say she's overreacting and photoshops a picture of a sheepdog on Sue Ellen's head and sends her the picture. The teasing goes too far to the point where Arthur's friends begin to ignore him and Sue Ellen asks to switch classes stating that Arthur is a bully. This causes Arthur to regret his actions and he immediately goes to apologize which she accepts and the two mend their friendship.

Many longtime fans of the show and even many newcomers disliked the way the episode presented Arthur and his actions. While Arthur has participated in teasing and even gotten in trouble in past episodes. It usually was within the context of the episode and Arthur usually regretted his decisions immediately after doing said action. Even Binky Barnes regretted hitting Arthur in "Arthur's Big Hit" almost seconds after doing so. Yet this was the first time Arthur had a full 180 degree turn and saw absolutely nothing wrong with what he did and felt no remorse until Sue Ellen asked to leave Ratburn's class. Which is very out of character for Arthur as Arthur is usually a peacemaker and usually out to stop bullying and hate.

While the writers likely had good intensions of teaching the lesson of why you need to be careful how you joke with people and that even if something is a joke or funny to you, it may be hurtful to others. It came across very wrong and could have been written better with a character like Binky, one of the tough customers or even Francine who is known to occasionally be pushy and borderlines into bully territory occasionally. To be the aggressor and have Arthur be the peacemaker. Even though they likely used Arthur to show that even nice people can go too far occasionally. The progression of the story failed as it felt unnatural, extreme and even forced which is why many people dislike this episode and is often rated as one of if not the worst Arthur episode ever.

"The Great MacGrady" is an episode of Arthur where Mrs. MacGrady the chef at Lakewood Elementary who often acts as a voice of wisdom to the children and a good friend of Grandma Thora. Is diagnosed with Cancer. It is one of the more heavier episodes of Arthur dealing with a more serious issue. The two-part episode was aired on October 19, 2009 as a part of Season 13. However it was re-worked and re-animated to a more computer graphic like animation as a part of the 24th season airing on March 8, 2021.

Many fans alike were confused as to why the episode was re-worked as the episode was one of the most popular and educational of the series. For one the past episode was only in 4:3 full screen and as Arthur was updated to 16:9 widescreen in 2015 as they began using Oasis Animation a more HD and clear form of animation thus decided to re-air the popular episode as to keep it relevant to children of the time.

The biggest change is the change from using Lance Armstrong an actual cancer survivor and popular Arthur character with Binky in the episode "Room to Ride." To changing it to the fictional character Uncle Slam. Likely due to Armstrong's doping controversy and not wanting to give a bad impression to children as Armstrong turned out to have been a cheater. Though the former did actually have cancer. They also may have felt the subject may have been a bit mature at the same time as Armstrong had embryonal carcinoma a form of testicular cancer. Though it is never revealed where his cancer was located.

So likely the episode was changed as to align more with the ideas of 2021 and give the episode a fresher look as it is a relevant and important episode.

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The theme song is called "Believe in Yourself", and is pefomed by reggae artist Ziggy Marley, the son of world famous reggae artist Bob Marley.

Every day when you're

Walking down the street,

Everybody that you meet

Has an original point of view.

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 gotta 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!