Growing up, my mother had been a firm supporter in the age recommendations on children’s TV shows. That being said, when I wasn’t allowed to watch "The Powerpuff Girls" (except for in secret at Grandma’s house) until I was seven, "Arthur" became a quick favorite in our house.
PBS managed to create a show that allowed us to grow up alongside those in Elwood City, despite Arthur and his friends remaining third graders since 1996. They provided us with relatable glimpses into the highs and the lows of our own childhood, while throwing in a sense of humor and countless eye-rolls from the infamous and beloved D.W. Read.
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So, as "Arthur" continues into its 20th year on PBS, I’m currently feeling much older than I did a few seconds ago, I wanted to take the time to look back at some of the moments that kept us hooked on "Arthur" for the past two decades.
1. Season one, episode one: "Arthur’s Eyes."
For about two minutes in the very first episode, Arthur’s iconic glasses were nonexistent. However, after a trip to the eye doctor, a few days of listening to Francine’s intense “four eyes” chants and an episode of Bionic Bunny, Arthur realizes his glasses are not only necessary, but also cool.
2. Season one, episode two: "Arthur’s Spelling Trubble."
This episode teaches us that everyone learns in a different way, an idea later expanded on by Hannah Montana with the Bone Dance. His catchy rendition of A-A-R-D-V-A-R-K will stick with you throughout the years, so whenever the opportunity rises where you need to spell out aardvark, and I so hope that opportunity rises for you, you’ll find yourself head-bobbing to a tune you didn’t realize you remembered.
3. Season three, episode 11: "Arthur’s Almost Live Not Real Music Festival."
Home to my childhood anthem, this episode fueled my love of books and reminded children nationwide that “having fun isn’t hard when you’ve got a library card.”
4. Season four, episode one: "DW’s Library Card."
Continuing my previous plug about reading, we watched anxiously as D.W. learned how to spell her name in her mashed potatoes, I always knew mashed potatoes were something special, and checked out her first library book with her brand new library card.
Now, I know checking out books at the library is becoming an obsolete practice with the availability of the Internet and all BUT no one can replace the power of having a whole library of books at your fingertips.
Arthur, with the help of Ziggy Marley’s vocals, taught me a very simple message: “Believe in yourself, well that’s the place to start.” So I’m sending a big thank you to the 20-year-old, third-grade aardvark who helped me look forward to getting up for school every morning.
And just as one last reminder, folks, it’s still not OK to punch your sister.
