Disliked Episodes I Kind of Like (and Why)

I feel like I am often pretty negative on here, so I thought it would be fun to go over a few episodes that are generally viewed as sort of disliked, that I enjoy for one reason or another. I do think all of these episodes have flaws, but there's also some good in them that I think it is important to highlight.

Buster Gets Real-I will admit that a big part of why I like this episode is because I LOVED (and still love) reality TV, especially competition reality TV like what this episode is clearly parodying. It was cute seeing both Jane and DW engrossed by the same TV show and I like to imagine that as DW gets older, the two of them continue to bond over these types of shows where you kind of know deep down that it's dumb, but it is entertaining. I also liked DW quizzing Arthur on the different characters...it's a fun perspective shift to see Arthur being the one who needed to learn something from DW instead of it being the other way around.

Honestly, Arthur was a tad overdramatic about Buster no longer being into Bionic Bunny anymore (Arthur really can be just as dramatic as DW sometimes), but I do like that he put forth effort to try to get into the show as a way to relate to Buster again. I also like how Buster handled the situation. He doesn't shame Arthur for being into superhero shows still...I feel like if it was another one of Arthur's friends (like Francine) she would make a point to shame him or call him a baby for still liking Bionic Bunny, but Buster treats it like the not big deal that it is (or isn't).

The Secret Origins of Supernova-Arthur was WAY TOO self-righteous in this episode. It did really show how his character seemingly became less complex as the series went on. Early seasons had him as a definite good kid, but he was still allowed to BE A KID. He liked soda and junk food and candy and sweets. He watched too much TV and could often be categorized as lazy and not a good listener...meanwhile, in this episode, he thinks the world is ending because a superhero promotes an unhealthy soda. That's just not how a real kid would think, and clearly more about what adults WISH kids would think like.

....sorry, I said these episodes were ones I liked, and there is something I really do like about it.

I like the ultimate conclusion of Arthur creating his own superhero and how he happily allowed DW to act in the role of his sidekick. Their relationship had really improved at this point in the series, and I am a sucker for seeing these two actually act like friends. They clearly both get something out of it, and I think the notion of creating your own hero is a good idea for kids and a creative solution.

DW Unties the Knot-it's ironic for me to say this, considering I take lots of episodes too seriously, but I think people tend to take this episode entirely too seriously. Plenty of little kids before DW have had mock weddings (and been a bit pushy towards a submissive young boy), but at the end of the day, DW just kind of got a little carried away with her imagination. If anything, I kind of blame Muffy for how all out she allowed this whole thing to get...it looks a little pathetic on her part that she took the word of a bunch of four year olds so seriously, and even more insane that she would draw up a bill for Mr. Read...and that Mr. Read would take a catering order from an eight year old. I don't know if the episode wants us to believe that Muffy had her dad call Mr. Read for the catering order or if Muffy herself placed the order and David just took it as gospel because the Crosswires are regular costumers of his family.

Either way, I don't think the situation was ever meant to be taken seriously by anyone besides DW, and even then, I think this is one of those times where she did learn her lesson...even if we don't see her get punished. She learned what weddings really are (and what they aren't) and had to deal with the embarrassment of the situation in front of all of her peers...if I did have any complaints, it would be that it does sort of contradict "DW Thinks Big" where it seemed like she kind of understood what a wedding was, but again, she's four...I can forgive her for being a little energetic at the notion of having a big party where everyone pays attention to her. That really is pretty typical for little girls her age. It was basically a game that went a little too far.

And last but certainly least and most controversial...

I actually kind of like...

Get ready...

It's one literally no one likes...

So Funny I Forgot to Laugh-this is NOT a great episode by ANY means! There are some really bad things in it, but...I do actually think it tackles bullying from a sort of unique angle by having it be a friend bullying another friend. Everyone points out that Arthur was out of character here, and I actually kind of disagree. Arthur is a really nice kid, but nice kids do make mistakes.

It has always been in Arthur's character to be a little bit prideful and full of himself...DW is way more of both of those things, so Arthur does seem a bit more mild by comparison, however, I can 100 percent see him getting carried away when he gets a little too much positive attention. It all started with a joke that made everyone laugh and his other friends kept giving him positive attention to the point where I can definitely see how Sue Ellen's pleas for him to stop would be drowned out by the encouragement from Muffy, Francine, and Buster.

I think Ratburn asking Arthur to write Sue Ellen an apology letter was incredibly reasonable and fair. Arthur was being entirely too dramatic about it, talking about how it would throw off his ability to study for a big test coming up. This is a kid who has been in Mr. Ratburn's class for at least six months at this point and who has handled Ratburn's heavy load of homework...yet he acts like a simple apology note will take him hours to write. He literally could have written a single sentence, and it would probably be acceptable, but he lets his anger come out and writes out all of his feelings. I don't know why Ratburn wouldn't read the note first before it ended up with Sue Ellen, but again, at this point, I am not on Arthur's side, and I don't think the episode wants me to be.

Yeah, Muffy and Francine telling him off is hypocritical as heck, but that is probably the only part of the episode where I don't think the writers thought through the implications. I think it's important for kids to see that bullying doesn't look like the Tough Customers of season 1...it can look all types of ways and come from all types of people. Kids need to see that and understand, and I am actually thankful that this show made an attempt to explore that. It isn't high art or anything, but I don't think it is bad.