It's a No-Brainer

Summary
When Brain loses his cool and loses to Buster in the Math-a-thon, he decides it's time to give up his books and his nickname.

Plot
Mr. Ratburn has the class draw straws to select the student who has to compete against Brain in the third grade Math-athon. Buster is chosen, much to his dismay.

Title Card: Brain Swims

During the Math-athon Buster answers the first question with a joke. Brain at first wants to pass the question, so as not to embarrass Buster, but his Brain (which appears as a brain-shaped person inside his head) makes him answer. The answer he gives is wrong which confuses him so much that he is unable to answer the other questions. Buster gets lucky and wins.

Buster is chosen to represent the class at the interclass Math-athon. Meanwhile, Brain finds that he can not concentrate. He has a fantasy in which his IQ drops to average. He gives Buster his books and science equipment. He says he wants to be called Alan and starts training to become a comedian, since that does not require great intelligence. His friends try unsuccessfully to talk him out of it.

Brain gets himself a clown costume and plans to perform at his parents’ ice-cream shop. His friends send various math problems his way to tempt him. When he tells them to stop, a math book falls out of his clown pants. Brain admits that he really wants to do the Math-athon.

Mr. Ratburn lets Brain trade with Buster and Brain performs well at the Math-athon. His brain does push-ups while Buster’s brain watches TV.

Major

 * The Brain
 * Arthur Read
 * Buster Baxter
 * Francine Frensky
 * Nigel Ratburn

Minor

 * D.W. Read
 * Binky Barnes
 * Muffy Crosswire
 * Francis Haney
 * Mr. Powers
 * Mrs. Powers
 * Brain's Brain
 * Buster's Brain

Cameo

 * George Lundgren
 * Fern Walters
 * Sue Ellen Armstrong
 * Alex
 * Maria Pappas
 * 3rd Grade Male Cat
 * Jenna Morgan
 * Beulah McInnerny
 * 3rd Grade Male Rat
 * 3rd Grade Male Dog
 * Jessica
 * Mary
 * 3rd Grade Male Rabbit
 * 3rd Grade Female Cat (Number 2)

Trivia

 * The answer to the equation Francine asks Buster to prove he can't be like Brain, or Alan, is 2164; estimated to the ones place.
 * The equation that lands in Brain's prop box (AB + 22) is impossible to solve, as neither A or B are defined.
 * 4th wall break: The episode has the first appearance of the Tolon Wall to Wall moving company, later named Tolon's Moving. It is named for Tolon Brown. Another moving company, Fallon & Son, named for Joe Fallon, had appeared in earlier episodes.

Errors

 * When Brain's brain reaches for the binoculars, his arms are brown instead of gray like they should be.
 * After Francine drops the math book, it vanishes.
 * When Mr. Powers defines "chimerical," the dishes of food on the table change. In one scene, they are part of the painted background, as opposed to the main cel drawing.

Episode connections

 * This is the third time after “The Perfect Brother” and “Prove It” that one of Brain's friends has to ask who “Alan” is.

Cultural references

 * Buster mentions the myth that Albert Einstein got bad grades in school. Later, Arthur promises Brain a free trip to Einstein's birthplace, which is.

Home Video
DVD:
 * Arthur's Travel Adventures