D.W. Goes to Washington

"D.W. Goes to Washington" is the first half of the 10th episode of season 2 of the animated children's series Arthur. Together with Arthur's Mystery Envelope", it first aired on December 15th, 1997.

Summary
Arthur and his family go to Washington, D.C. over a holiday weekend. D.W. does not want to go to Washington and would rather go to Ponyland.

Plot
The episode starts with Arthur on a swing ranting about D.W. Arthur then has a flashback of his family having a picnic. Arthur is flying a kite and D.W. insists of not playing. What Arthur insists on saying is that D.W. always whines even if the activity is very exciting. Arthur goes back to reality and him and D.W. are in a box, imaging the box as a submarine. D.W. steps out, knocking the box over. Arthur falls over and D.W. whines once more.

(Intertitle Shows)

David and Jane are reading books. David says that he does not have to cater any parties this weekend, revealing that they have the time to travel somewhere for the weekend.

Arthur suggests Washington, D.C. and David makes a pun saying "That's a capital idea!" and chuckles. The family takes a vote on where to go. D.W. thinks that they should go to Ponyland since she saw the commercial on TV. Arthur reminded David and Jane what happen the last time they went to a place D.W. saw on TV. The flashback shows D.W. wanted to go to Santa's Igloo where get to share a sundae with Santa, but it turn out to be a rip off because the place doesn't look anything like the commercial, and the Santa actor is just a slob who wanted a sundae.

Everybody tries to convince D.W. that Washington, D.C. is a good place to visit, but she doesn't care. The next day they start to drive and driving past the countryside D.W. comments "Pony," whenever she sees a pony.

When Arthur spots the White House he has a dream sequence where he meets the president of the United States of America. He enters reality again and D.W. comments "Yeah, maybe if we walk long enough we'll be so tired we won't notice how BORED we are." They park the car and visit the Washington Memorial. Of course D.W. whines.

Arthur then enters another dream sequence where he meets the president, is the head of a construction project, and is walking with President Bill Clinton. They go to the Lincoln Memorial and D.W. states "Boy, look at the size of those feet. Where did he ever buy his shoes?" and "Was he the only giant president?"

They leave the memorial and spot the White House, visiting it. Arthur says "What if we meet him [the president] and become friends?" For the 3rd time, he has a dream sequence where he plays mini golf with the president, and drinks soda at The Sugar Bowl. He wakes up from his father saying "Arthur!"

They enter the white house and D.W. starts wandering off saying "I'm just trying to find the government." Arthur gets her thinking if he doesn't the president will become mad at him and getting kicked out of the white house.

Not obeying by her brother, D.W. wanders off once again and attempts to open a door, but it his locked. Secret servicemen then attempts to find her, in a stealth way, hiding behind plants, using binoculars, looking out windows, etc.

D.W. looks at a painting and is awed by it. The President shows up behind her and says "Beautiful painting, isn't it?" The president tries to help her find her way back to her family, and with his assist, finds them.

The president asks D.W. and her family to eat dinner with him, pizza, in his office. Arthur tries to be a show-off to the president saying how he won a spelling bee. Arthur gets mad and covers his eyes with his hands.

Arthur, D.W, and his family drive home and D.W. says that she wants to become president to give ponies to every family; and "National Little Sisters Rule Day."

Trivia

 * D.W. mentions that she wants to see the Statue of Liberty, but David tells her that is in New York. The Read family and Buster travel to New York in a later episode, Postcards from Buster, in Season 8, six years after this episode was made, although they do not go to the Statue of Liberty.
 * "D.W. Goes to Washington" and its accompanying story typically do not air in Canada.

Home Video
DVD:
 * Arthur's Travel Adventures