So Funny I Forgot to Laugh

Summary
Arthur thinks his jokes about Sue Ellen's new sweater are all in good fun but Sue Ellen's feelings are hurt. Has Arthur become…a bully?

Plot
Sue Ellen writes in her diary about the yak wool sweater that her Tibetian pen pal Tenzin recently sent her. And yet, she looks at the sweater differently now. Instead of pride, she looks at it as a means for how mean people can be (foreshadowing what is to come).

After the title card, Sue Ellen unveils her new sweater on a cold day at school for the first time. For some reason, Arthur cannot help joking about the sweater, saying that it makes Sue Ellen look like a giant sheepdog. Although it is simply mild teasing at first, Arthur can't seem to let it go — he continues picking on Sue Ellen, over and over, with one 'sheepdog' line after another, even after Buster, Francine, Muffy and the others have all since stopped laughing. Arthur even draws a picture of Sue Ellen's head on a sheepdog's body (with the words "Happy Sheepdog Appreciation Day") and tapes it to her locker.

Later, as class is dismissed for the day, Arthur is surprised when Mr. Ratburn makes him stay behind. Mr. Ratburn tells Arthur that he is actually being a bully, because he is continually teasing Sue Ellen even after she told him to stop. Then, he's forced to write Sue Ellen an apology letter, and he is not happy about the situation at all. The letter turns out to be extremely backhanded and makes Sue Ellen look like it's her fault because Arthur said he is sorry she overreacted. Francine, Muffy, and Buster all agree to stop talking to Arthur until he gives Sue Ellen a real apology for acting mean to her.

At lunch, Arthur is wondering why his friends are not speaking to him. Then, Buster accidentally spoke to him, but then stayed quiet again and wrote on a piece of paper about Arthur's letter to Sue Ellen. Arthur doesn't understand it, thinking he did a good job with the letter. Muffy and Francine decide to go sit at another table because they think he has become a bully and leave. Still, Arthur doesn't get it until Buster finally said that his letter to Sue Ellen was terrible because Arthur sounded like he wasn't sorry at all, and also left the table, which shocks Arthur.

Meanwhile, Arthur tries explaining himself to Sue Ellen again, but he's unable to keep himself from thinking that she overreacted. Buster fails to keep from talking to Arthur, but he does his hardest to not pay any attention to him.

That night, Arthur photoshops a picture of a sheepdog's head onto Sue Ellen's body, and then e-mails it to her, although he appears to feel a little pang of remorse.

When Sue Ellen sees the picture on her computer, she cries, and we go back to where the episode started, with her writing in the diary. She also has to talk to her mother about something...

The next day, Sue Ellen donates her yak sweater to the school's clothing drive, and Arthur tries owing her an apology once again, but she knows that he still doesn't mean it and turns her back on him.

Later, at lunch, Francine and Muffy angrily encounter Arthur, telling him that Sue Ellen wants to switch classes, for very obvious reasons.

Unable to catch Sue Ellen before she heads home, Arthur takes her sweater from the clothing bin and starts reminiscing about all of his repeated teasing. Arthur finally realizes that he has been a bully, that he has deliberately hurt Sue Ellen's feelings, and that it is not funny any longer.

The next morning, at the school entrance, Arthur is anxiously waiting for Sue Ellen. He finally makes a heartfelt, sincere apology, confessing that he has been a bully and she didn't overreact. He begs her not to switch classes because, among other things, he doesn't want to lose one of his best friends. Then, Arthur reveals that he is wearing Sue Ellen's yak sweater now and he vows to do so for the rest of the year, and never pick on her again if she'll only forgive him. Sue Ellen accepts but she said Arthur doesn't have to wear it and she will take it back. The two resume their friendship. But Sue Ellen does get in a little bit of retribution by jokingly stating that her sweater now makes Arthur look like a mouse. "Squeak, squeak...!"

Major

 * Arthur Read
 * Sue Ellen Armstrong

Minor

 * Buster Baxter
 * Francine Frensky
 * Muffy Crosswire
 * Nigel Ratburn

Cameo

 * Alex
 * Binky Barnes
 * The Brain
 * Fern Walters
 * George Lundgren
 * Jenna Morgan
 * Ladonna Compson
 * Maria Pappas
 * Molly MacDonald
 * Mr. Armstrong
 * Nancy
 * Rafi
 * Rattles
 * Slink
 * Tenzin Wangdu

Mentioned

 * Bionic Bunny
 * Capri di Vapida
 * Mrs. Armstrong
 * Shrubman

Episode connections

 * Arthur mentions when he was teased for wearing glasses in "Arthur's Eyes".
 * Tenzin's last appearance, "Sue Ellen's Little Sister", was also a season finale.
 * The Tough Customers were living up to their new moniker ("Tough Consumers") from "The Last Tough Customer" at lunch, eating all their food savagely and Binky asking Arthur if he wanted his beans.
 * When Sue Ellen jokingly teases Arthur about looking like a mouse, it could be a reference to the character Andy from the TV show "Andy and Company", a parody of the Arthur show itself. Andy was seen in "The Contest" and "Baby Steps".

Production notes

 * A special preview broadcast of this episode and "The Last Tough Customer" was aired for North America on May 3, 2013 on Ovee.