Binky Can't Always Get What He Wants

Summary
Binky must choose between starring in a television commercial or performing in a talent show.

Plot
In the introduction, several kids audition for a Beet Burger commercial. Sue Ellen does well, Francine laughs at the slogan, Brain forgets it, and Muffy does a vocal warm-up. Binky asks the viewers to wish him luck.

Binky Can’t Always Get What He Wants

Mr. Ratburn’s class prepares a Cat Adoption Talent Show. Mr. Ratburn will be the announcer, Maria the cat wrangler and Binky will play music to keep the energy up. Maria is excited about the show because she loves cats. Binky is anxious to hear how he did in the commercial auditions and asks Mr. Ratburn if he can go check.

Binky meets his friends at the Sugar Bowl. Muffy has phoned the studio and tells the others that Binky got the part while Sue Ellen was second. Binky dreams of being rich enough to buy two cars and of winning a Nobel Prize for acting in a commercial. Muffy declares herself Binky’s manager and takes him to the studio.

The director tells Muffy and Binky that they will shoot the commercial that very evening. Binky wants to tell him about the cat show, but Muffy takes him aside and tells him that the cat show will not make them famous and that he should cancel it.

Binky hurries to the auditorium, but Mr. Ratburn is not there. Maria congratulates Binky on getting the commercial and a cat named One-Eyed Cornelius takes a liking to him. Muffy calls to say that the director is thinking of replacing Binky and that she is sending Bailey to get him. Binky meets Mr. Ratburn, who receives a call from his concessionaire, who cancels at the last moment. Mr. Ratburn is very upset and then Binky tells him that he cannot play.

As Bailey drives Binky to the studio, Binky imagines being a star and arriving at a theater where he abandons a crowd of fans and Mr. Ratburn.

When Binky arrives at the studio, he finds that he has been replaced with Sue Ellen and that Muffy is now her manager. Binky walks back to the school in the rain. The show is just starting and Mr. Ratburn wants him to play.

Binky feels down and plays mournful music. The audience barely responds to Mr. Ratburn and George messes up his juggling act. During the intermission, Maria scolds Binky since, because of his depressing music, not a single cat has been adopted. As Binky lies on the floor feeling depressed, the cats climb on him, which makes him feel better. Maria says that it is like magic from the Magic Cat book series and asks Binky if he does not want to do something for them in return.

After the intermission, Binky plays happy music and the show is a success, leading to 17 cats being adopted. Binky adopts Cornelius. He is still sad because he missed becoming a superstar, but Maria shows him a video of Sue Ellen, who is wearing a beet costume on the set and does not enjoy it at all.

Major

 * Binky Barnes
 * Maria Pappas
 * Nigel Ratburn
 * Muffy Crosswire
 * Sue Ellen Armstrong
 * One-Eyed Cornelius

Minor

 * George Lundgren
 * Francine Frensky
 * Brain
 * Ed Crosswire
 * Clench

Cameo

 * Arthur Read
 * Prunella Deegan
 * Beulah McInnerny
 * Paige Turner
 * Buster Baxter
 * Jane Read
 * Miss Sweetwater
 * David Read
 * Ladonna Compson
 * Freddy K.
 * Fern Walters
 * Alex
 * Rufus Compson
 * Doria Walters
 * Harry Mills
 * Patrick (chocolate seller)
 * Rafi
 * Jenna Morgan

Trivia

 * Maria has her second official speaking role, after "Maria Speaks."
 * One of the cats, Mittens, has Nemo's appearance before he was redesigned in Season 4.

Goof(s)

 * During Buster's magic act, there seem to be at least four seats between Harry Mills and Paige Turner. When Maria presents Mittens, they are sitting side by side.

Cultural references

 * Le Studio was the name of a recording studio in Morin Heights, Quebec, Canada, where many bands such as Rush, the Police, and David Bowie recorded their songs. On August 11, 2017, a fire destroyed part of the studio.
 * The title could be a reference to The Rolling Stones 1969 hit song "."

Home Video
DVD:
 * Arthur Celebrates Community