Binky vs. Binky

Summary
Binky overcomes his fear of competition within athletics when he takes up biking, and finds out that winning isn't everything, but rather, the courage to continue in the light of failure.

Plot
In the introduction Binky remarks that people can be proud of strange things like rare blues records or eating a huge pizza. Binky himself is proud of a violet polka-dot shirt.

Title card

Lakewood Elementary is playing a soccer match against Mighty Mountain. Right before the end Lakewood is losing by one goal. Francine wants Binky to charge ahead while she follows with the ball. When she trips, Binky gets the ball and has a great chance to tie the match. Suddenly his self-doubts materialize and confuse him so much that he tries to pass back to Francine, leading to Mighty Mountain scoring another goal. After the game Francine is angry. Arthur and Brain give examples of Binky being good at baseball and swimming but failing whenever he has to compete against others.

At home Binky is embarrassed because his mother wants to keep a trophy he got for merely participating in a competition. He has a nightmare of his friends making fun of him.

The next day Binky rides his bike to the city dump to get rid of the trophy. On the way he overtakes Mr. Frensky. Mr. Frensky tells him that he is a natural at biking and should try the racecourse at World’s End Park. He also tells Binky about famous bicycle racer Vance Legstrong.

Binky starts biking on the racecourse regularly and writing down his times. When Mr. Frensky suggests he should compete in an amateur race, Francine tells him that Binky does not like to compete. Binky tells her she’s wrong, but when he is about to fill out the application form, his self-doubts reappear. His Vance Legstrong poster starts speaking and tells Binky to compete only against himself and ignore all others.

On the day of the race Binky easily takes the lead while racing up a hill, but then he crashes. He is about to give up when another Vance Legstrong poster reminds him to compete against himself. Binky gets back on his bike, overtakes his materialized doubts and finishes the race. Francine congratulates him for finishing despite the crash and still not being last. Mr. Frensky gives him the violet polka-dot shirt that Binky won for being the best hill climber.

The episodes ends with Binky explaining that the shirt may look funny but feels great to wear.

Major

 * Binky Barnes
 * Mrs. Barnes
 * Vance Legstrong
 * Francine Frensky
 * Arthur Read
 * Buster Baxter

Minor

 * Oliver Frensky
 * The Brain
 * Sam Scarborough
 * 3rd Grade Male Bear
 * 3rd Grade Female Aardvark (Number 7)
 * 3rd Grade Female Bear (Number 3)
 * 3rd Grade Male Aardvark
 * 3rd Grade Female Bear
 * 3rd Grade Male Dog (Number 5)
 * 3rd Grade Female Aardvark (Number 5)

Cameo

 * Muffy Crosswire
 * Fern Walters
 * Jessica
 * 3rd Grade Male Dog (Number 3)
 * George Lundgren
 * Helen
 * D.W. Read
 * David Read
 * Jane Read
 * Millicent Crosswire
 * Laverne Frensky
 * Alex
 * 4th Grade Male Rabbit

Trivia

 * Reruns of this episode are rare following the Lance Armstrong doping case.
 * Binky is shown to be 10 years old in this episode.
 * This is one of the four episodes that focus on bikes. The other two being "D.W. Rides Again", "Arthur Changes Gears", and "Stolen Bike".

Cultural references

 * Vance Legstrong's name may be a parody of Lance Armstrong.
 * The latter would go on to guest star in some later episodes.


 * Loop d'Italia, which Vance Legstrong won four times, alludes to the Giro d'Italia which Lance Armstrong never won.

Errors

 * Despite his intense aquaphobia seen in "Water and the Brain", the Brain is shown participating in swimming practice.

Home Video
DVD:
 * D.W., Bossy Boots
 * Arthur: Season 10

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