The World of Tomorrow

Binky, you made me lose count again.

Summary
Binky had been in Mr. Ratburn's class the previous year, so the sleepover at the Science Museum is boring — that is, until he finds a new exhibit about the future.

Plot
Binky dreads going to the museum because he did it last year, but he sees an exhibit that excites him, "The World of Tomorrow", but to Binky's disappointment it is closed. Then while everyone is sleeping (except Binky) he sneaks inside "World of Tomorrow", but gets trapped inside a lunar module. Then Binky dreams of being in the future and gets out with help from Thruster (who resembles Buster) and he discovers he is in "World of Yesterday" instead of "Tomorrow" and in the year March 10, 2203. Then, Thruster thinks he's an exhibit, but Binky's on a quest for his classmates, but Thruster tells him he can't leave, people will want a refund. Then Binky says he isn't part of the exhibit, he's a Kid like Buster, then Thruster doesn't know what a kid is and says he is an "Immature Artificial Life-Form". Then he takes Binky to a craft, "Take me to anytime." Binky had to answer a science question,"What tiny particles attract a washer to a magnet?" When his dream was over. He saw Buster and told him is Mr. Ratburn was still a robot and Buster asked, "I was a Robot? Did I do cool stuff? Did I shot lasers out of my eyes? Did I drink motor oil?" Lastly, Binky learned that the atoms were what attacked the washer to the magnet, from that moment on Binky had new found respect for science.

Major

 * Binky Barnes
 * Thruster
 * Mr. Rocketburn

Minor

 * Arthur Read
 * Nigel Ratburn
 * Buster Baxter
 * Muffy Crosswire
 * D.W. Read (intro)

Cameo

 * Alex
 * The Brain
 * Fern Walters
 * Francine Frensky
 * George Lundgren
 * Hydrozor
 * Jenna Morgan
 * Maria Pappas
 * Multitasker
 * Otis
 * Sue Ellen Armstrong
 * Mr Ratburns previous students

Trivia

 * It is revealed that Binky was in Mr. Ratburn's class the year before. Previously, it was only understood that he was repeating third grade this year.

Cultural references

 * In Binky's dream he sarcastically tells Thruster he is Engelbert Humperdinck, which could refer either to the classical German composer (best known for the opera "Hänsel und Gretel") or to the British singer who named himself after the composer.

Episode connections

 * The class last year all resembling kids from Mr. Ratburn's class this year is similar to the Glenbrook Academy students from "The Return of the King."

Errors

 * In this episode, Binky hates macaroni and cheese, while in "Francine Redecorates" he says he loves it. However, he may have changed his mind, since he says it in a flashback in this episode.
 * Prunella wasn't in last year's class, despite specifically saying she had him last year in "Arthur and the Real Mr. Ratburn" (although she might have been absent). Billy and several others also were absent.
 * Alex was missing in several frames.

Home Video
DVD:
 * Arthur: Sleepovers, Sports and More