D.W.'s Very Bad Mood

Summary
Arthur and Francine try to find out why D.W. has been in a bad mood for days.

Plot
In an alternate telling of his everyday existence, Arthur (in an obvious "Leave it to Beaver" parody) describes how great it is to have a perfect life: two loving parents who make sure all his needs are quickly met, a spacious, comfortable house (re-imagined as a mansion), and good friends who go with him to a great school where they're never late.

Arthur seems quite contented with his life, except for one thing: D.W. Imagined as a ferocious giant, D.W. chases Arthur and his perfect family away and wreaks havoc on Elwood City in Godzilla-like fashion, sending everything into pandemonium as she takes out her latest temper tantrum on the innocent people of Arthur's idealized hometown.

Back in his normal reality, Arthur is baffled because D.W. has been in an especially bad mood that has lasted for days, yelling and ranting against everyone around her and not wanting to do anything she's told. At the Sugar Bowl, Francine invites her friends to her birthday party, but Arthur is exhausted and says he can't attend. Francine explains that the party is two weeks away, and Arthur tiredly replies that D.W. kept him up the whole night screaming at everybody and slamming doors around the house. Francine tells Arthur he should ask his sister what's wrong, and he counters by saying Francine should do it. After a moment's thought, she agrees to try.

That night, Francine comes over for dinner with Arthur's family, but things quickly turn unpleasant when D.W. snaps at Mrs. Read for scolding her about her less than polite eating habits. D.W. is about to launch into a rant against Arthur when Francine politely asks D.W. what's wrong with her. Shocked, D.W. runs off in tears, making Francine groan and Mrs. Read sigh.

Francine excuses herself to try to smooth things over with D.W. upstairs. She explains to D.W. that she didn't mean to hurt her feelings, but something had to be done because D.W. has been acting so strangely, and as a friend of Arthur's, Francine wants to help when something is bothering him. D.W. doesn't accept Francine's explanation, and exhaustedly tells her to leave.

The next day, Arthur is in a state of nervous aggravation because D.W. spent much of the previous night slamming doors around the house. Arthur and his friends imagine a show called Tantrum 911 (Temper Tantrum Patrol Squad), in which the police apprehend children engaged in temper tantrums. In Arthur's vision of the show, the police try to arrest D.W., but her temper is too strong, forcing the officers to call for backup. Returning to reality, the kids discuss how to solve the problem. Francine has the feeling something is really bugging D.W., but Arthur can't believe a four-year-old would have any reason to be so upset.

That afternoon, Francine and Arthur spy on D.W. from the treehouse as D.W. is eating lunch outside. They see her eating a sandwich but spitting out the bologna, which Pal proceeds to eat. Arthur yells for Pal to stop doing that because it's gross, but in doing so accidentally blows their cover, and D.W. tells them off again.

That night, Arthur spies on D.W. asleep in her bedroom, and Francine listens in on a walkie-talkie. As Arthur relays that his sister is mumbling "something's wrong" supposedly in her sleep, D.W. sits up, yelling "because Arthur is a dodo brain!", which Arthur automatically repeats into the walkie-talkie without thinking. Francine laughs, and Arthur angrily tells her to quit it.

The next day, Francine and Arthur watch D.W. and her classmates being released from preschool. D.W. appears to be looking at a small group of kids from her class talking amongst themselves, including her classmate Lisa. The group is discussing Lisa's upcoming birthday party at the movie theater.

Francine catches on to the situation, and later that day pays a visit to Arthur's house to talk to his troubled younger sister. D.W. once again reacts rudely toward Francine, but her bad behavior is curtailed by her mother. D.W. admits she would feel much better if she could see Kwazy Kewl Kittens: The Journey Home at the movies, and Francine says she and Arthur will take her to it.

At the movies, D.W. doesn't seem to be having fun until she sees Lisa and her birthday party guests arrive, and then she starts laughing almost maniacally. Lisa greets D.W. with disinterest, and D.W. boasts loudly about all her own good friends, and how she gets invited to lots of birthday parties. Lisa says that's nice, but soon it appears she and her party friends (among them Emily) are intentionally excluding D.W. Claiming she feels sick, D.W. asks to go home as the movie is just starting, a suggestion to which Arthur readily agrees. Finally realizing what has been bothering D.W., Francine informs Arthur that she's going to take just D.W. to the Sugar Bowl for ice cream, giving them some time to talk alone.

At the Sugar Bowl, D.W. finally admits that her recent bad behavior was because she was angry over not being invited to Lisa's party. She then fantasizes about enacting revenge on Lisa and her friends by ruining the party, and asks Francine if she might be able to help with the plan. Francine doesn't care for the idea of revenge, and asks if Lisa is a close friend of D.W.'s. D.W. admits that Lisa isn't really that close of a friend, but points out that Emily was asked to attend the party. Francine explains that not everyone can be invited to every party, but has an idea to make D.W. happy again.

The next morning, D.W. receives a letter in the mail, which she has her mom read to her. It's an invitation to Francine's birthday party. D.W. is thrilled and her bad mood immediately lifts; this isn't just any party, it's a third-grade party. All is finally well again, but Arthur is less than thrilled to be bringing his sister to his friend's party.

Major characters

 * D.W. Read


 * Arthur Read


 * Francine Frensky


 * David Read

Minor characters

 * Jane Read


 * Grandma Thora


 * Buster Baxter


 * Pal


 * Pal's siblings (mentioned)


 * Binky Barnes


 * Muffy Crosswire


 * Sue Ellen


 * The Brain

Trivia

 * The scene in Arthur's vision in which the police arrive at the Reads' house is similar to a scene from "Arthur Meets Mister Rogers."
 * During the flashback in which D.W. yells at her father from her open bedroom door that she doesn't want to feel any better, her baby sister Kate's presence is completely ignored. Considering that Kate sleeps in D.W.'s room, she almost certainly would have been crying at the sound of slamming doors and shouting.
 * Viewers don't see D.W.'s navel when Mr. Read is putting her to bed in Arthur's flashback sequence.

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