Arthur Babysits (episode)

"Arthur Babysits" is part one of the ninth episode of season 1 of the animated children's series Arthur. It originally aired on November 4th, 1996.

Summary
Arthur thinks that babysitting's the easiest job in the world until D.W. volunteers him to babysit Tommy and Timmy Tibble. Prunella describes her sister's one time babysitting them as an experience that still gives her nightmares. Arthur can't control the Tibble Twins and he thinks he loses them while playing hide-and-seek, but he's able to scare them out of hiding and into a scared, but manageable, state.

Plot
Arthur is babysitting Kate and D.W., who keeps making Kate laugh as Arthur is trying to feed her. Arthur snaps at his sister to stop which makes D.W. accuse him of being a mean baby sitter. Arthur then tells her about his past terrible baby sitters: Mrs. Gutter, who practiced her golf swing in the kitchen; Ms. Schmegeggi, a clumsy moose; and then Mrs. Featherfoffer who watched soap operas all day and made him go to bed early.

Next, Arthur is seen walking Baby Kate in her stroller when they bump into D.W. coming home from preschool, covered in paint. D.W. blames the Tibble twins and the three end up walking past their house where a screaming babysitter flees the premises. The twins then spot D.W., much to her displeasure and then Mrs. Tibble comes out, wondering where the baby sitter went. She is shown to be clearly oblivious or downplaying the twins' rambunctious nature.

D.W. volunteers Arthur to look after the twins while Mrs. Tibble visits a friend and Arthur agrees, thinking it won't be a problem. However, when he tells his friends at the Sugar Bowl about it, they all recoil in horror. Prunella tells Arthur that her older sister babysat for the twins once and is still having nightmares. She suggests that Arthur lay down the law and make sure the kids know that he is the boss and the others agree.

When Arthur returns to the Tibble household, Mrs. Tibble tells him that the boys should be down for a nap soon before leaving. However, the boys would rather play and create a huge mess in the house, knocking over a suit of armor and drawing on the walls. Arthur is cleaning up when D.W. calls, suggesting that he play a game with the boys so they calm down.

Arthur tries to follow her advice by suggesting a card game but the boys would rather play more energetic games such as Cowboys and Robbers and Hide and Go Seek. Arthur finally agrees to play the latter but when he goes looking for the boys, he notices an open windows and panics, believing the boys have left the house to create chaos elsewhere.

Arthur fantasizes the boys setting free all the wild animals in the zoo and the Elwood City population in panic. Prunella and Francine, as they try to hide in a tree from an angry bear, blame Arthur for not keeping the twins in control.

Just then, D.W. calls again to check up on him and Arthur notices the boys hiding behind the curtain. He then makes up a story about a swamp monster that eats little boys and the twins become frightened and run to him. Arthur continues to tell them more about the scary swamp monster and just then, Mrs. Tibble returns. The twins, now enamored of Arthur, offer to clean up and beg to let Arthur be their official baby sitter.

When Arthur returns home, D.W. grills him about his experience and is shocked to find out that not only did the Tibbles behave for him, but now when he comes over to babysit, they want D.W. to come along too.

Characters

 * Arthur
 * Tibble Twins
 * Mrs. Tibble
 * D.W.
 * Buster
 * Francine
 * Prunella
 * David Read
 * Mrs. Gutter
 * Ms. Schmegeggi
 * Mrs. Featherfoffer
 * Kate
 * Brain (cameo)
 * Photographer (cameo)
 * Unknown Female Adult Rabbit (Number 5) (cameo)

Goofs

 * After the Tibble Twins fight over the lollipop, Tommy first has the lollipop stuck on his head, then in the next shot, it's Timmy who has the lollipop stuck on his head.
 * When Timmy jumps off the couch his scarf changes to Tommy's scarf, then when Timmy is on the floor the red scarf turns back to his blue scarf.

Home video
DVD:
 * Arthur's Baby (video)