Adventures in Budylon

It was later adapted into the online game D.W. & Bud's Backyard Adventure.

Summary
D.W. and Bud embark on an epic wilderness adventure! Dense jungles, mystical ruins...the backyard has never been so exciting!

Plot
In the episode intro, D.W. is trying to explain what viewers might need to watch an episode of Arthur, with Bud interrupting her. First, she says that a TV is required, until Bud points out that the show could also be watched on phones and computers. Bud then says that the viewers will need someplace to sit, and a giant couch appears under D.W. The next item on Bud's list is "something to munch on", and pretzels appear in front of D.W.--until Bud declares them boring and replaces them with crawfish poppers. Bud adds a few other items to the list, like a stuffed dinosaur who's also an imaginary friend, and your four-houses-down-neighbor. D.W. says that with Bud, even something as simple as watching TV is an adventure.

Adventures in Budylon

Ladonna and Arthur are in Arthur's kitchen, working on a diorama with a giant mountain as the centerpiece. Just then, Bud's stuffed animal Rapty flies out of nowhere and crashes into the mountain, popping it. D.W. and Bud appear, pointing fingers at each other and shouting "he/she did it!" Ladonna scolds them, saying she told them not to play around the diorama and that now the mountain has caved in. Bud looks confused when she says the name of the peak, and Arthur says that it is a mountain in Peru climbed by Annie Smith Peck, a famous mountaineer whom they are doing a project on. Ladonna says one of the mountains in the range was named after Annie, to which D.W. comments that she would like something named after her as well. Arthur tells D.W. that in order for this to happen, she has to be a famous explorer. Ladonna, sensing an opportunity to get the kids out of the house and away from their project, convinces them to explore the backyard, describing in detail the lush and dangerous scenery. At first, D.W. and Bud only see the backyard, until Ladonna helps them realize that they must use their imaginations. The two run outside, leaving Ladonna and Arthur to finish their project. In their tent, D.W. packs up sandwiches, juice boxes, a rope for mountain climbing, an umbrella for walking in the rainforest, and an inflatable bed, while Bud packs water, raisins, a sleeping bag, playing cards, Rapty, and a safari light. Then they go explore the rainforest in their imaginations. Then they discover a statue from an ancient civilization. Back in reality, it was Ladonna reading. That night, Bud suggests that he and D.W. play Crazy Nines. D.W. tries to explain it's called Crazy Eights, but Bud likes Crazy Nines because it is crazier. Then they hear a noise and see it is a raccoon, to which they panic. D.W. asks Bud where his sister is, and we see Ladonna is watching TV. Bud asks D.W. where her brother is, and we see Arthur is at Buster's condo. D.W. and Bud are still panicking, and then the raccoon takes off. Then Arthur and Ladonna check on them and they go to sleep. The next day, Arthur and Ladonna go in the house with D.W. and Bud, finishing the episode.

Characters

 * Arthur Read
 * Bud Compson
 * D.W. Read
 * Ladonna Compson
 * Buster Baxter
 * Rapty
 * Tex Buttery
 * David Read (indirectly mentioned)
 * Jane Read (indirectly mentioned)
 * Rufus Compson (indirectly mentioned)
 * Cisely Compson (indirectly mentioned)

Trivia

 * This episode was loosely adapted into the online game D.W. & Bud's Backyard Adventure on the PBS Kids website.
 * Timeline: Ladonna is mesmerized by the television, which is explained in "Based on a True Story" by the fact that her family no longer has one.

Episode connections

 * Ladonna says the same quote that Muffy does in "Arthur Sells Out": "You don't sell the steak...you sell the sizzle!".

Cultural references

 * Budylon's name is a parody of.
 * Arthur and Ladonna are making a diorama based on the expeditions of Annie Smith Peck.