The Buster Report

"The Buster Report"
Season/Series:	14
Number in season:	1b
Original Airdate:	October 11, 2010 October 20, 2010 January 7, 2011
Credits
Written by:	Ken Scarborough
Storyboard by:	Zhigang Wang Lisa Whittick
Episodes
Previous "The Wheel Deal"	Next "The Agent of Change"

"The Buster Report" is the second half of the first episode in the fourteenth season of Arthur.

Summary

George plans a homework report on Buster.

Plot

In class, Arthur explains to the viewers how history is full of great people, including heroes and inventors. Arthur then says how Herodidas was claimed to be the father of history. He imagines Brain as Herodidas planning to write the world's first history book after his teacher, Mr. Ratburnus, claimed that they had nothing to study. After his imagination, Arthur then asks the viewers why couldn't Herodidas be the father of comic books instead. Mr. Ratburn, overhearing Arthur, asks him to get back to his history book. Arthur then sighs and says "Thanks, Herodidas." Buster, who is sitting next to Arthur at the desk, smiles and continues reading his history book.

The Buster Report

After the title card, Mr. Ratburn tells the class that they will each be doing an oral report on someone they admire for their next assignment. Buster calls for dibs on Bionic Bunny, but Mr. Ratburn says that Bionic Bunny isn't real. At lunch, the gang is discussing who they will be doing for their reports. However, Buster can't think of who his report is going to be about.

George then says that he had chosen the perfect person for his report and he chooses Buster much to Buster's surprise. At first Buster is excited about it and shows George the inside of his room, and then they go to the Sugar Bowl where they see their friends at one of the tables discussing their reports.

However, despite Buster claiming that his report will be better than everyone else's, he later says that his report will be worse than anyone else's when he is on the phone with Arthur that evening, claiming that he hasn't stopped a robbery or saved a hamster from a fire, unlike the other kids' report subjects.

Buster then wonders why George chose him for his report in the first place. Arthur gives some reasons why: Buster is funny and tells great jokes, the latter of which gives Buster an idea.

The next day at school, Buster tells Binky his plan to tell a joke, with Binky supposed to ask "What do sea monsters eat?", and Buster responding, "Fish and ships". But Binky doesn't feel to be a part of it, saying that he doesn't want to sound like he doesn't know about sea monsters. He eventually agrees to the plan after taking Buster's bologna sandwich instead of a fudge brownie.

At recess, while George is nearby for Buster's report, Buster asks Binky if he had a question (as part of the earlier plan to tell a joke). At first, Binky didn't remember, but then he remembers and asks instead, "Why do sea monsters eat fish and ships?", which upsets Buster, who claims that the others are ruining the story of his life. Buster then walks off.

Later, George goes to Buster's condominium and finds out Buster is not there, so Bitzi invites him in until Buster gets back. But by the time Buster gets back, George had already left to work on his report. Buster also finds out that Bitzi gave George lots of information for his report, including a DVD with pictures of him, much to the dismay of Buster himself. While sleeping that night, Buster has a dream that during class George is telling the report and after hearing the report, everyone laughs at Buster.

The next morning, Buster meets George at school and wants to give him an alternate report that he made, which took him all night to complete, but George declines to use it, using his own report instead.

Right after Binky has completed his report (which is about Mr. Ratburn), George does his report next and Buster places his head on the desk, expecting everyone to laugh at him. However, the report was well done and everyone applauds George for it. Mr. Ratburn then asks Buster if he is ready to present his report, but Buster didn't make one. Mr. Ratburn notes that Buster's homework skills are less than admirable, but Buster mentions that his oral report will be about George.

George smiles and shrugs, finishing the episode.

Characters

Major

• George Lundgren
• Buster Baxter
• Binky Barnes
• Arthur Read
• Sue Ellen Armstrong

Minor

• Nigel Ratburn
• Muffy Crosswire
• Francine Frensky

Cameo

• The Brain
• Jenna Morgan
• Fern Walters
• Alex
• Maria Pappas
• Otis
• Mrs. Wood
• 3rd Grade Male Dog
• Jessica
• Beulah McInnerny
• 3rd Grade Male Rabbit
• Mary
• 3rd Grade Male Dog (Number 3)
• Kenny
• 3rd Grade Male Cat
• Maria lookalike
• Unknown Female Adult Rabbit (Number 4)
• Ethel

Trivia

• It is revealed that Mr. Ratburn was in a rock band known as "The Ratburn Rats."
• A dog in the pet thieves’ car looks like a nonanthropomorphic Fern, except her bow is pink instead of red.
• Irony: Buster could have done a report on Arthur.
• Timeline:
  • In this episode, Buster does not know that Bionic Bunny is not real, but in "Buster Gets Real," he does understand that Bionic Bunny is not real. So, this episode may be set before "Buster Gets Real."
  • In his report, George mentions Buster's asthma ("Buster's Breathless"), Buster's involvement in the community garden ("Buster's Green Thumb") and when Buster solved the mystery of the missing quarters ("Arthur Accused!")

Errors

• In this episode, Buster is unaware that Bionic Bunny is not real, but in "Buster Gets Real," he does realize that Bionic Bunny is not real.
  • However, this episode may be set before "Buster Gets Real."

Cultural references

• The introduction mentions Herodotus, a Greek from the 5th century B.C., who is considered the first historian.
• The episode title is a parody of The Colbert Report.

Gallery

• The Buster Report/Gallery