Mom and Dad Have a Great Big Fight

"Mom and Dad Have a Great Big Fight"
Season/Series:	3
Original Airdate:	May 24, 1999
Episodes
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"Mom and Dad Have a Great Big Fight" is the first half of the 14th episode of Season 3 of the animated children's series Arthur. It originally aired on May 24, 1999.

The episode deals with a child's trouble with arguing parents, as well as the negative consequences of eavesdropping.

Summary

D.W. and Nadine heard a crash and fear that it will split their family relationship after hearing them argue with each other.

Plot

Opening

Arthur's parents talk back and fourth while they try to do a million things at once in the kitchen. DW and Arthur yell at each other and eventually come into the kitchen and argue in front of their parents. Arthur eventually gives in as DW says she'll play with him and leave the room. Suddenly a thing of milk spills over! However the video freezes and Nadine appeares to mention that she's the host for the episode.

Episode

Nadine shortly resumes and refreezes the video shortly after the milk spills. She then rewinds it, then stops it again so that the viewers can see DW's angle from this after they leave the kitchen. DW complains and mentions how she wishes their parents were different and she begins to imagine what it'd be like if they treated Arthur badly and gave her all of the attention. After it ends, DW plays Confuse the Goose by herself and suddenly hears the milk spill.

While Jane and David argue and DW runs to Arthur and tries to tell him what she heard and saw. Arthur fails to believe her, and DW goes over the story to him. Arthur asks her to tell him what they said, but DW can't recollect it. Arthur still fails to believe her until seeing how scared she looks. So he decides to go and see for himself. He doesn't hear anything as Nadine suddenly appeares once more. Listening from the other room they hear their parents argue again and both of them head into Arthur's bedroom. They begin to argue with each other, claiming that both of them are at fault.

DW asks what could happen if they decide to never speak to each other again and the two of them begin to imagine it. Not liking what they saw, Arthur tells DW she is just over-reacting and DW is then led to believe that one of their parents will leave the family! And so they both imagine what it would be like if they only lived with one parent. Then DW begins to worry that they may get rid of one of them in the "split-up". Or eventually become orphans! DW then says that they will just fend for each other instead and live together peacefully in a home. However, this dream is short lived upon realizing neither of them can cook and Arthur can't sing Kate or DW to sleep either...

With this in mind, they decide they have to do something about this problem. DW thinks its her fault since she wished they were different and now its come true. They then sneak down the steps and begin to hear Jane and David "argue" again and David decides to go and Arthur and DW try to stop him until learning he only meant go get milk. Jane soon comes in and asks DW why she thinks they hate each other. Arthur then explains that DW heard them fighting and thought that they hated each other. But their parents assure the two of them that they weren't going to leave the family or anything drastic.

As Arthur and DW head upstairs, Nadine arrives again to say that the moral of the story is clear "Don't put milk near the edge of the table". And the episode comes to an end.

Quotes

• D.W.: (Comes in) Arthur!
• Arthur: Mom told you not to come in here!
• D.W.: No! Don't yell! Stop!
• Arthur: You look scared. If you saw something scary, go tell Dad.
• D.W.: I can't, because it's Mom and Dad who are scary! They were yelling at each other!

Trivia

• It seems highly unlikely that Jane would not provide any food for her children, or that David wouldn't have a vehicle anymore. Though this was an imagination spot...