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'''{{Episode_infobox
{{Episode infobox
|ep. name = And Now Let's Talk to Some Kids
|ep. name = And Now Let's Talk to Some Kids
|image = And Now Let's Talk to Some Kids.JPG
|image = And Now Let's Talk to Some Kids.JPG
|season = 3
|season = [[Season 3|3]]
|airdate = October 12, 1998
|us= November 19, 1998<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/19991012075030/http://www.pbs.org/whatson/1998/11/N/19981119.html</ref>
|prev. episode = Background Blues
|prev. episode = [[Background Blues]]
|next episode = The Chips Are Down}}'''
|next episode = [[The Chips are Down]]
|writers = [[Joe Fallon]]
|storyboarders = [[Stéphanie Gignac]]|number = 4B|titlecard = ANLTTSK_Title_Card.JPG|can = September 9, 1999<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20120413104003/http://ww3.tvo.org/program/157024/arthur</ref>}}{{EpisodeHeader|2|4|3}}
==Summary==
''The Magic Toolbox'' comes to Mr. Ratburn's class to put some of the kids on TV.


'''And Now Let's Talk to Some Kids''' is the second half of the 4th episode of season 3 of the animated children's series ''[[Arthur]]''. It originally aired on October 12th, 1998.
==Plot==
In the intro, [[Arthur Read|Arthur]] asks the viewers if they have ever noticed how people's personalities fit them perfectly (such as Mr. Ratburn having a hard working personality and Buster having a comedic personality). He then imagines what would it be like if everyone switched personalities (such as Mr. Ratburn having Buster's personality and Binky having Muffy's personality). Arthur backtracks on this theory when he imagines Pal having Mr. Ratburn's personality.


==Plot==
After the title card, Arthur, Buster and D.W. are at the Reads' house, watching ''The Magic Toolbox. ''In ''The Magic Toolbox, ''there is a segment that features kids explaining what gravity is and how it works.
The Magic Toolbox show is coming to Ratburn's class to put the kids on TV! The kids prepare for stardom, all practicing their various talents. Brain is the only one not interested in appearing on the show, but when it turns out that the segment is not what the other kids expect it to be, they need Brain's help.
 
The next day at school, Mr. Haney comes into Mr. Ratburn's classroom and announces that ''The Magic Toolbox ''will be coming to Lakewood Elementary and do a show involving Mr. Ratburn's class.
 
The kids are all excited and wonder what it will be like to be on TV---except the Brain, who's more focused on a Science Fair project. The next day, while everyone else is practicing for ''The Magic Toolbox, ''Brain is still focused on his project. This leads Francine to believe that the Brain is secretly nervous about appearing on TV. She and the others hatch a plan to see that Brain gets some airtime.
 
Despite their attempts, Brain is still focused on his Science Fair project and not appearing on TV. The following day, ''The Magic Toolbox ''crew shows up to Mr. Ratburn's class. Once he announces to the class that they are going to be asked about the solar system, the class rushes over to Brain's desk and they ask him about the solar system. Each student takes what they have learned from Brain to answer the questions.


==Trivia==
A while later, the kids watch their performance on TV, with Arthur saying that they were better than he thought. They're still worried about Brain not being on TV, however.


===Notes===
About 50 years into the future, Brain is shown as a scientist who has invented teleportation, which he tests out on a cat. Older versions of Arthur and Francine watch the event on TV before watching themselves once more on ''The Magic Toolbox ''and sing the theme song off-key.


* On the TV show, ''Let's Talk to Some Kids ''that Arthur, Buster, and D.W. were watching, there is an aardvark girl with a hairstyle similar to Francine's and with barrettes, but shorter.
==Characters==
* The ''Magic Toolbox'' show is a spoof of ''[http://magicschoolbus.wikia.com/wiki/Magic_School_Bus_Wiki The Magic School Bus]''.
===Main===
* This episode implies that Arthur and Francine marry in the future and have not seen Buster in a long time.
*[[Muffy Crosswire]]
* The name of the episode is a play on the phrase, "And now, a word from us kids."
*[[Binky Barnes]]
* Buster hoping to get his own show is foreshadowing ''Postcards From Buster ''(although almost all the kids imagined having their own show).
*[[Arthur Read]]
* First appearance of the Unknown Male Cat's Mom.
*[[Buster Baxter]]
*[[Nigel Ratburn]]
*[[Francine Frensky]]
*[[Alan Powers|The Brain]]
===Recurring===
*[[D.W. Read]]
*[[Pal]]
*[[Sue Ellen Armstrong]]
*[[Mrs. Fink]]
*[[Kenny]]
*[[Francis Haney]]
*[[George Lundgren]]
===Background===
*[[Alex]]
*[[Jenna Morgan]]
*[[Fern Walters]]
*[[Maria Pappas]]
*[[Unknown Female Aardvark (Number 3)]]
*[[Helen]]
*[[Teenager's Mom]]
*[[Jessica Simmons|Jessica]]
*[[3rd Grade Male Cat]]
*[[3rd Grade Female Aardvark (Number 2)]]
*[[3rd Grade Male Dog (Number 3)]]
*[[Beulah McInnerny]]


===Goofs===
==Trivia==
* During the intro, Pal can be heard talking like Mr. Ratburn, but wasn't officially given the ability to speak until in ''[[The Secret Life of Dogs and Babies]]''.
* There are two parodies of the Arthur intro in this episode: One is when Buster is imagining himself on TV, and the other is when Francine is imagining the Brain having his own TV show. The latter parody also includes a parody of "[[Arthur's New Puppy]]" titled "[[Brain's New Puppy]]".
* When Francine talks about not getting a puppy, she mentioned Christmas; but in all other episodes, her family is Jewish and they celebrated Hanukkah in ''[[Arthur's Perfect Christmas]]'' that aired two years later. In the book ''[[Arthur's Christmas]]'' that was first published fourteen years before this episode went on the air, Francine was seen sitting on Santa Claus's lap, but never revealed which holiday she celebrates with her family.
* This episode implies that [[Arthur Read|Arthur]] and [[Francine Frensky|Francine]] eventually get married.
* In the final scene that takes place more than fifty years later, Francine (now an elderly woman) plays ''The Magic Toolbox'' on VHS; but DVDs that were introduced in 1996 (two years before this episode aired) were starting to outsell VHS. The only non-goof is the large LCD TV that was starting to outsell CRT ones years after this episode first aired.
* The name of the episode is a play on the phrase, "And now, a word from us kids," referential of the [[And Now a Word from Us Kids|segment]] featuring actual children shown as interstitial content between stories on most ''Arthur'' episodes, save those which featured "Postcards from You."
* When the kids watch the completed episode of the show in school, Francine's interview comes last. When the eldery Arthur and Francine watch the tape again in the future, Francine appears before Muffy and Buster. (But this could have been editing done after recording the tape)
* Ziggy Marley and the melody makers didn't sing in the parody of the theme song.
* The show's opening was seen with Buster coming out of the TV with D.W. seeing it and the Brain taking Arthur's place walking down the street with a dog, then sitting down while thinking.
* This is George's first speaking role.
* It parodies ''Arthur's New Puppy ''with <span style="font-style: italic;">Brain's New Puppy, with again taking Arthur's place in the swimming title card, ''where the Brain asks his parents if he could get a dog. ''Then him and his parents all think.</span>
*Buster said maybe he’ll get his own show. Six years later, this comes true.
*At the time of the episode’s airdate, Pluto was considered a planet. This changed in 2006.
*'''Irony:''' All the other kids think being on TV will be a sparkling opportunity for attention, while Francine ridicules the Brain for doing nothing but study for the science honor roll. Arthur and Buster go the route of You Are Better Than You Think You Are that he is a genius and ought to show that off. Later, the others are nearly humiliated on TV for their lack of knowledge while the Brain is in his element. Brain helps them, but refuses to participate on television. What's more, in the far future, Brain (despite not caring to be on television) becomes a famed scientist whose accomplishments are televised, while Arthur and Francine (who live in relative obscurity) only have the video recording of their one time on television.
*'''4th Wall Break:''' When D.W. imagines Buster on TV (in the place of Arthur) he falls forward instead of backward, out of the television, in a smaller form, and lands in front of her. This excites D.W. but she changes her mind about Buster offering her a co-star role by saying "No, thanks. You would try to make me look like a brat or something" hinting at her awareness of her role in ''Arthur'' itself.
*'''Moral:''' Doing other things is not as important as being on TV.
===Cultural references===
*The title of ''[[The Magic Toolbox]]'' is a parody of ''{{W|The Magic School Bus}}''.
*Fern recites “There is no joy in Mudville” from the poem ''{{W|Casey at the Bat}}'' by ErnestThayer.
===Errors===
* Francine mentions that she didn't get a puppy last Christmas, despite the fact that she and her family are Jewish. In the book ''[[Arthur's Christmas]]'' that was first published fourteen years before this episode went on the air, Francine was seen sitting on Santa Claus's lap, but never revealed which holiday she celebrates with her family.
* When the kids watch the completed episode of the show in school, Francine's interview comes last. When the elderly Arthur and Francine watch the tape again in the future, Francine appears before Muffy and Buster.


==Home Video==
==Home Video==
'''DVD:'''
'''DVD:'''
*[[Arthur Goes To Hollywood]]
*[[Arthur Goes to Hollywood (DVD)]]
*[[Arthur: The Complete Series 4]]
'''VHS:'''
*[[Arthur Goes to Hollywood (VHS)]]
==Gallery==
<gallery position="center" spacing="small">
Let's_Talk_to_Some_Kids_1.JPG
Let's Talk to Some Kids 2.JPG|Unknown Male Monkey with 4th Grade Female Cat.
Let's Talk to Some Kids 3.JPG|TV2 News Reporter is seen.
Let's Talk to Some Kids 4.JPG|Muffy talking to the cameraman.
Let's Talk to Some Kids 5.JPG|Binky is being interviewed.
Let's Talk to Some Kids 6.JPG|Binky's on t.v.
Let's Talk to Some Kids 7.JPG|Arthur and Francine on t.v.
Let's Talk to Some Kids 8.JPG|George on t.v.
Let's Talk to Some Kids 9.JPG|Fern on T.V.
Let's Talk to Some Kids 10.JPG|Buster being interviewed
Magic_toolbox.png|Magic toolbox
3x04 1056.png
</gallery>


'''VHS:'''
==References==
*[[Arthur Goes To Hollywood]]
{{Reflist}}
{{EpisodeNav|3}}
[[Category:Season 3 episodes]]
[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Arthur episodes]]
[[Category:Episodes with songs]]
[[Category:1998]]

Latest revision as of 22:41, 30 April 2024

"And Now Let's Talk to Some Kids"
And Now Let's Talk to Some Kids.JPG
ANLTTSK Title Card.JPG
Season/Series: 3
Number in season: 4B
Original Airdate: United States November 19, 1998[1]
Canada September 9, 1999[2]
Credits
Written by: Joe Fallon
Storyboard by: Stéphanie Gignac
Episodes
Previous
"Background Blues" 		Next
"The Chips are Down"
Read transcript
"And Now Let's Talk to Some Kids" is the second half of the fourth episode in the third season of Arthur.

Summary[edit]

The Magic Toolbox comes to Mr. Ratburn's class to put some of the kids on TV.

Plot[edit]

In the intro, Arthur asks the viewers if they have ever noticed how people's personalities fit them perfectly (such as Mr. Ratburn having a hard working personality and Buster having a comedic personality). He then imagines what would it be like if everyone switched personalities (such as Mr. Ratburn having Buster's personality and Binky having Muffy's personality). Arthur backtracks on this theory when he imagines Pal having Mr. Ratburn's personality.

After the title card, Arthur, Buster and D.W. are at the Reads' house, watching The Magic Toolbox. In The Magic Toolbox, there is a segment that features kids explaining what gravity is and how it works.

The next day at school, Mr. Haney comes into Mr. Ratburn's classroom and announces that The Magic Toolbox will be coming to Lakewood Elementary and do a show involving Mr. Ratburn's class.

The kids are all excited and wonder what it will be like to be on TV---except the Brain, who's more focused on a Science Fair project. The next day, while everyone else is practicing for The Magic Toolbox, Brain is still focused on his project. This leads Francine to believe that the Brain is secretly nervous about appearing on TV. She and the others hatch a plan to see that Brain gets some airtime.

Despite their attempts, Brain is still focused on his Science Fair project and not appearing on TV. The following day, The Magic Toolbox crew shows up to Mr. Ratburn's class. Once he announces to the class that they are going to be asked about the solar system, the class rushes over to Brain's desk and they ask him about the solar system. Each student takes what they have learned from Brain to answer the questions.

A while later, the kids watch their performance on TV, with Arthur saying that they were better than he thought. They're still worried about Brain not being on TV, however.

About 50 years into the future, Brain is shown as a scientist who has invented teleportation, which he tests out on a cat. Older versions of Arthur and Francine watch the event on TV before watching themselves once more on The Magic Toolbox and sing the theme song off-key.

Characters[edit]

Main[edit]

Recurring[edit]

Background[edit]

Trivia[edit]

  • There are two parodies of the Arthur intro in this episode: One is when Buster is imagining himself on TV, and the other is when Francine is imagining the Brain having his own TV show. The latter parody also includes a parody of "Arthur's New Puppy" titled "Brain's New Puppy".
  • This episode implies that Arthur and Francine eventually get married.
  • The name of the episode is a play on the phrase, "And now, a word from us kids," referential of the segment featuring actual children shown as interstitial content between stories on most Arthur episodes, save those which featured "Postcards from You."
  • Ziggy Marley and the melody makers didn't sing in the parody of the theme song.
  • This is George's first speaking role.
  • Buster said maybe he’ll get his own show. Six years later, this comes true.
  • At the time of the episode’s airdate, Pluto was considered a planet. This changed in 2006.
  • Irony: All the other kids think being on TV will be a sparkling opportunity for attention, while Francine ridicules the Brain for doing nothing but study for the science honor roll. Arthur and Buster go the route of You Are Better Than You Think You Are that he is a genius and ought to show that off. Later, the others are nearly humiliated on TV for their lack of knowledge while the Brain is in his element. Brain helps them, but refuses to participate on television. What's more, in the far future, Brain (despite not caring to be on television) becomes a famed scientist whose accomplishments are televised, while Arthur and Francine (who live in relative obscurity) only have the video recording of their one time on television.
  • 4th Wall Break: When D.W. imagines Buster on TV (in the place of Arthur) he falls forward instead of backward, out of the television, in a smaller form, and lands in front of her. This excites D.W. but she changes her mind about Buster offering her a co-star role by saying "No, thanks. You would try to make me look like a brat or something" hinting at her awareness of her role in Arthur itself.
  • Moral: Doing other things is not as important as being on TV.

Cultural references[edit]

Errors[edit]

  • Francine mentions that she didn't get a puppy last Christmas, despite the fact that she and her family are Jewish. In the book Arthur's Christmas that was first published fourteen years before this episode went on the air, Francine was seen sitting on Santa Claus's lap, but never revealed which holiday she celebrates with her family.
  • When the kids watch the completed episode of the show in school, Francine's interview comes last. When the elderly Arthur and Francine watch the tape again in the future, Francine appears before Muffy and Buster.

Home Video[edit]

DVD:

VHS:

Gallery[edit]

  • Let's Talk to Some Kids 1.JPG

  • Unknown Male Monkey with 4th Grade Female Cat.

  • TV2 News Reporter is seen.

  • Muffy talking to the cameraman.

  • Binky is being interviewed.

  • Binky's on t.v.

  • Arthur and Francine on t.v.

  • George on t.v.

  • Fern on T.V.

  • Buster being interviewed

  • Magic toolbox

  • 3x04 1056.png

References[edit]

  1. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/19991012075030/http://www.pbs.org/whatson/1998/11/N/19981119.html
  2. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20120413104003/http://ww3.tvo.org/program/157024/arthur



Episodes
Season 3
Full list
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