And Now Let's Talk to Some Kids

"And Now Let's Talk to Some Kids"
Season/Series:	3
Original Airdate:	October 12, 1998
Episodes
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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

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.

Trivia

Notes

• 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.
• The Magic Toolbox show is a spoof of The Magic School Bus.
• This episode implies that Arthur and Francine marry in the future and have not seen Buster in a long time.
• The name of the episode is a play on the phrase, "And now, a word from us kids."
• Buster hoping to get his own show is foreshadowing Postcards From Buster (although almost all the kids imagined having their own show).
• First appearance of the Unknown Male Cat's Mom.

Goofs

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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)
• 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.
• It parodies Arthur's New Puppy with 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.

Home Video

DVD:

• Arthur Goes To Hollywood

VHS:

• Arthur Goes To Hollywood