Arthur's Underwear (episode)

"Arthur's Underwear (episode)"
Season/Series:	2
Original Airdate:	October 20, 1997
Episodes
Previous "Go to Your Room, D.W."	Next "Francine Frensky, Olympic Rider"
Read transcript

"Arthur's Underwear" is the first half of the 5th episode of Season 2 of the animated children's series Arthur. Together with Francine Frensky, Olympic Rider, it first aired on October 20th, 1997.

Summary

Binky rips his pants in class, revealing his underwear. Arthur cannot stop laughing every time he thinks of it, but he is having nightmares where he does not have any pants. He tells Buster about this, who tells everyone else, which embarrasses him. Inevitably, Arthur does rip his pants and has to deal with the embarrassment of it.

Plot

Binky rips his pants in class when trying to pick up some chalk after he dropped it upon solving a math problem, revealing his underwear to all of his friends. The kids find this hilarious, much to Binky's embarrassment, especially Arthur, who can't stop laughing every time he thinks of it. However, that night after going to bed, Arthur has a nightmare where he oversleeps and is late for school. When he arrives, the class laughs at him, to which Mr. Ratburn points out that Arthur came to school with no pants on, but in briefs instead. He wakes up screaming and at school tells Buster about it. During class, Arthur's class watches a movie about microscopic organisms, and during a discussion about amoebas, Arthur has a nightmare in which he's an amoeba and his body splits in two, with one half being his pants running off. Buster wakes him up when the movie ends. Arthur is scared he'll have the dream again, so Buster suggests he not sleep at all. Arthur does this and preoccupies himself with comics, singing, and his action figures until he finally falls asleep. He then has a nightmare where his class is being held hostage by the Verminator (Mr. Ratburn), Bionic Bunny's nemesis. Hearing their screams, he rips off his suit to reveal his Bionic Bunny outfit, and faces the Verminator. Unfortunately, the class and the Verminator laugh at him when they see he's got no pants yet again, and Arthur wakes up just as his mom throws him a pair for school.

At the Sugar Bowl, Arthur asks Buster for more help, so Buster suggests he sleep in his pants. Arthur tries this at night, but D.W. comes in and asks why. He says he's trying to break into them since they're "stiff". She likes this idea and decides to wear all of her uncomfortable clothes to bed, much to Arthur's chagrin. The next day at the Laundromat, Buster tries to hypnotize Arthur into not being afraid of losing his pants. Arthur wakes up and does not have the dream, and while celebrating inexplicably loses his pants. The pants then get up with eyes and razor-sharp teeth, and chases Arthur away. Buster thinks they really need some fabric softener. Arthur is screaming for help, and Buster wakes him up, for real this time. Arthur tells Buster to keep the whole thing a secret, to which Buster agrees.

However, at school, Arthur sits with Francine and Muffy, who are laughing because he may not have his pants on. They say Buster told them about it, but he denies this. He then eats with the Brain, who says Buster told him the dream and that he wanted to help him with his embarrassment. Arthur panics and goes to Buster for help. To his shock, Buster admits that he told a few people, hoping they could offer a better solution. In his panic, Arthur's pants get caught on the tray rack and he accidentally rips them open, partially revealing his underwear. The entire school laughs at him, so Binky covers him up and leads him to the kitchen. There, Mrs. MacGrady sews them back up for Arthur, and Buster apologizes for breaking his promise. Soon enough, Arthur's pants are finally fixed, and Mrs. MacGrady offers him some advice. People are embarrassed all the time, but that doesn't make him any less than who he is. No matter what, he's still Arthur, even without his pants.

One week later, Arthur is relieved that he has not had another underwear nightmare, and Buster is amazed that of all things, ripping his pants was the cure. Just when they leave the Sugar Bowl however, Arthur points out something to Buster; he's wearing nothing but boxers! Buster wakes up screaming, and realizes that now he's having the nightmares, much to his dismay.

Trivia

Notes

• Arthur's underwear incident is referenced several times in later episodes.
• Even though Francine is a tomboy, it is likely that she might wear the same kind of underwear that the boys wear as opposed to panties that the other girls would normally wear, since she doesn't like to wear feminine clothes.
• Arthur's Underwear became adapted into a book in the Arthur Adventure series and published in 1999. There were some changes made, including the type of underwear some of the characters were wearing on certain pages.
• This was the first episode of the show to be rated TV-Y7 for Arthur's underwear incident.

Goofs

• In Arthur's first underwear nightmare, he wakes up before putting his glasses on; but when he truly wakes up, he is wearing his glasses.
• When Arthur is seen wearing his underwear and no pants on, the white shirt he wears underneath his sweater doesn't have the bottom ends visible, which appears to be tucked into his underwear; although tops should never be tucked into underwear.
• In Arthur's Bionic Bunny nightmare, the top of his Bionic Bunny costume is tucked into his Bionic Bunny boxers, which shouldn't be tucked in, either.
• Arthur having the apron taken off before putting his pants back on would still be considered immodest.
• It would be difficult for someone to put their pants on or take them off when their shoes are on their feet.
• At 3:33 when watching videos, A kid can be seen walking on buster. Just a layering error.

Quotes

• (In Arthur's first nightmare, Arthur wakes up and looks at the clock; it says 8:39 AM)

• Arthur: Oh no! I'm going to be late for school! (Gets out of bed immediately and goes to the bathroom, brushing his teeth and combing his hair, then heads out of the house)

• Policeman: Huh? (Blows the whistle and Arthur arrives at last)
• Arthur: I'm sorry, I'm late, Mr. Ratburn! I guess my mom just forgot to wake me up and....
• (The class laugh at him)

• Mr. Ratburn: Mr. Read, being late is one thing but not wearing any trousers, that is quite another!
  • Arthur: (screaming after his first nightmare & the clock said 3:30 AM) What a horrible dream! (in school, the bell rings & To Buster) It was so scary! I hardly never got any sleep!
  • Mr. Ratburn: Quiet down, class, and take your seats! Today, we'll be watching a film about microscopic organisms.

---

• Arthur: (Sings after the clock striked 11:00 PM) And on his farm, He had some giraffes. E-I-E-I-O. With a...... (Speaks) Oh, Forget it!

---

• Francine: Hey, Arthur! Do you have your pants on?
• (Muffy and Francine laugh)
• Arthur: Of course, I have my pants on! Why shouldn't I?
• Muffy: We thought you might have forgotten to wear them! Buster told us you had nightmares in it!
• Arthur: What? Well, it's not true!
• (Francine and Muffy laugh together)

---

• Arthur: This can't be happening. I must be dreaming! (Rushes to Buster) 'Buster, Wake me up! I'm having a nightmare!
• Buster: You don't look like you're asleep. Why do you think that?
• Arthur: Because everyone seems to know about my underwear dream.
• Buster: Not everyone. I....just....told a few kids.
• Arthur: You did? How could you?! You promised!
• Buster: Because nothing I did was helping you. I needed some advice.
• Arthur: This is so embarrassing! Everyone is laughing at me. That's what I was afraid of in th- OW! (Gasps)
• Binky: (While everyone else was laughing) Come on, Arthur. To the kitchen.
• Buster: (Sadly while Mrs. MacGrady fixes Arthur's pants) I'm sorry, Arthur. I shouldn't have told anyone. I feel terrible.
• Arthur: It's okay.You were trying to help. I just don't know how to tell Mom & Dad, I had to change schools.

---

• Arthur: Wow! You cured me, Buster! I'm cured! Whoopee! (Then his pants slide off) Hey.... how did I do that? (Arthur's pants become alive and bares its teeth)
• Buster: Maybe your mom's using to much starch.
• Arthur: (As the pants are chasing him) HELP!!
• Buster: Yep. Those pants sure do need a lot of fabric softener.

---

• Mr. Ratburn: All right, settle down. Yes, Binky's wearing underwear just like everyone else in this room.