Arthur Accused! (episode)

Arthur Accused!
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Arthur Accused! is the second part of the sixth episode of the first season of the Arthur television series. Storyboards were done Sarô. It was written by James Greenberg. It's first broadcast date was October 14, 1996, alongside Locked in the Library!.

Plot Outline

We enter Buster's home and into his bedroom. We see Buster drinking a soda and dressed up like a detective. He tells the viewing audience about how he solved his first mystery. "It involved my pal Arthur, some missing quarters, and a whole lot of trouble." he says. He shows us a flashback of Arthur in detention, when all of a sudden, a seemingly angry mob begins to crowd around the entrance to the classroom. In fear, Arthur hides behind the table as the doorknob begins to turn open. Not wanting to spoil anything, Buster decides to start back at the beginning of the story. {Title Card} Two days ago, on a Wednesday, Binky walks down the school hallway and sees Arthur with a bowl full of quarters. Arthur explains that he is trying to save quarters as a fundraiser to buy a puppy for the fire department. Binky thinks over if he should give a quarter or not. He eventually decides to give one. Just after Arthur adds it to his fund, Buster arrives (wearing his detective outfit) and asks Arthur if he wants to go to the arcade with his mom. Arthur agrees, but has Buster wait, for he has to give the quarters to Mrs. MacGrady. Arthur notices the outfit and Buster explains that it's part of his new detective kit. He further explains that he was snooping around for any mysteries, but has no luck so far. He also tells Arthur that there's a 3rd grade picnic next Friday. Yet Arthur already knows, for there have been posters about it for two weeks. Buster yet stays determined to find one. Arthur hurries off to Mrs. MacGrady's kitchen to give the quarters, but Mrs. MacGrady is talking on the phone about what the new fire department dog should be named. Arthur tries (unsuccessfully) to get her attention, but since he's in a hurry, he leaves the bag of quarters on the counter and leaves. Later that day, Buster and his mom walk to the arcade, while Buster looks around with his magnifying glass to find anything suspicious. His mom, as usual, is overconcerned of him getting eyestrain. Buster sees Arthur playing a pinball game and notices that he has beaten the high score. Buster is very proud of him. The next day when they both are at school again, Buster is still rather proud of Arthur's accomplishment as they walk down the halls. They suddenly meet up with Mr. Haney and the other school staff. Mr. Haney reminds Arthur to give the quarters to Mrs. MacGrady. Arthur says that he already did, but to their surprise, Mr. Haney claims that she never received them. Buster suspects they were stolen. Mr. Haney asks Arthur if he brought them home by accident. Buster explains that Arthur and he went to the arcade and that Arthur beat the high score on pinball. He further talks about how he did that once and that it cost him all his birthday money, a large amount of quarters. Instantly in reaction, this story has Mr. Haney and the others suspect Arthur stole the quarters. Arthur is sent to the principal's office, where Mr. Haney and Miss Tingley punish Arthur by giving a week of detention, starting that day, and that he couldn't go to the picnic. That afternoon in the cafeteria, Arthur exclaims to Buster how everybody thinks he's a criminal and demands a lawyer. Buster thinks that's a preposterous idea and claims he needs a detective, like himself. Not sure if he can do it, Arthur decides to let him investigate. The first person that Buster questions is Mrs. MacGrady. He asks about her whereabouts yesterday. She says that she was in the cafeteria, making brownies for the picnic. Buster suggests he should taste some of the brownies, but Mrs. MacGrady knows what he's thinking and won't let him until the picnic. Mrs. MacGrady also tells Buster that Mr. Morris came over to mop up brownie mix when it overflowed. She suggests he should ask him if he knows anything. Thanking her for her information Buster leaves while snitching some whipped cream off a slice of pie she was making. Mr. Morris goes to his closet to grab a bag, while Buster disguises himself as one of the mops in his closet. Mr. Morris notices him and Buster begins to question him, but he promptly trips over a mop. While Mr. Morris is washing the windows, Buster comes along. Mr. Morris explains to him that he went to Mrs. MacGrady's kitchen to clean up a spilled mix. Buster further asks if he cleans after her often. Mr. Morris claims that she's actually quite tidy. While he walks away, Buster hears jingling in his pocket. He suspects that it's quarters. Mr. Morris shows him that it's just his keys. Stumped, Buster decides to go to Arthur's house for more information. He begins to question D.W., although D.W. doesn't help much, but suspects Arthur buried the quarters somewhere and suggests to dig up the lawn. Buster begins to leave just at the same time as Arthur returns home. He asks how the mystery is going. Buster nervously claims it's going fine, but Arthur is desperate to be proven innocent. Walking home, Buster looks over his information but is disappointed to see that everything seems to claim that Arthur is the criminal. Buster thinks it is possible that he is really a mastermind and that he did steal the quarters.