Bugged

"Bugged"
Season/Series:	8
Number in season:	3B
Original Airdate:	September 17, 2003 December 3, 2003
Credits
Written by:	Jonathan Greenberg
Storyboard by:	Robert Yap
Episodes
Previous "Arthur's Snow Biz"	Next "Fernkenstein's Monster"
Read transcript

"Bugged" is the second half of the third episode in the eighth season of Arthur.

Summary

After being called a pest for correcting people, Brain dreams he is a bug. Then he tries to not bug his friends by not speaking.

Plot

In the introduction Arthur is shown as others see him. In D.W.’s eyes he is a giant, in his Mom’s eyes he is a baby, and in Pal’s eyes a waiter.

Title card

Brain and Binky watch an episode of Bionic Bunny in which the hero is strapped to a machine by evil Dr. Fowl. Brain points out the stereotypical logical flaws, such as the villain using an overly complicated method to kill Bionic Bunny and explaining his evil plan to him. Binky is bugged by Brain.

At school Brain corrects Francine when she answers that Pluto is the outermost planet, since Pluto’s orbit intersect Neptune’s and there is some controversy whether Pluto is a planet. The class is bored and Mr. Ratburn eventually cuts Brain short.

When playing “Capture the Flag” at recess, Brain makes a complicated plan while Muffy sneaks up and captures his team’s flag. When Brain returns after the game to get his personal organizer, he overhears Francine calling him “a real pest”.

That night Brain asks his mother whether he is annoying. When she denies it, he corrects her grammar.

The next morning Brain wakes up as a giant bug. His mother acts as if this is normal.

At school Mr. Ratburn tells him to “stop bugging” the others and gives him an F on a quiz which Brain could not complete because he is unable to hold a pencil in his claws.

Mr. Haney does not let Brain into the cafeteria because of health regulations, but offers him garbage.

When a class picture is taken, Brain is freaked out by the flash photography and runs away.

When Francine has a flat tire, Brain makes a suggestion which causes the others to call him a pest and threaten to squash him. He flees and hides in a cave. The others catch him and strap him to a machine similar to the one used on Bionic Bunny earlier. As they start the machine, Brain wakes up as his normal self.

Brain consults Prunella about his dream. She offers three stock interpretations (coming into sudden wealth, meeting a stranger who will change his life, getting a promotion), but Brain points out that these have nothing to do with his dream. He instead suggests that he is a bug in the sense that he annoys people when he corrects them. Prunella is annoyed and Brain sees this as evidence for his theory. Brain makes a vow of silence.

At school Mr. Ratburn offers the class an early recess if one of them can answer a question. Brain knows the answer, but keeps his vow of silence with difficulty. When Arthur asks his advice while playing marbles, Brain makes a gesture Arthur does not understand, but does not speak. When playing “Capture the Flag”, Brain sees George sneaking up on his tream’s flag. He hesitates, but then gives commands that win the game. He expects the others to be mad, but they are happy to have won. He asks whether he is annoying, and Arthur tells him that everybody bugs people sometimes.

The episode ends with Francine waking up with a pelican’s bill after Buster called her a bigmouth.

Characters

Major

• The Brain
• Arthur Read
• Buster Baxter
• Francine Frensky
• Binky Barnes
• Nigel Ratburn

Minor

• Prunella Deegan
• Jane Read
• D.W. Read
• Pal
• Francis Haney
• Mrs. Powers

Cameo

• Sue Ellen Armstrong
• Fern Walters
• Jenna Morgan
• Maria Pappas
• Muffy Crosswire
• Rattles
• Helen
• Nancy
• Jack Weasel
• Norman Hedgehog
• 3rd Grade Male Rabbit
• Otis
• Patrick
• 3rd Grade Male Dog (Number 2)
• Luke
• Cora
• George Lundgren
• Beulah McInnerny
• Mary
• Steve
• 3rd Grade Female Cat (Number 2)
• John

Mentioned

• Brain's grandmother

Trivia

Cultural references

• A few years after this episode came out, the NASA officially changed the definition of "planet", making Pluto a "dwarf planet".
• Brain's dream where he is turned into a bug is a parody of Franz Kafka's "The Metamorphosis." While Brain appears to be a cockroach, The Metamorphosis simply refers to the transformation as into a "verminous insect."
• The Battle of Agincourt (1415) is mentioned twice. It was a major strategic victory of the English against the French.

Episode Connections

• Like Sue Ellen in "Popular Girls" Brain hides his knowledge in order to be more likable and ends up letting his friends down, because they were counting on his expertise.
• Arthur is seen participating in a marble game, which Grandma Thora introduced him to in Arthur Loses His Marbles.
• Cora makes a cameo appearance in the cafeteria line, and she returns again from D.W. Thinks Big.

Errors

• When Brain avoids Binky's tackle, Binky is still in the foreground where the Brain should be.
• Brain the Bug adresses Mr. Ratburn as "Mr. Rat". This is not commented on by any character.

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References