The Frensky Family Fiasco

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"The Frensky Family Fiasco"
Season/Series:	12
Number in season:	2B
Original Airdate:	October 13, 2008 January 23, 2009
Credits
Written by:	Peter K. Hirsch
Storyboard by:	Nick Vallinakis
Episodes
Previous "Room to Ride"	Next "D.W.'s Stray Netkitten"
Read transcript

"The Frensky Family Fiasco" is the second half of the second episode in the twelfth season of Arthur.

Summary

Francine wants the Frenskys to be closer, so she proposes a weekly Family Night. But spending quality time together turns out to be harder than expected.

Plot

One day in Mr. Ratburn's classroom, the class is watching a movie about the strong family ties of baboons. A young baboon is saved from a Lion because it's family took the liberty to save it. At her apartment, she greets her mother as she is leaving for her bowling night. Her father is biking, and Catherine is on the phone. A Chickin Lickin' commercial plays, in which Beauregard Poulet is commemorating the values of family. Francine sighs and walks away.

At breakfast the next morning, Francine is presenting a plan to bring her family closer to each other. Her parents agree, with Catherine disagreeing. Catherine envisions a beach party, and then a boring game of cards. She reluctantly agrees when her mother gets angry.

For the first family night, the Frenskys have went out for Japanese food. Francine accidentally eats a very hot mustard, and drinks soy sauce. At home, everyone is watching Starcast, and the phone rings. It is Muffy, and Francine answers it. She takes Muffy's idea of playing games. She misses the finale of Star Cast.

Francine plans for the next family night, and goes to the Supermarket to buy pizza ingredients, picks fresh ingredients, learns pizza baking skills from Mrs. MacGrady, and finds a board game to play.

Next Tuesday, the Frenskys begin baking their pizza. Catherine admits that this activity is fun. Francine begins making a salad with a ketchup and mayonnaise dressing, which Catherine thinks is disgusting. They get into an argument, and forget about the pizza. It is burnt.

They order a pizza, and after dinner Francine presents Megalopolis, a game they can all play. Everyone gets into an argument over various things in the gameplay. The family agrees that this be the last family night.

That night, Francine has a nightmare in which her family are baboons. Their family ties are not strong enough to save them from a viscous lion. That morning, Francine spots her bowling jersey, and decides that her family should go bowling once a week. They agree to this.

Characters

• Francine Frensky
• Muffy Crosswire
• Nigel Ratburn
• Laverne Frensky
• Catherine Frensky
• Oliver Frensky
• Leah MacGrady

Trivia

• In the beginning when Buster told Francine he should have his own show, Francine says to Buster he already has a show and he does which is Postcards from Buster.
• Although the Frenskys are Jewish, Laverne ate eel and Francine ate pepperoni, both of which are not Kosher foods.
• The calendar which Francine shows her family has thirty-one days. This gives a wide range of months which the episode could have taken place in: January, March, May, July, August, October, and December.
  • However, Francine was in school when she watched the baboon video, which rules out July and August.

Cultural references

• Megalopolis is a parody of Monopoly.
• Starcast is a parody of American Idol.

Errors

• When Oliver offers Catherine and Francine $20 from his "reserve" in the Megalopolis game, the bills appear to be yellow. When the camera zooms out, the bills are purple.
• When Francine's family looks at the burnt pizza, Francine's mom is wearing Francine's clothes.
• Catherine says she is a vegetarian, but earlier in the episode she is seen eating sushi.

Gallery

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Screenshots

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  Francine addressing her family.

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  The Frenskys argue

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References