Castles in the Sky

"Castles in the Sky"
Season/Series:	9
Number in season:	1a
Original Airdate:	December 27, 2004; April 8, 2005;
	Credits
Written by:	Peter K. Hirsch
Storyboard by:	Jeremy O'Neill
	Episodes
Previous; "Bleep"	Next; "Tipping the Scales"
	Read transcript

"Castles in the Sky" is the first half of the first episode in the ninth season of Arthur.

Summary[edit]

The gang's treehouse collapses, and architect Frank Gehry steps in to help them rebuild—if they can agree on a new design.

Plot[edit]

One day, during a snow-sledding race between Arthur and Buster, the tree house has been destroyed by snow. Later at the Sugar Bowl, Arthur and his friends are worried. Then a man named Frank shows up and offers to help the gang. Arthur and his friends come up with lots of different designs for their tree house, but Frank doesn't approve of them. Then they discover they like the original design better. So they started rebuilding their tree house. As Frank leaves, he gave them a picture of one of his building designs. That was before they discovered it was Frank Gehry.

Characters[edit]

Major[edit]

Minor[edit]

Bitzi Baxter

Cameo[edit]

Mentioned[edit]

Frances

Trivia[edit]

This is the first episode where Cookie Jar Entertainment produces the series.
This is the first episode where Cameron Ansell voices Arthur Read.
Special guest star Frank Gehry plays as himself.
Irony: Brain said they liked the original idea better, but that's only because Frank rejected all their ideas.
Moral: Dont reject someones ideas so that your plain design is the best for your own personal benefit.
Timeline: Buster references his first dinner with Harry from "Bitzi's Beau."

Episode connections[edit]

The name Frances appears in this episode. It's unclear who Frances is, but their name would be joined by a list of ten other unidentified students' names in the Season 13 episode, "Arthur's Number Nightmare."

Errors[edit]

When Francine is drawing the new treehouse on the stump, she mentions that Sue Ellen wants a pagoda; but in the Sugar Bowl when Francine shows the design to Frank, Sue Ellen has an art studio.
- It is possible that Sue Ellen might have changed her mind or that Francine simply made a blunder while pitching her treehouse idea.

Cultural references[edit]

The famous buildings shown are in "Sagrada Família" by Antoni Gaudí in Barcelona, the Chiat/Day "Binoculars" Building by Frank Gehry in Los Angeles, and the Guggenheim Museum by Frank Gehry in Bilbao.
This episode's title is close to the same as Studio Ghibli's 1986 film, Castle in the Sky.