Speak Up, Francine!

"Speak Up, Francine!"
Season/Series:	17
Number in season:	6a
Original Airdate:	April 21, 2014 November 6, 2013 April 28, 2013
Credits
Written by:	Jon Greenberg
Storyboard by:	Allan Jeffery
Episodes
Previous "Kidonia"	Next "Waiting for Snow"
Read transcript

"Speak Up, Francine!" is the first half of the sixth episode in the seventeenth season of Arthur.

Summary

The local creek is polluted! The culprit: pesticide run-off from neighborhood lawns. Francine is determined to get the word out at the annual Earth Day rally. But will a crippling fear of public speaking derail this aspiring environmental activist?

Plot

Arthur is trying to do the intro on stage, but Francine is trying to get away from Muffy and Buster, who brought her to the stage for a speech. Francine then faints in Arthur's arms. He explains there has been some technical difficulties and thanks the viewers for their patience. Then he shouts for the show to start.

After the title card, Arthur, Francine, Buster, and Muffy are having a picnic when Buster sees some dead fish floating in the creek, which Francine discusses with her father that evening at home.

The next day at the Sugar Bowl, they watch a video on pollution which Muffy uploaded on YouWhoTube. Mr. Frensky plans for a public speaker at the Earth Day rally. Arthur and Buster vote for Francine, to Muffy's humilation.

At school, Francine tries to do a report about Luxembourg, but has a fear of public speaking. Later, Muffy tries to listen to Francine, but she quits. Then Ladonna arrives and offers to help, and gives her a pen. Then Buster arrives and takes the pen from her.

Francine and Ladonna practice hard, and then Francine has to speak to an audience! Disappointed, Francine goes back inside. Buster doesn't care much. Ladonna tries to encourage Francine, but she suggests that Ladonna do it.

She tries at the rally, but the speech flies away. Francine tries, and she does it. Ladonna says it's better than the written speech. Francine doesn't remember what she said. Fortunately, it turns out that Muffy filmed and uploaded it to YouWhoTube with hopes of Francine being invited to speak. Francine refuses and runs off with Muffy chasing her saying "But you're so good at it!" finishing the episode.

Characters

• Francine Frensky
• Ladonna Compson
• Arthur Read
• Muffy Crosswire
• Binky Barnes
• The Brain
• Buster Baxter
• D.W. Read (Cameo)
• Bud Compson
• Jane Read (Cameo)
• David Read (Cameo)

Trivia

• Timeline: YouWhoTube appeared previously in "Flippity Francine".
• Moral: Take care of the environment.

Errors

• Part of this episode takes place at Lakewood Elementary. But if this takes place around the time frame of Earth Day, this wouldn't make sense. Lakewood would have still been closed down because of the events of "April 9th". Although it might’ve been set after Lakewood opened back up.

Episode connections

• Earth Day also features in "Prunella the Packrat".
• The first shot of the park is Arsubia from "The Secret Guardians".

Cultural references

• YouWhoTube is a parody of YouTube.
• In Francine's fantasy when she's holding the ship together, her and Buster's uniforms are parodying Star Trek, and Buster's accent is based off of the Star Trek character Scotty.
• Francine talks about Luxembourg and Liechtenstein, the eighth and fourth smallest country in Europe by area, respectively.

Gallery

Promotional images

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  Facebook banner for ARTHUR Outdoors Week

Screenshots

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  Title Card