Sue Ellen's Little Sister/Transcript

(It is a rainy day, and Arthur is in the kitchen with his sisters.)

D.W.: Arthur, did you see the parade?

Arthur: Parade? But it's raining out.

D.W.: It's a rain parade. The whole marching band is in raincoats, and there's a big float shaped like an umbrella! It's right out front! 

Arthur: There's no parade.

(D.W. laughs)

Arthur: D.W.! Kate!

(Kate spills a glass of milk)

Arthur: Sometimes I really wish I was an only child. Life would be so easy. I could be alone whenever I wanted....

(Fantasy) 

Arthur: (V.O.) In fact, I could use D.W. and Kate's room as my own private library and I'd probably get lots more presents at Christmas. And best of all, I'd never have to compromise! 

(in the living room)

Arthur: Now we're gonna watch the Bionic Bunny special, the Bionic Bunny rerun, and then this tape of my favorite Bionic Bunny episodes, okay?

Pal: (barks)

(End of fantasy)

Dad: Arthur, did you eat the last brownie?

Arthur: Actually, there is one good thing about having a little sister. D.W. ate it, Dad. 

(Kate giggles)

(Title Card)

SUE ELLEN'S LITTLE SISTER

Written by: Peter K. Hirsch  ---  Storyboard by: Stefanie Gignac                                               

Francine Frensky: (V.O.) Sue Ellen's Little Sister.

Binky Barnes: (growling)

(Back to the story)

#

Sue Ellen paints a picture. She looks sadly at the other children having a wheelbarrow race, including Arthur and D.W..

D.W.: Go straight, Arthur! Straight!      Arthur falls over D.W., right in front of Sue Ellen.

Arthur: Oh!

Sue Ellen: Wow. That looks like fun.     Arthur and D.W. stand up and give each other dirty looks.

D.W.: Not when Arthur is steering. Last time he almost drove me into the lake.

Sue Ellen: (laughs)  I can be your partner for the next race.

Arthur: Sorry, Sue Ellen. It’s a brother and sister race.

D.W.: Maybe there’s a contest for lonely children after this.

Arthur: It’s only children, D.W. A lonely child is what you're going to be when I sell you.   He and D.W. leave.

#

Sue Ellen walks to a table on which Francine is doing cheerleader moves. Catherine sits on a bench nearby.

Francine: Give me an “O” and a “D”! What does that spell? Lakewood! And we’re gonna win ‘cause we’re real good.

Sue Ellen: Francine, have you taken up cheerleading?

Francine: My sister just taught me some moves. I thought we could use them during our really big games next year.

Catherine: Frankie, you have to raise your arms much higher on the O’s.

Francine: Like this?      As soon as she raises her arms, Catherine tickles her.     (laughs)  Stop!

#

Sue Ellen and her parents ride home in their car.

Sue Ellen: Mom? Dad? I know what I want for my birthday: a brother or a sister.

Mr. Armstrong: Oh. Well, if you had a brother or sister we might not be able to go on all our great adventures.

Mrs. Armstrong: Aren’t you excited to go to India this winter?

Sue Ellen: Yeah, but it’d be a lot more fun with a brother or sister.

#

Prunella and Sue Ellen have waited half an hour for Rubella to come back.

Sue Ellen: Prunella, she probably just forgot about us. Can we please do something else now?

Prunella: Must remain still or be cursed.            Mrs. Deegan comes up the stairs.

Mrs. Deegan: Ready for some lunch, kids? Egg salad’s on the table.

Sue Ellen: Where’s Rubella?

Mrs. Deegan: She went to the movies with some friends.    She goes downstairs.

Sue Ellen: See, I told you there was no curse!

Prunella: What do you mean? I hate egg salad!

#

Sue Ellen is eating a Chinese take-away lunch with her parents.

Sue Ellen: Then we had to play what Prunella wanted, just because she’s older. I think she’s the worst brother or sister I’ve ever had!      The parents exchange looks.

Mr. Armstrong: Er… But honey, she’s not your sister.

Sue Ellen: Oh, I know. I was just pretending.

Mrs. Armstrong: You really want a brother or sister that badly?

Sue Ellen: nods    But not and older one. Next time I’m gonna be the boss.

#

Sue Ellen visits Arthur.

Arthur: Hey, Sue Ellen. You want to try my new video game: Fish Finder Six with improved graphics.   Sue Ellen looks bored.

Sue Ellen: Actually, Arthur, I’m here to babysit.    She walks inside.

Arthur: Huh? But everyone’s home. We don’t need a babysitter.

Sue Ellen: Oh. Well, could I play with D.W. for a couple of hours.

Arthur: What?? Don’t you know what D.W. stands for? Disaster Warning!   Sue Ellen walks up the stairs.

Sue Ellen: Her room’s upstairs, right?    

 #

Sue Ellen enters D.W.‘s room.

Sue Ellen: (sighs)  She’s gonna be the perfect little sister. I just know it.

In her imagination she hands D.W. an origami swan.

D.W.: Wow, you made a swan out of a piece of paper. You can do anything!

Sue Ellen: For you, D.W.

D.W.: You’re the best sister in the whole world. 

Sue Ellen: I know.  They toast with toy teacups. The fantasy ends.

A door slams, waking Sue Ellen out of her daydream. The real D.W. is giving her a stern look.

Sue Ellen: Oh. Hello, D.W.. How are we doing today?

D.W.: Piggy-back.

Sue Ellen: You know what, I brought all this pretty colored paper and I thought we’d be able to…

D.W.: Piggy-back!

Sue Ellen: Okay. I suppose a little ride wouldn’t hurt    D.W. jumps on her back.

D.W.: Yeah!

 #

Arthur is playing Fishfinder in the living room as D.W. rides by.

D.W.: Woo! Yippie! Faster! Faster! Yeah!

Sue Ellen: Is your sister always this active?

Arthur: She’s just breaking you in.

Sue Ellen: Back up the stairs, horsey! I wanna go back up!

Arthur: Easy, D.W.      She doesn’t know who she’s dealing with.

 #

Sue Ellen puts D.W. down on a couch.

Sue Ellen: Hey, D.W., I’ve got an idea. Let’s play “Simon Says”. I’ll be Simon. Simon says hands on your hips.    

D.W.: You said your name was Sue Ellen.

Sue Ellen: Yes, but now I’m Simon. Now put your hands at your sides.  Nope, you lose, because Simon didn’t say so.    D.W. folds her arms.

D.W.: Sure you did, Simon.

Sue Ellen: I’m not Simon now.

D.W.: Well, then who are you?     Daddy, there’s a stranger in the house!!

Sue Ellen: Forget it. Forget it. We’ll play something else.    

D.W.: (mean chuckle)

#

Sue Ellen and D.W. have a tea party. D.W. drinks and spits it out.

D.W.: This is juice! I don’t want juice! I want orange soda!

Sue Ellen: But orange soda doesn’t look like tea and this is a tea party.

D.W.: I don’t want a tea party! I wanted a soda party! If I don’t get orange soda soon, I’m gonna cry! One, two…     Sue Ellen give D.W. an origami swan.

Sue Ellen: Here, D.W., I made this swan for you. It took me hours.

D.W.: Oh, the pretty birdy. I want to see it fly.    She throws the swan out of the window.

Sue Ellen: No!     The swan falls to the ground and is eaten by Pal.     

D.W.: Oops.      Sue Ellen looks angry.

#

Arthur is still playing Fishfinder when Sue Ellen comes in with part of her face painted blue and something yellow in her hair.

Sue Ellen: Arthur! I’m sorry! I just can’t take it anymore!   D.W. follows with a pot of paint and a brush.

D.W.: Sue Ellen, wait! I haven’t finished your Beauty makeover yet.

Sue Ellen: No!!    She runs out.

Arthur: Actually, she lasted longer than most babysitters.

# 

Sue Ellen lies down on her bed and holds her teddy bear.

Sue Ellen: (sighs) My room! My things! You know, Chester, being an only child may be lonely sometimes, but at least it’s safe.    Her parents come in.

Mr. Armstrong: Sue Ellen, we’ve got a big surprise for you.

Mrs. Armstrong: It’s a little boy.

Sue Ellen: Oh no.

#

In the Sugar Bowl Sue Ellen shows Arthur, Brain and Binky a picture of a boy in an Asian village.

Sue Ellen: His name is Tenzin. He lives in Tibet.

Brain: Wow, that’s so exciting!

Sue Ellen: My parents are gonna help him go to school, and he and I are gonna write letters to each other. My mom says I can think of him kind of like a little brother.

Arthur: Well, I think he’s the perfect brother, Sue Ellen.

Sue Ellen: Why is that?

Arthur: Because he’s three thousand miles away.