Thanks a Lot, Binky

"Thanks a Lot, Binky"
Season/Series:	8
Number in season:	2B
Original Airdate:	September 16, 2003 November 26, 2003 December 18, 2007
Credits
Written by:	Peter Egan
Storyboard by:	Julian Harris
Episodes
Previous "Fernfern and the Secret of Moose Mountain"	Next "Arthur's Snow Biz"
Read transcript

"Thanks a Lot, Binky" is the second half of the second episode in the eighth season of Arthur.

Summary

When Rattles doesn't seem to appreciate him for saving him from a dangerous stunt, Binky swears off good deeds — until one day he is shown what life would be like without any acts of kindness.

Plot

Binky is watching Uncle Slam Wilson on TV and doesn't take his eyes off for a second. He even tells his mom to move just when she's handing him his dinner. At the end of the match, Uncle Slam Wilson states to his fans he wants them to watch him tomorrow, and Binky complies.

After the title card, at Lakewood Elementary School, Rattles tells Binky he's going to make Lakewood History, by jumping over ten bicycles. He even fantasizes himself doing it successfully, even doing it better by doing flips in the air. Binky tells him that's crazy and he could really hurt himself. Rattles responds by saying "Greatness requires great risks." He even offers Binky to join him, and he declines. Rattles and Slink call him a chicken, and Binky first storms away, but then imagines Rattles performing his stunt, but hits a pebble and flies into the air, falling, and then (off-camera) hitting the bikes, and injuring himself.

Worried, Binky runs to get Mr. Haney. As Rattles begins to move, Mr. Haney yells at him to cease immediately, and sternly states he wants to see the boys in his office. He also wants Binky, but he says he didn't do anything wrong. However, Mr. Haney just wants to hear his side of the event, although Binky says wrestling is on in 20 minutes. He sits outside of Mr. Haney's office, just as Rattles and Slink leave with their mothers. On the way, Rattles calls Binky a squealer. Then Mr. Haney calls Binky into his office.

Later on, Binky and his mom come home. Binky runs frantically into the living room, only to find wrestling just ended, leaving Binky very upset. Binky's mom tells him he should be proud of himself for doing the right thing, saving Rattles' life. Binky doesn't think so, but his mom tells him she's sure deep down, he's glad that he stopped him. The next day at school, Rattles angrily states he's not glad deep down because he and Slink got detention for a month. Then they leave, and Binky is angrier than ever.

Later that day, when Binky's mom picks him up, Binky tells her that she was wrong, and there's no point in doing a good deed if he doesn't even get a simple "thank you". Sometime later, Binky is out walking, picks up a piece of litter, and people nearby just keep walking. He writes in his notepad saying "7 pieces of litter picked up. 0 thank you's." He even mows a huge lawn, which takes him a long time, only to find the house is empty and up for sale. At a swimming pool, Binky finds clothes lying around and turns them into the lost and found. Binky feels proud until he hears a little boy saying to his mom that someone stole his clothes while he was in the shower. Binky sneaks away feeling very awkward. After dinner, Binky offers to wash off his dish, and his mom finally says thank you. Binky leaves, and his mom asks if he's going to do the rest. Now Binky is furious, saying "No more Mr. Nice Guy" and he goes to bed.

That night, Binky has a dream that Uncle Slam Wilson comes into his room and takes on his flying motorcycle. He wants to show Binky what he's getting himself into. He first takes Binky to a flashback of him at the lake when he caught a butterfly he worked so hard to catch and then let it go. Slam states that the butterfly never thanked him, so why did he do it? Binky says he just wanted to. Then he shows Binky when picked litter up at the park, and played his clarinet so peacefully. He also even gave part of his snack to a hungry dog outside the Sugar Bowl. Binky never knew what a nice guy he was. Slam then shows him what the world would be like without him. With litter blowing all over the park, but the worst thing of all was seeing Rattles in the hospital, in a full body cast. Without Binky, Rattles performed his stunt, likely breaking every bone in his body. Then Slam tells Binky there's someone who works 24/7 and almost never gets a thank you. Binky wonders who, and they fly to his house. It's Binky's mom; Binky says she has to do all that stuff. Then, Slam shows him what it'd be like if she was "No more Mrs. Nice Guy." The house is a mess, and Binky's clothes are falling apart. Binky's parents are going on "another" cruise, without him. His mom tells him there wasn't enough money in his college fund for 3 tickets. They leave and Binky regrets his choice, pleading Slam to come back. Binky then wakes up.

He goes into the kitchen, and his mom comes in and offers to make him some hot milk. Binky says no, and tells her to go to back to sleep. Binky makes a card for his mom. That morning, she reads the card, which just says "Thanks." Binky, very happy, goes back to bed. The episode finishes with the rev of a motorcycle outside, with Binky saying "Thank you, Slam Wilson!"

Characters

• Binky Barnes
• Rattles
• Mrs. Barnes
• Uncle Slam
• Francis Haney
• Last Year's Buster
• Slink (cameo)
• Sue Ellen Armstrong (cameo in dream)
• Rattles's mother (cameo)
• Slink's Mother (cameo)
• Mr. Barnes (cameo)
• General Mayhem (cameo)
• Beulah McInnerny (cameo)
• Timber Twins (cameo)

Trivia

• Arthur does not appear in this episode. He is also absent from "Fernfern and the Secret of Moose Mountain (except the title card)," making this episode pair the only one in which Arthur does not appear at all.
• This is Rattles first speaking role since "Brother, Can You Spare a Clarinet?".
• Moral: Don't tell on people for your own benefits.

Cultural references

• This is one of two episodes referencing the classic Frank Capra film, It's a Wonderful Life. The other episode is "The Silent Treatment."
  • The premise is also simliar to:
    • The Fairly OddParents- It's A Wishful Life
    • Bettlejuice- It's a Wonderful Afterlife
    • Johnny Bravo- Unknown Episode
    • Superjail!- Unknown Episode
    • Little Shop- Unknown Episode
    • The Simpsons- "The Last Temptation of Homer
    • The Loud House- Some parts of Time Trap!

Episode connections

• The events of "Binky Barnes, Wingman" are shown in flashback.
• In his dream, Binky is surprised that his parents are going on another cruise. This may be a reference to how Binky imagines them going on a cruise after abandoning him in "Waiting to Go."

Errors

• The video description refers to Slink as Snake.

Gallery

:Main article: Thanks a Lot, Binky/Gallery