Truth or Poll

"Truth or Poll"
Season/Series:	22
Number in season:	4b
Original Airdate:	May 16, 2019 November 8, 2019 Augest , 3 ,2020
Credits
Written by:	Sarah Katin Nakia Trower Shuman
Storyboard by:	Daniel Miodini Andreas Schuster
Episodes
Previous "Muffy's Car Campaign"	Next "Fright Night"

"Truth or Poll" is the second half of the fourth episode in the twenty-second season of Arthur.

Summary

Brain suggests that Binky conduct a poll about the latest math test.

Plot

Binky is doing a math test, and the question is about a meteor. He imagines his desk on a meteor, flying into the Sun, and eventually runs out of time, having only drawn a meteor and some starts on his paper. He asks Mr. Ratburn, "Any points for creativity?" Mr. Ratburn then sighs.

Truth or Poll

Binky leaves school, commenting that the math test was "a killer." Brain comments that he thought it was easy, and Arthur says that the test "wasn't too bad" and that he got a B+. Binky thinks that the test was hard for everyone except them, and Brain suggests that he take a poll.

Binky returns to Brain with his poll: the question "Was the test too hard?" along with three "yes" replies. Brain says that it proves nothing and that he needs to ask more people. Binky leaves and comes back with ten "yes"es, commenting that he asked Mei Lin, his dad and mom, and the Tough Customers, among others. Brain responds that none of them are in the class and that the poll is still inaccurate.

In a montage, Binky asks everyone in his class if they thought the test was too hard. He takes the results to Brain, who makes a pie chart. The results are that 35% said it was too hard, while 65% said it was not. Binky goes to ask everyone again, and tries to bribe Buster with a donut. Binky says that he thinks the test could have been easier, and Buster says he would have said yes to that, giving Binky an idea.

Binky pins the results of his new poll to a bulletin board in the school: "Could the math test have been easier?" Everyone says "yes," even Brain, who points out that saying something could have been easier is not the same as saying it was too hard.

Binky is disappointed when Arthur takes the last strawberry ice cream from the cafeteria, and Mrs. MacGrady says that vanilla and chocolate are the most popular. Binky polls people to prove it, and hands her the results: 100% of kids want rhubarb ice cream, Binky's favorite.

As everyone is eating rhubarb ice cream, Binky reveals that the question was "Would you rather have a new flavor or no ice cream at all?" Brain is displeased and retaliates with a poll to put flowers on the Tower of Pain, which succeeds. Binky responds with a poll to change Brain's chess club into a video game club.

Buster and Francine are confused about all the new polls, some of which contradict each other. Binky reviews the polls in his bed that night, and has a nightmare where the results of a poll end up with him being baked into a pie. Brain reveals that he did the poll, with a similar question to Binky's rhubarb ice cream poll.

Binky wakes up, and at school, he does not want to eat rhubarb ice cream. He wants to re-do his poll, which Brain objects to. Francine and Buster feel confused over all the polls, and Mrs. MacGrady asks everyone if Brain and Binky should stop taking polls. Everyone agrees, even Brain and Binky themselves. Mrs. MacGrady says that the questions one asks are just as important as the results. Binky agrees that he should have studied for the test, and apologizes to Brain, saying that he likes the flowers on the Tower of Pain now.

Characters

Major

• Brain
• Binky Barnes

Minor

• Arthur Read
• Buster Baxter
• Leah MacGrady
• George Lundgren
• Fern Walters
• Muffy Crosswire
• Francine Frensky

Cameo

• Jenna Morgan
• Prunella Deegan
• Rattles
• Molly MacDonald
• Sue Ellen Armstrong
• 4th Grade Male Dog
• Ladonna Compson
• Alex
• Maria Pappas

Mentioned

• Mei Lin Barnes
• Mrs. Barnes
• Mr. Barnes

Trivia

• In the scene where Binky gets baked into a pie, Brain wears clothes similar to David Read's catering outfit.
• Moral: The Questions arent less important from the answers.
• Timeline:
  • Fern is shown holding the Poe book from "It Came From Beyond" and "Fern and Persimmony Glitchet."
  • Brain's chess club from "Brain's Chess Mess" is replaced by a video game club.

Errors

• Binky is shown putting up the poll "Should the school week be three days long?" However, this poll is already pinned to the board.

Cultural references

• “You say tomato, I say potato” is likely a reference to the lyrics of Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off.

Home Video

DVD:

• Arthur Celebrates Community