User blog:Scrooge200/How Arthur and D.W. Clean Up Could Have Been...

Inspired by The Pop Cult Gamer's "How Nerves of Steal Could Have Been...," I've decided to try making my own. This is an episode that really irritates me, and it's my least favorite episode of Season 3. That's right, it's Arthur and D.W. Clean Up.

The episode begins with Arthur and his friends talking about Happy Crazy Wow Day, which is happening at the park tomorrow. Arthur goes to grab his soccer ball. We see how dirty his room is. Pal gets covered in dirty clothes. Arthur runs down, then his Mom calls him out for having a dirty room and says he has to clean it tonight. Arthur tells her that his friends are waiting, and he'll do it when he's done hanging out with them. Jane enforces this rule: Arthur must clean his room tonight. no ifs, ands, or buts.

And here's where the "What an Idiot" comes in.

What Arthur Should Do: Clean his room as soon as he gets home. There is no downside to him cleaning his room right now. He cleans it, then he can enjoy the rest of the day and go to Happy Crazy Wow Day with his friends.

What Happens Instead: Arthur decides to watch TV instead. Jane catches him and forces him to clean his room.

What Arthur Should Do: Clean his room.

What Happens Instead: He calls Buster and tries to get him to relay a television show over the phone. This does not work out.

What Arthur Should Do: "Buster, I'm busy right now. My mom is making me do work. Can you give me a recap of the episode tomorrow?"

What Happens Instead: Arthur gets binoculars and watches the show through Buster's window. He tells Buster to put the phone by the television set, and remarks "I must be as smart as The Brain!" This plan is foiled when Jane picks up the phone and hears Buster's television. She tells him to work on cleaning his room.

What Arthur Should Do: Stop wasting time and clean his room. He can't really get out of it at this point.

What Happens Instead: Arthur runs downstairs and exclaims that he's going to Happy Crazy Wow Day. Why? Wasn't it supposed to happen tomorrow? There's no indication that this is a new day. Even with the sudden time-skip, Jane tells Arthur that, if he wants to meet Buster, he must clean his room. Jane then tells D.W. to clean her room when she's done eating. David adds that Arthur and D.W. should work together to clean their rooms. Arthur, D.W., and even Jane protest against this!

What David Should Do: Realize that he's outvoted 3-1 and agree that they should clean their rooms separately.

What Happens Instead: "Hear me out on this! It'll go twice as fast!" So now Arthur and D.W. have to work together and clean Arthur's room. D.W. tries to throw away things and Arthur protests.

What Arthur Should Do: If he doesn't want D.W. touching his stuff, give her a different job. Arthur should tell her to straighten the bedsheets or put his clothes in the laundry or do something that won't bother him.

What Happens Instead: Arthur decides that D.W. should go straighten out his things. D.W. starts teasing him and Arthur gets annoyed. They start fighting.

What Arthur and D.W. Should Do: Tell David that this isn't working. Arthur wants to be left alone, and they wouldn't be having this argument in the first place if he hadn't enforced "many hands make light work."

What Happens Instead: David says that they should just talk less. Surprisingly, this works, and Arthur is about to bolt off before D.W. reminds him that they have to do her room. Arthur starts putting her stuffed animals away, and D.W. protests that they have to go in a certain order.

What D.W. Should Do: Just like what Arthur should've done, tell Arthur what he can and can't touch. D.W. should put away the stuffed animals herself if she wants them a certain way.

What Happens Instead: D.W. tells Arthur to go do something else and not touch her stuffed animals. He proceeds to put her buttons and rocks away, but D.W. says that she spent all week arranging them and he should do something else.

What D.W. Should Do: To her, Arthur is just messing stuff up and making things worse. She should either give Arthur a specific job or just tell him to not touch anything.

What Happens Instead: Arthur shoves two winter coats in a dollhouse and speaks in the annoying Seasons 1-3 "angry means slightly louder" voice. D.W. screams and David reinforces "many hands make light work." Again. D.W. must point out that she has something to say three times before Jane lets her join in on the conversation. D.W. states that she wants to clean by herself. Despite David arguing, Jane agrees and lets her clean alone.

The Result: Arthur gets to go to Happy Crazy Wow Day.

Keep in mind that Arthur is aimed at young kids. What kind of moral is that? If you scream and argue and try to cheat out of cleaning your room, you'll get your way in the end. Great thing to teach kids!