Comments by: George4Browne, TheHyeCircus, and Dave.
That's a Baby Show! |
Episode #410"My Music Rules" / "That's a Baby Show!" |
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Synopsis by George4Browne -- My second review! Guess that makes me a veteran. ;)
Comments by: George4Browne, TheHyeCircus, and Dave. |
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The first face we see for this episode is Mary Moocow (how delightful). If this is Mary Moocow, there's something very odd though because it's definitely Arthur's room that she's in.
Mary Moocow: Hello boys and girls! I'm Mary Moocow! And it's time for fun! Can you spell "fun?"
As with any sort of exercise like this, there are a couple of unstated questions:
Three cat-heads pop-up on Arthur's bed. Mary Moocow starts singing.
The best word I know is
F-U-N!
F-U-N spells fun!
The cat puppets hold up the letters in the word fun. First a dark blue F, then a pink upside-down U (the puppet notices this and fixes the error), and finally a light-blue N. Mary Moo Cow continues.
I like
F-U-N
F-U-N
F-U-N
Let's spell it again!
F-U-N
F-U-N
F-U-N spells...
Mary Moocow is finally cut off by Arthur (in the background), who's realized that something is up. "Hold it! Stop the music!" he yells, and then races into his room, pointing at Mary Moocow. Arthur is quite animated and angry. He demands of Mary Moocow, "What are you doing in my room!?" Mary Moocow isn't fazed. She has a show to do. The music resumes...
F-U-N
F-U-N...Arthur: (covering his ears, having coniptions) Argh! Stop it!
Arthur runs to a group of musicians seated in his room. There's a male-donkey, a female-cat, a male-pig, and one animal that maybe is a horse.
A horse is a horse, of course, of course... oh sorry.
It's obviously a male horse-person, the first one on the show to my knowledge. I say we need more of them. :)
He chases them out, but someone else walks in that's certain to annoy him even more -- D.W.
D.W.: Are they done already!?Arthur: (pointing to Mary) Did you let the cow in my room?
Nooooo, surely not. The star character of D.W.'s favorite television show just happened to decide that Arthur's room would be a great place for an impromptu concert. D.W. had no knowledge of it whatsoever.
D.W.: (who's beginning to walk out) Maybe.Arthur: What are you doing here anyway? This is when I get to talk!
D.W.: I'm tired of you talking! Let's hear from someone new!
Arthur: (blocking D.W. from leaving) No way! Mary Moocow is a baby show!
D.W.: I like it! If I like it, maybe other kids like it!
Arthur: (clearly aggravated, covering the camera with his hand) That's a baby show!
I know I'm always complaining, but does it rub anyone the wrong way the way Arthur is more and more aware that he's in a television show during the teasers? It just somehow seems wrong. In other seasons, it's an occasional joke, and I like that, but I think it's been overdone lately, especially in the fifth season. Sure it's amusing the first time -- and apparently the movie 'Shrek' uses this to great effect, but on Arthur, it feels ever so slightly out of place. :)
| * * * That's a Baby Show! * * * |
Storyboard by: Robert Yap |
Arthur's climbing up to his treehouse, where his friends, Buster and Francine, have already made themselves comfortable. They're talking about a new television show called "Dark Bunny." Arthur's never heard of this show before, which shocks Buster and Francine. They (actually mainly Buster) explain the show to Arthur. We see the cartoon as they explain. Basically, Dark Bunny's a cousin of Bionic Bunny who lives on the dark side of town. He has an 'action tube' which he can launch down to become (da dum!) Dark Bunny.
Dark Bunny's basically the Arthur universe's equivalent of the Batman cartoons.
Arthur promises that he'll watch the show. Any guesses as to how that'll go? An outline of Dark Bunny zooms in and fills the screen, then we're taken to Arthur's house.
Here we go with the spooky large heads again like back in the Jekyll and Hyde song in #31102- "Arthur's Almost Live Not Real Music Festival". Unlike in that episode and others, this time it doesn't connotate evil, so much as a premonition of trouble to come.
* * *
We see Mom with Baby Kate. The music of Mary Moocow is playing the background. Mom asks Arthur if he's going to bother D.W. about Mary Moocow, and he says no. Turns out he means it too. He plops down on the couch. He ends up getting into an argument with D.W. anyway because he tells her that he's going to watch "Dark Bunny" after "Mary Moocow" and D.W. tells him that he can't because it "scares her." Arthur realizes that the discussion is going nowhere.
Arthur: Mom!Mom: In the kitchen!
Arthur: Mom!
Mom: In the kitchen!
Finally Arthur and Mom meet and Arthur is able to lodge his complaint.
I find this quite humorous as this is how stuff often goes around my house. Mom! Moooooom!
Arthur begins babbling a lot of "You said, D.W. said" to his mother. Of course, the basic point is
that he wants to see "Dark Bunny" and is satisfied with the response. He returns to D.W., announces, "Mom said I
can watch 'Dark Bunny' after your baby show ends," and plops down with a comic book. They begin arguing.
Arthur thinks that "Mary Moocow" is a baby show because it's always the same. D.W.'s not impressed in the least.
She has her own take on everything "Bubonic Bunny":
D.W.: There's trouble and no one calls Bubonic Bunny. Things get worse. They call Bubonic Bunny. He fixes it. Big whoop!
:) Yup. D.W.'s pretty much right. This is pretty much the standard format of most of these types of shows. One wonders why they get so many viewers...
Arthur looks defeated by this explanation. D.W.'s not done yet though. "Mom! Mom! Mom..." Mom's still in the kitchen, and she tells D.W. to do something else while Arthur's watching 'Dark Bunny'. She tells Arthur that she's going to color and that the show that's really a 'baby show' comes on after 'Mary Moocow' -- the 'Love Ducks'.
D.W.: Blech!
D.W. leaves, but her talking has distracted Arthur from changing the channel.
'The Love Ducks' begins, with the ducks quacking along to what my captions say is the 'Toreador's Song' from Bizet's 'Carmen'.
Narrator: Hello Love Ducks.The intro scenes for the 'Love Ducks' play. The images are very weird and psychedelic. It's also a transparent 'Teletubbies' parody! We see the Love Ducks (animated yellow, purple, green, and red rubber-duckie type ducks) swirling in a circle, streaming past a pulsing psychedelic flower (like something out of the 1960s) and more. Finally, there's Arthur. He's got that zombie look in his eyes, and there's a pulsating green filling his glasses. He declares, "This is so weird! I like it!" Some time passes, and we see the Love Ducks swimming in a pool, and then floating off towards a rainbow.
Narrator: Goodbye Love Ducks, goodbye!
D.W. comes in and asks Arthur if it was scary. He's completely hypnotized and responds in a droning voice, "It was cool."
Arthur must be very hypnotized because he switches off the TV without changing the channel. If D.W. were to turn on the TV, he'd be caught.
We see Arthur walking away.
* * *
The scene fades to Lakewood Elementary. Of course, Buster can't help but start right in.
Buster: Was 'Dark Bunny' cool or what?
Arthur says that he missed it, and blames D.W.. Luckily, this is no big deal with Buster.
Buster: You'll get to see it tomorrow, right?
No response from Arthur.
* * * A Love Duck zooms by the screen...
...and takes us to the credits of Mary Moocow. There's a blue background with stars, and Mary Moocow is jumping over a crescent moon. The Mary Moocow show is just coming to an end.
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Here are the credits of Mary Moocow. These were very problematic to get down, as they run very fast and the last few names are only shown for a split-second. I've recorded them as best I can. Mary Moocow's got quite a crew, and some of the names are very revealing. I've bolded the ones I think are of special interest.
This is certainly very revealing. Now we know that Mary Moocow "is not a crook." I wonder who else Mary Moocow has working for her that's not listed on the credits.
These names, (apart from the joke ones?) really must mean something, at least some of them... otherwise, why bother?
Enguan Xu's come up before, at least "Enguan" has...
The large number of French surnames makes me wonder if these are perhaps the names of Cinar animators... |
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D.W.'s concerned.
D.W.: Don't turn on that 'Dark Bunny' until I'm out of the room! She runs out of the room. Arthur's moves his hand forward like he's about to change the channel.
Narrator: Hello Love Ducks. So much for that idea. We see the image of the 'Love Ducks' logo backwards on Arthur's glasses. |  |
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* * *
Meanwhile, Buster's watching 'Dark Bunny'. There's some kind of squid creature, the "Doctorpus" as it turns out -- an octopus who got a degree -- taking hold of Dark Bunny. Buster cries "Get away!" but it's too late.
Ever found yourself doing this? Of course it's usually with the voice of reason themself sitting next to you: "You know, they can't hear you."
The shot moves away from the TV screen to Francine. She's watching as well, and she can't bear it. She covers her eyes. "No!" Her sister Catherine is studying a book and sighs, "Oh brother."
* * * The Dark Bunny head zooms in and out again...
...taking us back to the 'Love Ducks'.
Narrator: Good-bye Love Ducks. Goodbye.
Arthur cuts the television off.
Arthur: Okay D.W., you can come in now!
* * * The yellow Love Duck sails past the screen. "Quack!"
Buster, Francine, and Arthur are on a swingset. Francine and Buster are discussing/arguing 'Dark Bunny'. They ask for Arthur's input, and when he starts sputtering, and is unable to hold his own in the conversation, they stomp off.
Arthur laments: Today I'm definitely watching 'Dark Bunny'.
* * * The Dark Bunny head zooms in and out again...
...and the next words we hear are...
Drumroll please...
Narrator: Goodbye Love Ducks...
D.W. walks in carrying a book, 'The Red Dog'. (As seen in #40101- "D.W.'s Library Card".) Arthur's gotten a bit smarter at concealing his love of animated ducks -- he changes the channel.
Announcer: Brought to you by the Dark Bunny Comic Company.
D.W. says that Arthur shouldn't watch scary stuff because he's getting jumpy and nervous. Arthur says he's not.
* * * Scene change by means of a spinning wheel of the four Love Ducks.
Now Arthur and Buster are playing checkers in the treehouse. Brain's there, reading a book. Buster announces that he missed 'Dark Bunny' because his baby sister had watch the 'Love Ducks'. Brain bashes the 'Love Ducks' and then Arthur breaks down and starts defending it.
Arthur, Arthur, Arthur. Self-control. You won't have any secrets soon if you keep doing this!
Arthur manages to get himself out of the jam by saying that he's seen it before because he has a baby sister.
Arthur's a bad liar. Good thing Buster's an easy sucker.
* * *
Next we see Arthur in a store. He's in a brown trenchcoat, covering his mouth. He asks a cashier, who looks like something out of "Beavis and Butthead", if they have any copies of the 'Love Ducks' CD?
Cashier-Rabbit: (getting on a store-mike) Do we have any copies of the 'Love Ducks' CD for this boy?!People in the store stare at Arthur.
Arthur: I have a baby sister!
Right. Why hasn't Arthur thought of that excuse before? It woulda saved him a lot of worry, like when he thinks that if he checks out any "baby books" it'll go on his permanent record in #40101- D.W.'s Library Card and when he was looking for D.W.'s blankie in #12701 - "D.W.'s Blankie"...
* * *
Sometime, and as we'll see in a bit, this must a be a while later, Francine and Buster are talking about 'Dark Bunny' going home from school. Arthur chimes in, "Yeah, that's a good part!" and starts to walk off. Asked if he wants to play soccer, he says that he has to watch 'Dark Bunny' and is informed that it was moved to Saturday a week ago.
Arthur comes up with another excuse.
Arthur: I have to get home and, um, help my Dad butter toast!
Smooth, very smooth, Arthur. :D
* * *
Arthur gets home and starts watching the 'Love Ducks'. Francine and Buster arrive, and Buster just wants to return a book, but Arthur ends up starting a huge fiasco because he's supposedly watching 'Love Ducks' with his baby sister, but she's escaped. "Kate, where are you!?" Buster finally returns the book and he and Francine start to walk off. Buster stops to imitate a duck. "Quack quack!"
The next day at school, Arthur finds a purple love duck taped to his locker. He trashes it, walks into class, and asks Buster and Francine not to say anything about his watching the 'Love Ducks'.
Francine: (loud, so everyone can hear) I won't say anything about your watching 'Love Ducks' every day!
Binky chimes in.
Binky: The 'Love Ducks!' What did you learn this week Arthur? Where your nose is?!
Everyone laughs, except Arthur.As Arthur leaves the school, Buster puts his hand on Arthur's shoulder.
Buster: You like you need a double-chocolate shake -- or two!
* * *
As Arthur and Buster walk along, Arthur laments that he doesn't think he can ever go to school again. Buster's been drawn in by a store display though. He wants to know what it is, and Arthur explains dejectedly that it's the 'Love Ducks'. They go inside the store, and we hear the ducks quacking to "Beethoven's Fifth." Buster buys a "Love Ducks" CD and gets subjected to the same treatment as Arthur in the store.
Back at the school, Francine asks Arthur, "You don't blame me because you like a baby show, do you?" Arthur's got an ally now though, Buster. He pulls up his shirt to reveal a picture of the 'Love Ducks', much like Arthur had a logo underneath his shirt in #30102 - "The Ballad of Buster Baxter" when he had 'Klesbemania.'
* * *
Later that day, the gang is gathered around a boombox in a field near the playground. They're in a circle listening to music from 'Love Ducks'. Francine and Prunella are at the ends of the circle at the lower left of the screen. Starting from Francine and going clockwise, there's:
Buster: Weird, huh?George: I've been watching it every day for a year.
Of course.
Where was George when Arthur needed him? Probably rushing off somewhere with his sleeves rolled up, I'll wager...
* * *
Now they're at Arthur's house. Somebody, I think Arthur says, "I told you it was cool!" Francine shoots back, "This isn't as cool as the one where they quack 'The Nutcracker Suite'!" Everyone gives Francine an odd look, and she's forced to do some excuse-making of her own.
Francine: It's cool right. So why shouldn't I watch it? Sometimes? Every once in a while? Every day?
Baby Kate, held by Arthur, moves Buster's ear to get a better view. ;)
END.
(This was the last story on the video I got from the library, so after this, it moved to the end credits. I had my captions on, and when the credits started they said "jazz version of 'Crazy Bus' playing." It then showed all the lyrics for 'Crazy Bus'. Somebody was having themself some fun. This actually isn't the first time I've seen this. One time I was watching 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' and the actual dialogue was "All hands prepare for saucer separation" but the caption said "All hands prepare for Happy Birthday.")
The jazz version of 'Crazy Bus' comes from the episode that's paired up with this one, #41001 - "My Music Rules".
Well, thanks again to my library for having the "Arthur Goes to Hollywood" video available for me to check out. Having said that, don't be a moocher, go buy the video. ;)
Animated scene-changing wipes
George4Browne made a special effort to note the animated scene changes in this episode, something I've never
bothered with. They're typically related to the topic at hand... in #22001 -
"How the Cookie Crumbles", they use falling cookies for some of the scene changes.
Well, I mentioned closed captioned above. "Closed captioning--- it's not just for the deaf anymore."
Actually, I've found that this little TV feature is actually quite helpful. It lets you catch stuff if it's being spoken rather fast, or in a
weird voice, etc. I've also noticed that on some shows it'll show dialogue that's inaudible or maybe deleted from the script.
Some of you may remember Poll #4, where you voted your opinions on certain subjects related to 'Arthur'.
The Old Poll archives show that "I Love 'Love Ducks'" got 20% while "'Love Ducks' Is a
Baby Show" got 80%. So I'm sure you're all just dying to find out my opinion. Well, I like some of the graphics, but the
rest of the show is pretty stupid. There really didn't seem to be any plotline, probably even worse than the 'Teletubbies'.
Also, I like music better when it's not quacked.
Gee, you don't suppose the writers are trying to make a point here, do ya? Actually, my Mom's declared 'Arthur' a "baby show",
although I plan to set the record straight. 'Teletubbies' actually isn't completely bad, um er, I mean, um, when I saw
the 'Teletubbies' once with my younger sister it wasn't that bad. Well, actually, and the truth this time, my sister, who's actually just
a couple years younger than me was watching the 'Teletubbies' a couple years back, and I watched it too for a bit. Like 'Arthur',
the 'Teletubbies' have plenty of online clubs.
Teletubbies Rock and Teletubbies Rule are just
some. They don't look very active though.
Anyway, it's confession time. What other "baby shows" are you guys watching other than 'Arthur'? You'll probably think I'm lying,
but 'Arthur' is actually the only 'kids show' I'm watching right now. Looking around at what's been happening to some of the shows, I
really start to wonder about what's going to happen to our youth pretty soon.
Closed Captioning
The Love Ducks
...No one noticed that the Love Ducks have teeth?
Baby Shows
I figured that this episode would make some kind of point that just because you liked a 'baby show', it didn't mean you had to be shunned, that everyone could have their own opinions and quirky interests. Instead, Arthur indoctrinates all his friends into following the show. Even worse, 'Love Ducks' doesn't win Arthur over with it's storyline, but in that it produces a druglike effect on him. :) This episode reminds me of both the episode 'The Game' from ST:TNG and the Poogles episode... #30701 - "Arthur Rides the Bandwagon".
That's about all. The next thing down the pike from me will probably be a book review or something from the soapbox as I don't believe there are commercially available videos for any of the Season Five episodes yet.