Grandpa Dave's Memory Album
Grandpa Dave is moving closer to the Reads but is beginning to get a brain condition that worsens his memory, so Arthur and D.W. decide to make a memory album for him. Joan Rivers returns as Francine's Bubbe who lets Arthur know Dave still loves him just the same.
Tropes:
- Call-Back: Bubby mentions the events of "Is That Kosher?", questioning why Arthur didn’t just move the date when he knew Francine was trying to fast.
- Cool Old Lady: Francine’s Bubbe is straightforward, but very funny, caring, and helpful. She comforts Arthur about his grandfather’s memory loss and is happy to go over to the Reads’ house to reminisce with Grandpa Dave. She IS voiced by Joan Rivers, after all.
- Foreshadowing: Audience members who are familiar with Alzheimer’s will see the signs before Grandpa Dave even tells the kids, including thinking the Reads’ car was new, forgetting that he was playing a game of hide & seek with the kids, and even not being able to remember Arthur’s name.
- Rambling Old Woman Monologue: Bubbe gives one of these in the episode’s Cold Open, so much so that the show’s producers have to cut her off.
- Very Special Episode: This episode deals with Arthur and D.W.’s Grandpa Dave beginning to lose his memory, a situation that many kids may have to experience with their own grandparents.
Buster's Carpool Catastrophe
Arthur, Buster and Muffy carpool to a cooking class and Buster wants it to be a fun carpool, but every trip seems to be a disaster.
Tropes:
- The Alleged Car: It could certainly be worse, but Mrs. Baxter’s car is far from what Muffy is used to with her chauffeured limo. The doors stick, the backseat is dirty, and the air conditioning doesn’t work very well.
- Chaotic Car Ride: Between the Baxters’ car issues and the kids fighting, to call Buster’s carpool chaotic would be an understatement.
- French Cuisine Is Haughty: The chef who is teaching the kids’ cooking class is French and clearly cares deeply about his craft. He looks down on unhealthy junk foods and holds his students to a high standard.
- Know-Nothing Know-It-All: Muffy thinks of herself as a master chef, despite the fact that her idea of making fettuccine alfredo is to find a good Italian restaurant.
- Tempting Fate: Muffy thinks they’re actually going to be early for their cooking class and immediately afterwards, the Baxters’ car gets a flat tire.
