Arthur and D.W. Clean Up
Arthur blows off cleaning his room until his parents make him do it the day he wants to go to a festival. They tell him to work with D.W. so that they both get the job done faster.
Tropes for this episode include:
- "Could Have Avoided This!" Plot: David and Jane tell Arthur that if he had cleaned up his room earlier, he wouldn't be missing the festival. And they're right, as he admits at the end.
- Double Standard: Arthur calling for their parents leads to David telling him to work in silence with D.W. D.W. calling for their parents leads to them scolding him for bickering with her. Even though, as Arthur points out, she's not letting him actually clean.
- Here We Go Again!: Mr. Frensky recruits the kids to clean up the festival after it's over. Arthur sighs because he knows how hard it is to work together.
- Jerkass Has a Point: D.W. is technically right about Arthur having no use for a dirty old popsicle stick.
- Pet the Dog: D.W. admits she lets Arthur go because, in addition to him having cooties, she doesn't want him to miss his friends at the park.
- Troll: D.W. gets into Arthur's stuff and teases him about all the things that he keeps. He's much more civil in her room.
The Long, Dull Winter
Arthur is feeling the winter blahs. He decides the kids need to make a new holiday.
Tropes for this episode include:
- Comically Missing the Point:
- Arthur and Buster are watching a movie. They're confused by the movie, until Arthur has an idea to create a new holiday, and exclaims that he and Buster need to tell everyone. Buster asks, "Why do you want to tell everyone we don't understand this movie?"
- As Arthur points out, all the holiday ideas are virtually selfish and not about celebrating something important. Buster wants a holiday dedicated to giving him candy (and only him), Francine wants a day of relaxation (and a big musical number to go with it), and Binky wants non-stop fireworks.
- "Could Have Avoided This!" Plot: The kids all realize it's almost Valentine's Day, and that means the "dry spell" is over. As Buster puts it, time to hit the candy shop!
- Dumbass Has a Point: Binky tells Arthur that he can spend the whole year thinking about what should be celebrated as a hobby.
- I Can't Hear You: Played for laughs. Binky's idea for a holiday calls for nonstop fireworks day and night. When Arthur points out that fireworks can't be seen during the day, Binky figures they could function to drown out anything Mr. Ratburn says. Cue an Imagine Spot of Mr. Ratburn screaming a lesson at the top of his lungs to no avail.
- It's All About Me: The holiday ideas are just things the group wants for themselves. Buster at least subverts it a bit, since while he wants enough candy to gorge on until he's obese, he plans on giving back the candy he's too full to eat.
- Recycled Animation: The movie Arthur and Buster watch in the cinema after coming up with the plan to devise a new holiday features a clip of the building being demolished in "D.W.'s Baby."
- Temporary Bulk Change: In Buster's Imagine Spot, "Give-Me-Candy Day" consists of everyone bringing him enough candy to make him extremely fat. He's seen barely able to waddle afterwards.
