Arthur Wiki
Register
Advertisement
"Bully for Binky"
Season/Series: 1
Number in season: 23a
Original Airdate: United States November 6, 1996[1]
United Kingdom December 23, 1999
Germany January 14, 2002[2]
Credits
Written by: Joe Fallon
Storyboard by: Gerry Capelle
Episodes
Previous
"Team Trouble"
Next
"Misfortune Teller"
Read transcript

"Bully for Binky" is the first half of the twenty-third episode in the first season of Arthur.

Summary

Binky gets a taste of his own medicine when someone finally stands up to his bullying.

Plot

As Binky goes about bullying the other kids at Lakewood Elementary School, Arthur explains how Binky's been the biggest bully at their school, going back to preschool.

Arthur then notes how Binky doesn't even take a day off during holidays, noting how when watching a parade with Buster, Binky pushed them out of the way and stood in a position that didn't allow Arthur and Buster to be able to see the parade. Arthur asks the viewers what to do against a bully that's also so huge.

Bully for Binky

Arthur and his friends discuss their "Binky problem" in the library as Binky whizzes through riding a ladder. Arthur says they need some kind of anti-Binky plan, and when Brain examines Binky, he notes that he's strong and that his cumbersome feet root him very solidly to the ground. Arthur says that Binky's like a tree, except without the birds, and Buster brings up the fact that Binky can also chase after someone. Francine notes that they can't think of any potential weaknesses.

Binky bullies the other kids during a basketball game, during which Arthur and his friends are thinking of ways to stop Binky from bullying them. While Binky's shooting hoops, one of the shots bounces off the backboard and hits Sue Ellen, who is jumping rope. Binky then mocks Sue Ellen, who angrily calls Binky an oaf and eventually demands he apologize to her for what he did. Binky eventually says, "Apologize? Maybe you'd rather fight me!" to which Sue Ellen calmly agrees to, much to everyone's shock. Sue Ellen repeats herself and says that she's not going to let some bully push her and her friends around. As a distraction, Buster exclaims "Halley's comet!" Binky looks around, only to find out that the gang has run away.

At the kids' music class, Ms. Krasny gives them pieces for the school's upcoming music recital, most of which are duets. Francine (who plays the drums) and Buster (who plays the tuba) ask to be assigned to a duet but Ms. Krasny is not impressed with their duet and assigns Binky (who plays the clarinet) and Sue Ellen (who plays the alto sax) to a duet. Arthur notices that Binky seems kind of scared of Sue Ellen, who whispers something to Binky.

After school, Binky leaves with Rattles and Molly. When Rattles doesn't see Sue Ellen anywhere, Molly suggests that she was too scared of Binky to go through with the fight. However, Binky reveals that Sue Ellen wasn't able to come because she had a Tae Kwon Do-class (which was apparently what she whispered to Binky about in their music class). When it becomes clear that Binky has no idea what Tae Kwon Do (in fact, he assumes it's a style of cooking from Korea), Molly explains that it's a type of martial arts from Korea and shows him and Rattles a taekwondo-presentation on TV. Upon learning what taekwondo actually is, Binky starts getting worried (especially after he sees a woman on TV destroy a car using her taekwondo skills).

At the school cafeteria, while Binky tries to steal Buster's frozen yogurt, Sue Ellen reminds him to meet her at 3:00. Outside of the school, when that time has arrived, Binky imagines Sue Ellen kicking a basketball pole, causing it to fall. Binky backs away, and says that he'll deal with her on Monday. While he watches a movie with Molly and Rattles, Sue Ellen appears from behind Binky and tells him that she had been waiting for him that afternoon. Rattles assures her Binky will be ready to fight her on Monday. Molly warns her about what happened to the last person Binky fought, but she and Rattles both can't actually remember when Binky last fought someone.

On Monday afternoon, Sue Ellen is waiting and wondering why Binky hasn't shown up yet. Arthur explains that Binky's volunteering to clap erasers after school. After hearing this, Sue Ellen questions what happened to the last kid Binky got into a fight with, to which Arthur admits that he doesn't know. This makes Francine realize something and she asks a very important question about Binky: has he ever actually physically fought someone?

Sue Ellen gets tired of waiting and eventually leaves to go home, and not long after, Binky finally shows up. Francine tells him that Sue Ellen thinks that he's scared to go through with fighting her. Binky tries threatening Francine by challenging her to a fight, but admits that he wants to talk to her and Arthur. Later on, Binky admits something to Arthur and Francine that Molly and Rattles don't know (and he doesn't want them to find out): he's never physically fought anyone and whenever he actually would challenge someone to a fight, they always ran away because they were too scared of Binky to go through it. Francine notes that Binky probably wouldn't have this problem if he wasn't always going around bullying the other students, to which Binky simply replies that it's what he's good at. Francine suggests that Binky should channel his energy into something less destructive and something more constructive/artistic, like music. Binky misunderstands this and says it's a good idea for humiliating Sue Ellen.

At the recital, Binky says that before they begin their classical piece, they will play improvisational jazz. Binky then plays his clarinet, to which the audience applauds. Then, Sue Ellen plays her alto sax, which the people enjoy even more than Binky's clarinet. Binky walks off the stage and goes outside. Arthur tells him that everybody is looking for him. Binky says that Sue Ellen had beat him. Arthur then tells him that beating everybody isn't the most important thing. Arthur says that they actually like him, and together, he and Sue Ellen sounded the best of anyone. Binky goes back and plays the rest of the song with Sue Ellen.

The next day, Binky tries to steal a donut from Alex, only to find out that Sue Ellen is there, so he gives the donut back to Alex (saying he was "just checking for harmful objects"). Arthur tells the viewers that there is one solution to the anti-Binky problem, and shows them a drawing of Sue Ellen.

Characters

Major

Minor

Cameo

Trivia

  • At the end of the 2000 rerun intro on PBS Kids before this episode, Arthur’s crashing sound changes to pots and pans.
  • According to this episode, Binky and Arthur apparently went to preschool together.
  • This episode takes place shortly after "Sue Ellen Moves In", judging by Francine's comment.
  • If you listen closely, you can hear exactly what Sue Ellen is whispering to Binky as an excuse ("Um, Binky, I'm not going to be able to come because I've got Tae Kwon Do. Sorry.").
  • Sue Ellen has a Tae Kwon Do watch.
  • First appearance of Ms. Krasny, the music director/teacher for Lakewood Elementary School.
  • In the Audio Descriptive version, Rattles and Molly are two of Binky's tough friends.
  • Despite his fearsome reputation as a bully, it's revealed that Binky has never actually physically fought anyone he's challenged to a fight--prior to Sue Ellen, everyone else was too scared of Binky to go through with it and ended up running away.

Errors

923620A6-5049-4A04-AEC3-1352CAF1C5AC
  • When Binky and Sue Ellen play their final piece, another Binky is shown in the audience.
  • When Binky took out the white crayon from the bucket, the red crayon is in the former place of the white one.
  • This episode indicates that Binky and Arthur were in the same preschool class. However, Binky wasn't held back until having to repeat third grade. When Arthur was in preschool, Binky would've been in kindergarten.

Home Video

DVD

Gallery

Main article: Bully for Binky/Gallery

References


Advertisement