| "Buster's Green Thumb" | |
| Season/Series: | 9 |
|---|---|
| Number in season: | 4a |
| Original airdate: |  December 30, 2004[citation needed] May 12, 2005[1] January 3, 2008[2] |
| Credits | |
| Written by: | Peter K. Hirsch |
| Idea by: | Catherine Lieuwen |
| Storyboard by: | Jeremy O'Neill |
| Episodes | |
| Previous "The Law of the Jungle Gym" |
Next "My Fair Tommy" |
| Read transcript |
"Buster's Green Thumb" is the first half of the fourth episode in the ninth season of Arthur.
Summary[]
Buster discovers gardening, composting, and the thrill of having fresh veggies to give away.
Plot[]
In Buster's food collection, various old bits of food are quarreling, until Bitzi Baxter enters.
Mrs. Baxter throws the old food in the trash (“When I can smell it, it goes in the trash”) and tells Buster to take it to Mr. Langley at the community garden as compost.
Mr. Langley is an older man who talks like a drill sergeant. He tells Buster to check the trash for man made things like bottle caps before putting it on the compost. He also gives Buster fresh tomatoes to give to his mom.
Buster brings tomatoes not just to his mom, but also to Arthur, Mr. Ratburn and Brain. All agree that they are the best tomatoes they have ever tasted. Muffy offers Buster to start a business selling tomato products.
That night, Buster has a dream in which he is a Santa-like superhero (“Captain Pomodoro”) bringing tomatoes to hungry children (Arthur and Brain).
The next morning, Buster goes to get more tomatoes from the community garden and Mr. Langley scolds him for taking too many. Buster decides not to go there anymore and Arthur suggests growing his own tomato plant.
Buster buys a tomato plant and names it Tom. He plants it in his garden, but after five days, the plant appears to have died. Buster takes the plant to Mr. Langley, who says it's been over-watered but he thinks it might still be alive. They help each other to revive "Tom" and they become friends.
At the pool, Muffy asks for more tomatoes for her business. She has already sold a bottle of tomato suntan lotion to Emily (who seems less than thrilled). Buster tells her that tomatoes need time to grow and asks his friends for a favor.
A few days later, Buster's friends and Mr. Ratburn are tending the community garden under the command of Mr. Langley. They have pasta with homemade tomato sauce and garlic bread.
Characters[]
Major[]
Minor[]
Cameo[]
- Bailey
- D.W. Read
- Binky Barnes
- Ms. Albright
- Pal
- Emily Leduc
- Marie-Hélène
- Sue Ellen Armstrong
- Beulah McInnerny
- 3rd Grade Male Dog (Number 3)
- Jessica
- Jane Read
- Unknown Female Adult Rabbit (Number 4)
Trivia[]
- This is the first appearance of the Community Gardens.
Episode connections[]
- Ray (the pizza slice kept in Buster's collection) might have been part of the same pizza previously seen in "Castles in the Sky."
- The banana mentions being part of Buster's collection since Baxter Day, which was celebrated in "Arthur's Perfect Christmas."
- Captain Pomodoro is mistaken for Buster's other alter egos "Cat Saver" and "Piano Tamer" from "Buster Baxter, Cat Saver."
Cultural references[]
- The name of the doughnut in Buster's food collection, Duncan, is a reference to Dunkin' Donuts.
- Pomodoro is Italian for "tomato". Ragù is an Italian meat-based sauce which may contain tomatoes. Plum, Cherry, Beefsteak, Vine-Ripe, Heirloom and Jersey are various kinds of tomatoes.
- Fritz's tomato plants were named Douglas, George, Dwight and Mamie. These are likely references to Douglas MacArthur, George C. Marshall, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Mamie Eisenhower.
Errors[]
- When Buster buys a tomato plant, there are a couple of young green fruits growing on the plant, but when the plant dies, Buster says "It's been five days and there isn't even a sign of a tomato."
- When Arthur tastes Buster's tomatoes, Arthur's outfit switches from his yellow summer t-shirt, to his usual yellow sweater, and back to the t-shirt.
Home Video[]
DVD[]
Gallery[]
- Main article: Buster's Green Thumb/Gallery
References[]
- ↑ Arthur. TVO. Archived from the original on July 19, 2013.
- ↑ https://www.fernsehserien.de/erdferkel-arthur-und-seine-freunde/episodenguide/staffel-9/3906