Introduction
The third-graders sit in school with a math test in front of them. Buster makes funny shapes with his ears.
Arthur: With the quiz only thirty seconds away, you might think Buster would be nervous. Luckily, Buster always stays on top of his homework.
Flashback: Buster sleeps on his bed surrounded by homework.
Flashback: Muffy works on a test. A piece of paper hits her.
Muffy: Ow! Buster throws another piece of paper and hits Maria.
Arthur (narrator): He likes to bounce ideas off his friends.
Flashback: Arthur sits down at a table in the library. He opens a book and finds peanuts inside.
Arthur (narrator): And Buster usually finds something interesting in what he's reading.
Miss Sweetwater: Shhh!
The flashbacks end.
Arthur: But there's just one thing that Buster forgot to do for this quiz.
Mr. Ratburn: Begin.
Arthur: Study!
Title Card: Buster Roars (Elephant)
Mr. Ratburn gives back the tests.
Mr. Ratburn: Miss Frensky...superb. Miss Crosswire...not bad. Mr. Read... review those multiplication tables. Buster?
Buster: Oh. He looks downhearted at his test.
Mr. Raturn: I'm sure you all remember that next Friday we will have a test on everything we’ve learned this year…
Class: Aww.
Mr. Raturn: …so be sure to study this weekend. Class dismissed.
The bell rings. The kids walk out.
Mr. Ratburn: Oh, Mr. Baxter. Would you please stop by Principal Haney's office? There's something we'd like to discuss with you. Buster’s ears droop.
Buster: (gulps)
#
Buster walks to the principal’s office and knocks on the door..
Mr. Haney: Come in. Buster nervously looks in, but brightens up immediately
Buster: Mom! Grandma! What are your guys doing here?
Mrs. Baxter: It's nothing to worry about, dear. (sobs) Grandma Baxter comforts her.
Mr. Haney: Really, Mrs. Baxter, it's not as bad as... He offers Buster a handkerchief and Mrs. Baxter a lollypop. Although, this is serious, very serious, but nothing a little elbow grease… a lot of elbow grease… can't fix...hopefully. Sit down, Buster.
#
Buster walks down a street with Arthur, Francine and Muffy.
Buster: Then Mr. Ratburn said I had to get a "B" on the test next week or else... He jumps on a bench and imitates Mr. Haney. "You won't have the pleasure of joining your friends in the fourth grade!"
Francine: What?? That's terrible, Buster!
Arthur: How could we possibly go to the fourth grade without you?
Buster: Well, how am I ever gonna get a "B"? I can barely name the thirty states of America!
Muffy: Buster, there are fifty states!
Buster: See how dumb I am? Oh, it's hopeless.
#
Buster walks into the Sugar Bowl where Alex, Jenna and George are sitting at the bar. Arthur, Francine and Muffy are sitting at a table.
Jenna: Hey Buster, how's it going? Grab a stool.
Buster: Hi, gang.
Francine: Look, he's not even worried.
Muffy: I don't think Buster’s ever gonna get out of third grade.
Arthur imagines an adult Buster sitting in old Mr. Ratburn’s class and making shapes with his ears.
Mr. Ratburn: Mr. Baxter! If a boy in third grade is eight years old, how old will he be if he repeats it thirty-three times?
Buster: Uh... I don't know.
Mr. Ratburn: (sighs) Well, there's always next year.
The fantasy ends.
Muffy: What are we gonna do? Arthur sees Binky walk by outside.
Arthur: Wait! I know just the person to help us. Come on! He runs out with Francine and Muffy.
Arthur, Francine and Muffy talk to Binky outside the Sugar Bowl.
Binky: You want me to help Buster study? You're kidding, right?
Arthur: Well, we figured if anybody knew about getting held back, Binky, it was you.
Binky: Hey, that's right! I'm an expert. And I know just what Buster needs!
#
Binky plays a video game at the arcade. Francine, Muffy and Arthur watch.
Binky: What Buster needs is a tutor.
Francine: What's a tutor?
Binky: A private teacher. Mine's Mr. Bagelman. He comes every week and helps me study.
Muffy: Binky, that's perfect! You're a genius! She hugs Binky who looks uncomfortable.
#
Arthur, Francine, Muffy, Binky, George and Alex stand around Buster in front of the Sugar Bowl.
Buster: Tutor, huh? Sounds like a great idea, guys. Hey, we're on our way to play kickball. Come on! He leaves with George and Alex.
Muffy: It's never gonna work, is it?
Francine: Not unless we can find a teacher who knows how to play kickball.
Arthur: Hold it, are you guys thinking what I'm thinking?
Binky: We just pound him?
Arthur: No. Maybe all Buster needs is somebody his own age.
Francine: You mean all of us can be Buster's tutors?
Kids: Yeah.
#
Buster sleeps in his bed.
Mrs Baxter: Buster, wake up. She takes his stuffed cat away.
Buster: Huh?
Mrs Baxter: Your English tutor is here. Buster jumps out of bed and sees Arthur standing in the door with a book.
Buster: Oh. (chuckles) It's just you, Arthur.
Mrs Baxter: Well, I'll leave you two to your work. She goes out.
Buster: Hey Arthur, good plan! You fooled her completely. If we hurry, we can get to the park before the game starts. He gets a baseball bat from under the bed and is about to open the window.
Arthur: We're not going to the park today, Buster.
Buster: What?
Arthur: Get your books. We're gonna study.
Buster: Study??
#
(Arthur is in Buster's bed reading. Buster is asleep at his desk.)
Arthur: Buster, wake up.
Buster: What?
Arthur: You fell asleep again!
Buster: Oh, sorry.
(Buster falls asleep again)
Arthur: Buster!
Buster: What?
Arthur: You've got to stay awake! This book is on the test and you barely read a single chapter.
Buster: Oh, it's this room, Arthur. It makes me sleepy. Maybe if we studied outside.
(Buster and Arthur are outside reading)
Umpire: You're out!
Arthur: Buster, you're not paying attention.
Buster: Sure I am. He was safe!
Arthur: Paying attention to the book, Buster.
Buster: Oh yeah, right. It's just so hard to keep my eyes on the page. Hey, I know! Why don't you read to me?
Arthur: All right. Chapter One: "Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting on the bank and of having nothing to do." She's just like you, Buster. Buster?
(Buster is arguing with the umpire)
Buster: What do you mean? He was safe!
Umpire: He's out!
(Cut to the school cafeteria)
Arthur: It's no use. Buster's just not interested in studying.
Francine: He's not even worried about the big test.
Muffy: Of course not. The only thing Buster worries about is if he's going to get seconds for dessert.
(Cut to the school playground)
Francine: Muffy and I bought a bag of double-dipped peanut fudge to help teach you division.
Muffy: And they weren't cheap, so you better get everything right.
(Francine dumps the fudge onto the grass)
Francine: There are 20 pieces here. Now if you and I were going to split them, how many would we each get?
(Buster pushes some fudge in his direction)
Francine: Right. That's dividing by two. Now, let's say you wanted to divide them by three - Muffy, you and me.
(Buster pushes some of Fracine's fudge towards Muffy)
Muffy: Wrong!
Fracine: No, Buster. You see, now you have more than Muffy and me. It's not equal.
Buster: Oh.
(Buster eats a piece of his fudge)
Buster: Is it equal now?
Muffy: Wrong.
Francine: No, it's not.
Buster: Well, then.
(Buster eats a piece of Muffy's fudge)
Buster: How about now?
Muffy: F, Mr Baxter! I give you an F!
(Cut to the jungle gym)
Muffy: It's time to take drastic action.
Binky: He's hopeless. Leave it to me, I know how to make him pay attention.
(Cut to Buster, who is wearing glasses, tied to a tree)
Binky: (reading from a book) "In 1776, Thomas Jefferson, who later became third President of the US, wrote the Declaration of Independence."
(Buster snores. Binky takes off his glasses to see that he is actually asleep)
Binky: Buster!
(Mr. Ratburn is writing tests in the classroom)
(Buster writes "17 x 17 = 289" on a chalkboard)
Buster: Thank you, thank you! It was nothing!
(A calculator falls out of Buster's shirt)
Buster: Whoops!
Muffy and Francine: Buster!
(Mr. Ratburn goes to staple the tests)
Buster: Colorado, Utah, Nevada and... California.
(Buster is looking at a map)
Arthur: Buster!
(Cut to the Sugar Bowl)
Buster: (sobs) Aw, I'm doomed.
Arthur: Well, at least you still have tonight.
Buster: To learn everything!
Binky: Don't worry Buster, third grade's a lot easier the second time around. Or the third.
(Arthur and Buster are walking down the street)
Arthur: Just remember, Buster, I'll always be your friend. Even when the other fourth graders are picking on you.
Buster: Thanks.
Arthur: And we'll still get to see each other in the lunch line.
Buster: I guess.
Arthur: I'm sure going to miss you. So long.
(Buster remembers what Binky told him)
Binky: Third grade's a lot easier the second time around...or the third.
(Fade in to Buster's imagination)
Buster: Hey, I'm here to see the principal.
(Arthur is the principal)
Arthur: Ah, Buster, I have good news.
Buster: I can move on to the fourth grade, Arthur?
Arthur: No, but where you'll be going, you can nap and play all day. Preschool, Buster!
Buster: Please, Arthur, don't do it! I can do better. I know I can. I know I can!
(Fade out)
Buster: I know I can!
(Buster is in his room writing. He puts his calculator in a drawer. He starts pacing around the dining room)
Buster: Hold these truths to be self... (Buster looks at a paper) evident. Self-evident.
(Buster has tied his shirt to a machine. He falls asleep, and a small weight falls on a rubber duck which sprays him with water.)
Buster: Ah!
(Buster keeps reading. Cut to Buster answering the door)
Buster: Sorry, Steve. I wish I could play, but I gotta study.
(Steve gasps and falls over)
(Buster rips open a bag of candy. He uses it for division problems)
(Buster is standing on a park bench)
Buster: Nine times nine is eighty-one!
(Cut to Mr. Ratburn's class)
Mr. Ratburn: I have graded last week's tests. Most of them were very good, but some of you may be a trifle disappointed.
Arthur: You gave it your best shot, Buster. That's all you could do.
Francine: I hear the second graders have a great softball team.
Mr. Ratburn: Good... Not bad... Illegible. Well, Mr Baxter. Congratulations. A miraculous, but well-deserved, "B+".
Arthur: You did it, Buster!
Buster: Yeah, but I did have some help. Thanks, guys.
Mr. Ratburn: Mr. Read, you, on the other hand, need to work on your division. Perhaps Buster could give you a few pointers.
(Arthur looks at the screen)