Changes: Desk Wars

	"Desk Wars"
	Main image; Title card;
Season/Series:	8
Number in season:	7a
Original Airdate:	December 23, 2003; March 3, 2004; December 25, 2007;
	Credits
Written by:	Glen Berger
Storyboard by:	Gerry Capelle
	Episodes
Previous; "Postcards from Buster"	Next; "Desperately Seeking Stanley"

Revision as of 01:53, 20 March 2020

"Desk Wars" is the first half of the seventh episode in the eighth season of Arthur.

Summary

It is the hottest school day of the year, and tempers are even hotter. To keep the peace, Mr. Ratburn moves Brain and Arthur away from their usual desks ... and sets off a chain reaction resulting in the most explosive desk war in third grade history!^[4]

Plot

Arthur starts off by looking (unsuccessfully) through his classmates' desks. They all debate why he's allowed to start the show; because it's his show. They all want it to change, including the Binky Barnes Variety Hour. Then Mr. Ratburn claims to the viewers that the teachers don't blow things out of proportion, but in the teacher's lounge, viewers can see that they do.

One morning, it's a hot day and all are sweating in the classroom. The Brain calculates that his seat's getting the most cool air. But then arguing breaks out on desk over Muffy's stickers and dust ruffle, meaning that he's sent to the second hottest spot in the room (behind Binky's desk) by Mr. Ratburn. Arthur, Buster, and Francine have an argument which eventually leads to Arthur being sent to Brain's desk, and Binky seizes Arthur's desk. Arthur messes with the Brain's desk-sorting pencil thing, which angers him.

Mr. Haney comes in and calls Mr. Ratburn into the office to take a call, and Ratburn tells the kids that he has to go and to work on their assignments while he's gone. The Brain plots to try to get his desk back, after discovering the gum from George's (who's absent) dinosaur model. Muffy moves to the sharpener after her pencil breaks.

This is Brain's chance to get back to a cooler spot! But Muffy sees this and scrambles back to her seat. George returns early to discover his seat is missing, and he can't sit anywhere. George is duped into sharpening Muffy's pencil.

Then a lot of threats start off — if George doesn't give the pencil to Brain, then his gummy dino is squashed; if this happens, then Sue Ellen will throw Binky's rubber band ball out the window, Brain's desk will get covered in judo kitten stickers by Muffy if she doesn't get the pencil; this isn't fair on Francine, who was promised these, so she'll cut the dust ruffle in half, Buster's comic book will be shredded by Fern if the ruffle is cut, despite saying “Cut up that dust ruffle and, Arthur's comic book gets shredded”. Then Buster will eat Arthur's cookies.

The pressure builds on George, and the pencil keeps snapping; if these continues, then Sue Ellen's UN report is history, according to Brain. A book falls onto the dinosaur, so all threats are carried out, which leads to mass destruction of the classroom. Mr Haney comes in to warn them, but he'll let them off so long as they tidy up. All refuse to do the hard jobs, as none of them believe they're at fault.

When Arthur turns to George, he is puzzled when he sees that George is doing the cleaning up, as he “didn’t make any of this mess”. When Arthur asks why, George replies that he doesn't mind and adds that they all make a big deal about everything. They all muck in and clean up, and Brain rewrites Sue Ellen's UN report. Ratburn returns and gives the good news — he's an uncle. Everyone is invited to Muffy's pool to cool off. They debate what started the fight, but no conclusion is reached. Then Binky's rubber band ball bounces through the pool, so it's chased.

Characters

Major

Minor

Cameo

Trivia

This is the last episode where Patricia Rodriguez voices Sue Ellen.
Sharky appears in Muffy's pool, despite D.W. being absent from the episode. However, D.W. appears in the title card.
There are four extra students seen in the classroom, in contrast to the fact that they are not on Mr. Ratburn's class roster.
This episode is reminiscent of World War I because various alliances and incidents dragged countries into the Conflict just like the students were forming alliances and causing conflict amongst one another.
- The students are also writing reports on the UN, an intergovernmental organization

Cultural references

Muffy's Judo Kittens stickers appear to be reminiscent of The Powerpuff Girls.

Episode connections

A binder with a Love Ducks sticker on it can be seen in Buster's desk. Love Ducks first appears in "That's a Baby Show!"

Gallery

Main article: Desk Wars/Gallery

References

[1] ttp://www.ket.org/episode/ARUR%20%20000807

[2] ttps://web.archive.org/web/20120413104003/http://ww3.tvo.org/program/157024/arthur

[3] ttps://www.fernsehserien.de/erdferkel-arthur-und-seine-freunde/episodenguide/staffel-8/3906

[4] ttp://www.klru.org/schedule/episode/193670/

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Episode infobox
-{{Gallery}}
+|ep. name= Desk Wars
-{{episode infobox
+|image= 0807ami.jpg
-|ep. name=Desk Wars
+|season= [[Season 8|8]]
-|image=Desk-wars.png
+|airdate=
-|season=8
+|prev. episode= [[Postcards from Buster (episode)|Postcards from Buster]]
-|airdate=December 23, 2003
+|next episode= [[Desperately Seeking Stanley]]
-|prod. code=807
+|writers = [[Glen Berger]]
-|prev. episode=Postcards from Buster (episode)
+|storyboarders = [[Gerry Capelle]]
-|next episode=Desperately Seeking Stanley}}
+|number = 7a
-'''Desk Wars''' is the 7th episode of Season 8. It aired on December 23rd, 2003 along with [[Desperately Seeking Stanley]].
+|titlecard = 0807atc.jpg|us = December 23, 2003<ref>http://www.ket.org/episode/ARUR%20%20000807</ref>|can = March 3, 2004<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20120413104003/http://ww3.tvo.org/program/157024/arthur</ref>|ger = December 25, 2007<ref>https://www.fernsehserien.de/erdferkel-arthur-und-seine-freunde/episodenguide/staffel-8/3906</ref>}}{{EpisodeHeader|1|7|8}}
 ==Summary==
+It is the hottest school day of the year, and tempers are even hotter. To keep the peace, Mr. Ratburn moves Brain and Arthur away from their usual desks ... and sets off a chain reaction resulting in the most explosive desk war in third grade history!<ref>http://www.klru.org/schedule/episode/193670/</ref>
-On a hot day, [[Arthur]] and his classmates argue about sitting closest to the fan. [[Nigel Ratburn|Mr. Ratburn]] makes them switch desks. When they break into each others' desk, will it turn up the heat?
-==Synopsis==
-It is a day with sweltering heat in [[Elwood City]]. The class has been assigned with reports to write on a World War II program of their choosing. Mr. Ratburn eventually has left the classroom to answer a call in the office. His students begin to fight over who has the desks closest to the fan that has been placed in the room. The war eventually evolves into vandalism of desks and destruction of property.
 ==Plot==
+[[Arthur Read|Arthur]] starts off by looking (unsuccessfully) through his classmates' desks. They all debate why he's allowed to start the [[Arthur (TV series)|show]]; because it's his show. They all want it to change, including the ''Binky Barnes Variety Hour''. Then [[Nigel Ratburn|Mr. Ratburn]] claims to the viewers that the teachers don't blow things out of proportion, but in the teacher's lounge, viewers can see that they ''do''.
-{{Template:Missing|plot}}
+One morning, it's a hot day and all are sweating in the classroom. The [[Alan Powers|Brain]] calculates that his seat's getting the most cool air. But then arguing breaks out on desk over [[Muffy Crosswire|Muffy]]'s stickers and dust ruffle, meaning that he's sent to the second hottest spot in the room (behind [[Binky Barnes|Binky]]'s desk) by Mr. Ratburn. Arthur, [[Buster Baxter|Buster]], and [[Francine Frensky|Francine]] have an argument which eventually leads to Arthur being sent to Brain's desk, and Binky seizes Arthur's desk. Arthur messes with the Brain's desk-sorting pencil thing, which angers him.
+[[Francis Haney|Mr. Haney]] comes in and calls Mr. Ratburn into the office to take a call, and Ratburn tells the kids that he has to go and to work on their assignments while he's gone. The Brain plots to try to get his desk back, after discovering the gum from [[George Lundgren|George]]'s (who's absent) dinosaur model. Muffy moves to the sharpener after her pencil breaks.
+This is Brain's chance to get back to a cooler spot! But Muffy sees this and scrambles back to her seat. George returns early to discover his seat is missing, and he can't sit anywhere. George is duped into sharpening Muffy's pencil.
+Then a lot of threats start off — if George doesn't give the pencil to Brain, then his gummy dino is squashed; if this happens, then Sue Ellen will throw Binky's rubber band ball out the window, Brain's desk will get covered in judo kitten stickers by Muffy if she doesn't get the pencil; this isn't fair on Francine, who was promised these, so she'll cut the dust ruffle in half, Buster's comic book will be shredded by Fern if the ruffle is cut, despite saying “Cut up that dust ruffle and, Arthur's comic book gets shredded”. Then Buster will eat Arthur's cookies.
+The pressure builds on George, and the pencil keeps snapping; if these continues, then Sue Ellen's UN report is history, according to Brain. A book falls onto the dinosaur, so all threats are carried out, which leads to mass destruction of the classroom. Mr Haney comes in to warn them, but he'll let them off so long as they tidy up. All refuse to do the hard jobs, as none of them believe they're at fault.
+When Arthur turns to George, he is puzzled when he sees that George is doing the cleaning up, as he “didn’t make any of this mess”. When Arthur asks why, George replies that he doesn't mind and adds that they all make a big deal about everything. They all muck in and clean up, and Brain rewrites Sue Ellen's UN report. Ratburn returns and gives the good news — he's an uncle. Everyone is invited to Muffy's pool to cool off. They debate what started the fight, but no conclusion is reached. Then Binky's rubber band ball bounces through the pool, so it's chased.
 ==Characters==
+===Major===
-{| class="wikitable"
+*[[Alan Powers|The Brain]]
-| valign="top" width="33%"|'''Major Roles'''
+*[[Muffy Crosswire]]
-*[[Francine Frensky|Francine ]]
-*[[Arthur Timothy Read|Arthur ]]
+*[[Arthur Read]]
+*[[Francine Frensky]]
-*[[Buster Baxter|Buster ]]
-*[[Binky Barnes|Binky ]]
+*[[Binky Barnes]]
+*[[Buster Baxter]]
-*[[Muffy Crosswire|Muffy ]]
-*[[Alan Powers|Brain ]]
+*[[Sue Ellen Armstrong]]
+*[[George Lundgren]]
-*[[Sue Ellen Armstrong|Sue Ellen ]]
+===Minor===
-*[[George Lundgren|George ]]
+*[[Fern Walters]]
-| valign="top" width="33%"|'''Minor Roles'''
-*[[Fern Walters|Fern ]]
+*[[Jenna Morgan]]
+*[[Nigel Ratburn]]
-*[[Jenna Morgan|Jenna ]]
+*[[Miss Sweetwater]]
-*[[Mr. Ratburn|Mr. Ratburn ]]
+*[[Francis Haney]]
-*[[Miss Sweetwater|Miss Sweetwater ]]
-*[[Herbert Haney|Mr. Haney ]]
+*[[Ms. Krasny]]
-*[[Ms. Krasny|Ms. Krasney ]]
+*[[Mr. Marco]]
+===Cameo===
-| valign="top" width="33%"|'''Cameos'''
+*[[D.W. Read]] (title card)
-*[[Alex|Alex ]]
-*[[Maria|Maria ]]
+*[[Alex]]
+*[[Maria Pappas]]
-*[[Mr. Marco|Mr. Marco ]]
 *[[3rd Grade Male Rabbit (Number 2)]]
 *[[3rd Grade Male Monkey]]
-*[[3rd Grade Female Aardvark (Number 3)|3rd Grade Female Aardvark (Number 3) ]]
+*[[3rd Grade Female Aardvark (Number 3)]]
 *[[3rd Grade Female Aardvark (Number 4)]]
+*[[Sharky]]
-|}
 ==Trivia==
+*This is the last episode where [[Patricia Rodriguez]] voices Sue Ellen.
+*[[Sharky]] appears in Muffy's pool, despite D.W. being absent from the episode. However, D.W. appears in the title card.
+*There are four extra students seen in the classroom, in contrast to the fact that they are not on Mr. Ratburn's class roster.
+*This episode is reminiscent of World War I because various alliances and incidents dragged countries into the Conflict just like the students were forming alliances and causing conflict amongst one another.
+**The students are also writing reports on the UN, an intergovernmental organization
+===Cultural references===
+*Muffy's [[Judo Kittens]] stickers appear to be reminiscent of ''{{W|The Powerpuff Girls}}''.
+===Episode connections===
+*A binder with a ''[[Love Ducks]]'' sticker on it can be seen in Buster's desk. ''Love Ducks'' first appears in "[[That's a Baby Show!]]"
+==Gallery==
-* In this episode, Mr. Ratburn received a call from his sister [[Rodentia Ratburn|Miss Ratburn]], and told the class he became an uncle, which meant she had given birth to a child; although in her exclusive appearance in ''[[Arthur's Substitute Teacher Trouble]]'' from the first season, she was single and was not pregnant, nor did it reveal whether or not she had children. This may be a continuity error, or he may have another sister.
+{{Main|Desk Wars/Gallery}}
-*This episode breaks the fourth wall. The characters acknowledge that they are on a show. It's no surprise, considering they always break the fourth wall at the beginning.
+==References==
-[[Category:Episodes]]
+{{Reflist}}{{EpisodeNav|8}}
 [[Category:Season 8 episodes]]
-[[Category:Episode pages needing plot]]
+[[Category:Episode pages without home video]]
+[[Category:A to Z]]
+[[Category:Arthur episodes]]
+[[Category:2003]]

"Desk Wars"
Main image Title card
Season/Series:	8
Number in season:	7a
Original Airdate:	December 23, 2003^[1] March 3, 2004^[2] December 25, 2007^[3]
Credits
Written by:	Glen Berger
Storyboard by:	Gerry Capelle
Episodes
Previous "Postcards from Buster"	Next "Desperately Seeking Stanley"