| "Double Tibble Trouble" | |
| Season/Series: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Number in season: | 11A |
| Original airdate: |  December 28, 1998[1] February 8, 1999 March 7, 2002[2] |
| Credits | |
| Written by: | Peter K. Hirsch |
| Storyboard by: | Stéphanie Gignac |
| Episodes | |
| Previous "D.W. Tricks the Tooth Fairy" |
Next "Arthur's Almost Live Not Real Music Festival" |
| Read transcript |
"Double Tibble Trouble" is the first half of the eleventh episode in the third season of Arthur.
Summary[]
Tommy Tibble is sad and less active because Timmy is sick. Although D.W. and Emily would like to have the Tibbles less hyperactive, they try to help Tommy out by playing like a Tibble.
Plot[]
In the introduction, D.W. and Emily both put on protective gear to go somewhere dangerous. It turns out that they have a playdate with the Tibbles.
The girls want to play Tower of Cows. Tommy agrees, but Timmy insists on playing plane crash and knocks the girls down. Then the Tibbles have a contest for who can imitate the loudest explosion. Eventually, they do play the girls' game, but they moo so loudly that the tower collapses.
That evening, D.W. wishes on a star that she could play with Tommy without Timmy being around, since she believes Tommy to be the gentler twin. The star turns out to be a helicopter.
The next morning, Tommy comes to preschool alone, because Timmy is sick. Emily reveals that she made the same wish as D.W. on a wishbone.
That afternoon, Tommy tries to play with Timmy, but he is too sick, and Mrs. Tibble tells Tommy to let his brother rest. Tommy plays with the girls, but does not really enjoy it. When D.W. hands out cupcakes, Tommy wants to give one to Timmy, but he is sleeping. Tommy decides to throw a cupcake through the window so Timmy can have it later, but the window is closed and the cupcake splats against it. The cupcake ends up landing on Tommy's head, leaving him sad.
Mrs. Read and the girls take Tommy to the street fair, but neither the bouncing castle nor ice cream will take Tommy's mind off Timmy. However, when D.W. starts a weird faces contest in front of a trick mirror, Tommy is happy.
Back at the Tibbles' House, Tommy and Emily have a paddle-ball contest. Emily cannot keep up with Tommy, so D.W. suggests taking turns replacing Timmy.
D.W. plays airplane with Tommy and yells at a Tower of Cows with him. When Arthur hits his head at dinner, she accidentally tries to make a contest out of yelling “Ow!”.
Over the next days, the girls take turns playing loud and exhausting games with Tommy. Eventually, D.W. is ready to quit, though Arthur tells her that being a good friend means helping even when it is not easy.
When the girls go to the Tibbles' House again, both are ready to quit, although they feel bad about it. When a recovered Timmy opens and tells them how happy they made Tommy, they are glad that they did not quit after all. However, now Tommy is sick and Timmy expects to play the same games with the girls. D.W. reluctantly offers to take the first shift.
Characters[]
Major[]
Minor[]
Cameo[]
- Sue Ellen Armstrong
- Francine Frensky
- Buster Baxter
- Bitzi Baxter
- Amanda Hulser
- Maryann
- Kyle Fitzpatrick
- Edwin
- James MacDonald
- Liam
- Lisa
- Lucy (preschooler)
- Baby Kate
Trivia[]
- Morals: D.W. and Emily learn that being a good friend is about helping someone, even when it is really hard.
- At the end of the 2000 rerun intro on PBS Kids before this episode, Arthur’s crashing sound changes to a big splash of water.
- D.W. says that the Tibbles are "like different animals" compared to herself and Emily. They are literally different animals than the girls, as D.W. is an aardvark and Emily is a rabbit/monkey hybrid, while the Tibbles are bears.
- In April 2024, PBS Kids rereleased this episode and 18 other titles with the addition of an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter on screen, allowing individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing to fully immerse themselves in the program. For more information about all of the ASL-interpreted episodes, see American Sign Language.
Cultural references[]
- D.W.'s line “Thank you for flying DWA” refers to TWA (Trans World Airlines).
Episode connections[]
- This is the first episode to suggest that Tommy is the milder Tibble. "My Fair Tommy" takes this further.
- D.W. mentions that she is losing her voice. She actually loses her voice in "For Whom the Bell Tolls."
Errors[]
- Before Tommy throws the cupcake, D.W. and Emily wear "protection," but after Tommy throws it, D.W. and Emily wear nothing to protect themselves.
- When Tommy looks at the cupcake, his face is off-center.
- On the PBS Kids website, this episode is listed as "Double Trouble".
Home video[]
DVD
Gallery[]
- Main article: Double Tibble Trouble/Gallery
References[]