| "MacFrensky" | |
| Season/Series: | 13 |
|---|---|
| Number in season: | 4a |
| Original airdate: |  October 15, 2009[1] March 6, 2009[3] April 27, 2009 [2] |
| Credits | |
| Written by: | Jonathan Greenberg |
| Storyboard by: | Michel Carbonneau Stéphanie Gignac |
| Episodes | |
| Previous "Brain Gets Hooked" |
Next "The Good, the Bad, and the Binky" |
| Read transcript |
"MacFrensky" is the first half of the fourth episode in the thirteenth season of Arthur.
Summary[]
When Francine and Brain are locked in a stiff competition to win student of the month, Muffy talks Francine into "borrowing" Buster's toy and letting Brain take the blame for it. As the lies grow and the prize gets closer, Francine's remorse increases.
Plot[]
At the start of the episode, we see Francine and Muffy at a fair. They stroll into a fortune telling booth and get their futures told by Prunella. Prunella predicts that she will have "lunch with a stranger" and then Arthur and Buster ask if they can eat lunch with the pair.
The next day in school, Mr. Ratburn reveals the placements for the Student of the Month competition, showing Francine in the lead. Muffy teases Francine about her softball coaching, but Francine demands it is enjoyable and the team was improving. Mr. Ratburn reminds the class that whispering could result in point removals. He notifies the grand prize: lunch with Thunder MacDuff, a local weatherman. The class cheers, and Francine and Muffy are thrilled about the opportunity of winning and bringing a friend.
Just then, Brain arrives late. Mr. Ratburn is about to take away 5 points for lateness, but Brain explains that he had helped Ms. Lemon change a tire, returned a lost wallet to the office, and turned in a project early that looks like the ecosystem. Impressed by his work, Mr. Ratburn awards Brain with 30 additional points, pushing him into the lead ahead of Francine and Muffy is stunned.
Later after school, Francine and Muffy are walking down the street when Francine mourns about missing lunch with Thunder MacDuff. Muffy is uncertain about Brain's good deeds, and thinks that "the fix is in". Francine sighs, accepting her fate. As they enter the Powers' ice cream shop, they witness Buster's radio-controlled robot, which is marching across the counter. Brain and Arthur are delighted by the robot's refined technology.
Sitting down at a table, Muffy proposes a mischievous scheme. She wonders if Brain might steal the robot. Francine disregards the idea, claiming that Brain would never engage in such dishonest behavior. Muffy counters by suggesting that someone else might put the robot in Brain's backpack. Francine remains uncertain, underlining the moral significance of stealing. However, Muffy comforts her that Buster would eventually get his toy back and that the activity could be seen as more of a relocation than stealing. Finally, Francine agrees to the plan, but only on the condition that they ensure Buster gets his toy back.
Back at school, Muffy and Francine watch from around a corner as Buster has fun with his new robot, surrounded by Brain, Arthur, Binky, and Alex. The robot declares, "Resistance is futile!" Muffy proposes a plan: she will draw away the crowd while Francine grabs the robot. Francine hesitates, but Muffy reminds her of Brain's slippery tactics. Reluctantly, Francine agrees. As the robot fires a rope to the wall, Muffy instructs Brain to hurry. Once Buster and the boys leave, Francine cautiously moves toward the locker, only to be sprayed with a green liquid by the robot. She tries to rub off the stain, then quickly conceals both the robot and its remote under her sweatshirt.
Once class begins, Francine privately places the robot inside Brain's backpack. Muffy turns the toy on, and Buster notices the commotion. When Brain opens his backpack, he is caught red-handed by Buster and Mr. Ratburn. Brain is punished severely, losing 10 points for disrupting class and an additional 25 points for taking someone else's belongings. As it is the last day of the month, Francine ends up winning the Student of the Month award, though she feels remorseful about her actions. Muffy, however, is proud of their method.
They go to Francine's apartment, but Francine is still feeling terrible for what she did, thinking she will get caught. They then go to Prunella's house so she can predict the future. Prunella makes up a fake forecast, and Francine then thinks everything is going to turn out fine.
Francine agrees to help them find out who put Buster's toy in Brain's backpack. Then, she sees the robot appearing behind them and telling her to tell the truth. The robot vanishes, and Francine runs away from Arthur and Buster and starts to feel bad again. She thinks Arthur and Buster suspect her and shares this with Muffy. Muffy has a scheme to make Arthur and Buster appear untrustworthy, so the following day, they tape cheat sheets to their desks.
Arthur and Buster are still trying to figure out who did it. Mr. Ratburn discovers the cheat sheet by Buster’s desk, and he gets in trouble. Francine can’t deal with the shame anymore, so she and Muffy eventually decide to turn themselves in to the principal's office to tell him and Mr. Ratburn the truth.
Brain is invited to lunch with Thunder McDuff, but Francine and Muffy are forced to do community service. Brain offers to share his lunch with Muffy and even invites Francine, but she declines, choosing to assist the second graders with softball practice.
Characters[]
Major[]
Minor[]
Cameo[]
- Binky Barnes
- Alex Davidson
- Sue Ellen Armstrong
- George Lundgren
- Fern Walters
- Mr. Morris
- Jenna Morgan
- Maria Pappas
- Mr. Haney
- Emily Leduc
- Mrs. Leduc
- Brian
- Marina Datillo
- 3rd Grade Male Rabbit
- Helen
- Luke
- Nancy
Mentioned[]
Trivia[]
- Alex and Maria's names were revealed to belong to the two previously unnamed rabbit characters that have been in Mr. Ratburn's class since the first episode of the show, Arthur's Eyes. This makes Mr. Ratburn's class the only class in the show with all the characters given names. However, Alex's name was revealed much sooner than this episode. That took place during the episode, The Scare-Your-Pants-Off Club, where he signed a petition.
- This episode ends with an iris-out.
- This is the second episode in the series where the title is just one word and the episode centers around Francine. The first was the episode Vomitrocious.
Episode connections[]
- Mr. Morris is seen when Francine is putting the cheat sheets under Buster and Arthur's desk, meaning this episode took place before "April 9th."
- Francine puts a toy into Brain's backpack. Buster does the same thing to Arthur in "Nerves of Steal."
- "Never, Never, Never" is also based on a play by Shakespeare King Lear.
Cultural references[]
- The episode's title and the plot are based on William Shakespeare's play Macbeth.
- Macbeth is foretold that he will get another man's title. (I, 3)
- Macbeth is encouraged to commit a crime in order to get it. (I, 5+7)
- Macbeth sees an apparition that confronts him with his guilt. (III, 4)
- Macbeth receives a second prediction that he will only be defeated, if something seemingly impossible happens. (IV, 1)
- Macbeth has to commit further crimes, because people get wise to him. (IV, 2)
- Lady Macbeth sees stains on her hand that will not wash off. (V, 1)
- Two lines from the episode are based directly on lines from Macbeth.
- "Is that an alien I see before me, or are you just an invader of my mind?" Francine / "Is this a dagger which I see before me […] or art thou but a dagger of the mind?" Macbeth (II, 1)
- "Out, darn spot, I say!" Francine / "Out, damned spot! Out, I say!" - Lady Macbeth (V, 1)
- "Truth will out" is a quote from The Merchant of Venice (II, 2). "As the bard says" refers to Shakespeare's nickname "the bard of Avon".
- Weatherman Thunder MacDuff's name is likely based on Macbeth's antagonist MacDuff.
- Moon Cakes are a parody of Moon Pies.
- "Resistance is futile" is a phrase associated with the Borg in Star Trek.
Errors[]
- Marina Datillo is briefly seen at one of the tables in the school eating area; however, in a later scene, Maria is seen sitting in the same place. It was very likely supposed to have been Maria all along, as Marina does not attend Lakewood Elementary and their first names are similar
Production notes[]
- Arthur's yell is different in the "Francine Hits the Gong" title card].
Gallery[]
References[]