| "The Trouble with Trophies" | |
| Season/Series: | 15 |
|---|---|
| Number in season: | 10b |
| Original airdate: |  May 25, 2012[1] January 26, 2012[3] November 25, 2010[2] October 6, 2010 December 25, 2012[4] |
| Credits | |
| Written by: | Cusi Cram |
| Storyboard by: | Louis Piché Guy Lamoureux |
| Episodes | |
| Previous "The Butler Did... What?" |
Next "Based on a True Story" |
| Read transcript |
"The Trouble with Trophies" is the second half of the tenth episode in the fifteenth season of Arthur.
Summary[]
Muffy wants Fern to admit she wants a trophy after George wins a class award for most improved student.
Plot[]
In the introduction Arthur wonders what it would be like to get a trophy every day. His family then piles trophies on him for things like waking up, brushing his teeth, and just being him.
Mr. Ratburn awards George a Thinky Award for improving so much in school. Muffy congratulates him, but remarks that Fern should have won because her looks have improved so much. Fern tells the others that she does not care for trophies. Muffy cannot believe her. She assumes that Fern is hiding her sadness and wants to help.
Muffy, Buster, and George meet in Muffy's trophy room and decide to give Fern a trophy. Buster mentions that Fern has very nice socks, so they make a gilded sock and present it to Fern in The Sugar Bowl. Fern is writing a story about Annabelle Fauteuil investigating a theft in a museum when the others interrupt her. She tells them that trophies should be for things you do. Binky shows Muffy his socks, so she gives him the trophy.
Muffy, Buster, and George invent a poetry quiz and invite Fern to play. Fern brings Binky along who, much to Muffy's surprise, manages to beat Fern. Fern does not mind, but Muffy is annoyed, because Fern was supposed to get a trophy for winning. Fern is angry for being tricked and leaves. When Buster asks Muffy why the trophy is so important to her, she replies that she wants Fern to admit that she wants one.
Fern tries to finish her detective story but is stuck. Muffy brings her another trophy which Fern resignedly accepts. Then she notices it is for “Meanest Friend Ever”. Fern is hurt, but it gives her an idea for her story.
Muffy is putting her trophies in boxes when Fern visits her. Muffy admits that some trophies are silly, but Fern tells her that they have meaning for her and that is the important thing. Fern also gives Muffy a copy of her story which is dedicated to Muffy for being inspiring.
In the story, Fauteuil has deduced that the thief is hiding in a sarcophagus with the stolen sapphire. The museum director presents her with a trophy, which Fauteuil refuses, after which the thief runs off with it.
Characters[]
Major[]
Minor[]
Cameo[]
- Brain
- Francine Frensky
- Jenna Morgan
- Sue Ellen Armstrong
- Alex Davidson
- Maria Pappas
- Otis
- 3rd Grade Male Dog
- Kenny
- Mary Perchanok
- Pal
- Liam (goof)
Mentioned[]
Trivia[]
The Marc Brown Certificate of Existence
- George wins yet another award, keeping up the tradition of his inexplicable winning streaks through the series.
- 4th Wall Break: The Marc Brown Certificate for Existence is a reference to the fact that Marc Brown created Arthur.
Episode connections[]
- George winning the Thinky for improving at school is likely due to his dyslexia being diagnosed in “The Boy with His Head in the Clouds”.
- George winning the Thinky is mentioned in "What's in a Name?" when Mr. Ratburn chooses to award a second Thinky to Binky. This means this episode is set first, despite airing later.
- Fern mentions that Binky likes poetry. This could be due to the events of “I'm a Poet” and “Rhyme for Your Life”.
- "Arthur the Loser" suggests that Binky is lousy at quiz games. In this episode, he beats Fern in a quiz on her favorite subject.
- Binky gets caught in a rhyming state again, similar to what happened in "Rhyme for Your Life."
- As museum director, Muffy is wearing the same outfit and hairdo from "Elwood City Turns 100!"
- Muffy justifies her belief that Fern is sad even though she doesn't seem sad, saying "she's just a good actress." In the episode No Acting, Please, Fern beat out Muffy for a role in William Fillmore Toffman's play.
Cultural references[]
- Grandma Thora gives Arthur a Granny Award for best song composed in a bathroom. It is a parody of the Grammy Awards, the most prestigious music award that can be given to a singer or musician.
- D.W. gives Arthur the Nose Bell Award, which is a parody of the Nobel Prize.
- During the Poet-Tree game, the kids mention E. E. Cummings, Emily Dickinson, T. S. Eliot, W. B. Yeats, and Ezra Pound.
Errors[]
- At the Lakewood Elementary School cafeteria, Liam is shown there, even though he does not go to Lakewood.
Production notes[]
- Although this episode aired before Buster's Carpool Catastrophe, it was aired as part of the second half of the tenth episode.
- In U.S. order, there is a lot of lasts in this episode:
- The last episode Cookie Jar Entertainment did along with overseas animation provided by Animation Services (HK) Ltd.. 9 Story Media Group would take over starting next episode.
- The last episode that is animated using hand-drawn animation.
- The last episode to feature the Fern Writing title card, plus the last time any of the classic titles are featured at all.
- The last episode where Dallas Jokic voices Arthur and the last episode in which D.W. is voiced by Robert Naylor. Drew Adkins and Jake Beale would take over the roles beginning in the next episode.
- The last episode to be aired in the 4:3 aspect ratio (standard definition).
Gallery[]
References[]