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Arthur Season 5 Episode 10

Arthur's Perfect Christmas

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Episode Summary

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AIRED: 11/23/00

The Arthur's Perfect Christmas special opens with scenes of citizens of Elwood City busy preparing for Christmas, while Pachelbel's Canyon is played in the background on piano. Arthur then sings the first of many of the special's musical numbers, "Perfect Christmas," in which he lays out his list of the things he wants in the upcoming Christmas:

A large amount of snow
An amazing dinner, turkey and the whole works
A spectacular Christmas tree- most importantly without tinsel
Everyone will love the presents he gets for them.

However, things don't always work out quite as we always want them to. Meanwhile, as the special progresses, a number of other storylines are revealed, perhaps so many that the show's younger target audience might find it difficult to follow:

D.W. wants a new toy, "Tina the Talking Tammy," for Christmas and Jane Read is unable to find it at stores anywhere.
Uncle Fred is going on a trip to Florida, but his car just so happens to break down on the way there. So for the meantime, he and his dog, Roarie, are staying at the Reads' for Christmas.
The timing of Francine's family's celebration of Hannunkah conflicts with that of Muffy's "holiday extravaganza," causing Francine to miss the party. When Muffy states that Hannunkah isn't as important as Christmas, Francine stops speaking to her.
Ever since Buster's mother and father got divorced, Christmas has been a difficult time for Buster and his Mom. Buster's Mom wakes up him up early on the days before Christmas and makes him pancakes, thinking that it's Christmas, then Buster has to explain to her that it's not Christmas yet. Arthur and his friends suggest he create his own holiday- Baxter Day. Buster is sceptical, but he agrees to give it a try.
Every Christmas, Binky volunteers at a homeless shelter with his Dad, and this year, he's trying to bake something special to bring. However, he's been taking cooking lessons from the "Thora Institution" (For example: He makes a pecan pie without shelling the pecans first...)
Brain's family is celebrating Kwanzaa.
George's family is revealed to Swedish and they celebrate Sankta Lucia Day.

In the end, things don't work out quite as everybody may have hoped they would, but it seems to be for the better. Well, maybe, assuming Arthur can ever get D.W. to stop her new toy, Quackers, from singing "Quick, quack, quaddy-quack..."moreless

Fan Episode Reviews (1)

Christmas time

10

By CURLYHURLEY, Apr 29, 2007

The Arthur's Perfect Christmas special opens with scenes of citizens of Elwood City busy preparing for Christmas, while Pachelbel's Canyon is played in the background on piano. Arthur then sings the first of many of the special's musical numbers, "Perfect Christmas," in which he lays out his list of the things he wants in the upcoming Christmas:

A large amount of snow

An amazing dinner, turkey and the whole works

A spectacular Christmas tree- most importantly without tinsel

Everyone will love the presents he gets for them.

However, things don't always work out quite as we always want them to. Meanwhile, as the special progresses, a number of other storylines are revealed, perhaps so many that the show's younger target audience might find it difficult to follow:

D.W. wants a new toy, "Tina the Talking Tammy," for Christmas and Jane Read is unable to find it at stores anywhere.

Uncle Fred is going on a trip to Florida, but his car just so happens to break down on the way there. So for the meantime, he and his dog, Roarie, are staying at the Reads' for Christmas.

The timing of Francine's family's celebration of Hannunkah conflicts with that of Muffy's "holiday extravaganza," causing Francine to miss the party. When Muffy states that Hannunkah isn't as important as Christmas, Francine stops speaking to her.

Ever since Buster's mother and father got divorced, Christmas has been a difficult time for Buster and his Mom. Buster's Mom wakes up him up early on the days before Christmas and makes him pancakes, thinking that it's Christmas, then Buster has to explain to her that it's not Christmas yet. Arthur and his friends suggest he create his own holiday- Baxter Day. Buster is sceptical, but he agrees to give it a try.

Every Christmas, Binky volunteers at a homeless shelter with his Dad, and this year, he's trying to bake something special to bring. However, he's been taking cooking lessons from the "Thora Institution" (For example: He makes a pecan pie without shelling the pecans first...)

Brain's family is celebrating Kwanzaa.

George's family is revealed to Swedish and they celebrate Sankta Lucia Day.

In the end, things don't work out quite as everybody may have hoped they would, but it seems to be for the better. Well, maybe, assuming Arthur can ever get D.W. to stop her new toy, Quackers, from singing "Quick, quack, quaddy-quack..."moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Jodie Resther	Francine Alice Frensky
Arthur Holden	Mr. Nigel Emil Ratburn
Michael Yarmush	Voice of Arthur Timothy Read (1996-2001)
Sonja Ball	Janet Read
Bruce Dinsmore	David Read / Binky Barnes
Danny Brochu	Buster Baxter

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Harry Standjofski	Uncle Fred	Guest Star
Sonja Ball	Quackers	Guest Star
Ellen David	Bitzi Baxter / Old Woman	Guest Star
Mitchell David Rothpan	George Schmegengi Nordgren	Recurring Role
Ricky Mabe	Timmy Tibble	Recurring Role
Jonathan Koensgen	Tommy Tibble	Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (2)
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- Some have noted that Arthur's Uncle Fred is very clumsy and tends to break everything, but when asked what he does for a living, it turns out he works in a china shop. This was, however, a joke by the writers.
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- In Elwood City Turns 100!, Arthur sang horribly, but in this episode, he sings just great.
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QUOTES (17)
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- Fred: (in his video Christmas card, decked in a Hawaiian shirt with appropriate music playing) Is this thing on? Oh! It is! Hi, sis! Hi, David, Arthur, D.W., and of course, little Kate. (Kate giggles as they watch) It's me! Your Uncle Fred! (His dog, Rory, walks up to him.) And Rory. We're sorry, but we can't be with you this Christmas, because we're going to...
  Arthur and D.W.: Hawaii?!
  Fred: Florida! (He accidentally knocks his lamp over, and the lights all dim and the Hawaiian record stops.) What the heck was that?! Hey! Who turned out the lights?! (Rory walks up to the camera and sniffs the lens) Hey! Rory, no! That's not a dog treat! (Rory eats the camera, and the video stops, leaving the Reads in laughter.)
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- Uncle Fred: Remember Arthur, you don't always get what you want in life. Sometimes, you get somethin' better.
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- (D.W. has just gotten a Quackers doll that she did not want...)
  D.W.: (yelling loudly) I wanted Tina the Talking Tabby! (begins throwing tantrum)I WANTED TINA THE TALKING TABBY!!! I WANTED TINA FOR CHRISTMAS! (bawling) ...Tabby! Santa, how could you?! This is the worst Christmas ever!
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- Waiter: Here you are, Monsieur. Perring puree with melted gruyere... (A bit of Buster's omlette drops into the puree, spilling it all over the customer's clean, white shirt.)
  Customer: Whoa!
  Waiter: On your clean, white shirt.
  Buster: Sorry!
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- Arthur: (singing "Perfect Christmas (Reprise)) Sometimes the thing you hope for / Isn't the thing you get / But after today I just have to state / This was the best Christmas yet.
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- Muffy: (singing "What's the Use of Presents?") Look at this puzzle / It's in fifty million pieces / Maybe I'll finish it / By the time I have grandnieces.
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- Arthur: (singing "Perfect Christmas" as tranquil version of "Pachelbel Canon" plays) Here's a saying worth obeying / Please take out a pad and pencil / Nothing is more of an eyesore / Than the excessive use of tinsel.
  D.W.: (spoken) What?! No tinsel?!
  Arthur: Not on this tree!
  D.W.: But I want tinsel!
  Arthur: Well, you can have all the tinsel you want! (music intensifies, Arthur starts singing again) When you are as old as me
  D.W.: Is that a guarantee?
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- Mrs. Read: (in fantasy sequence) Twice???!!! I can understand you breaking my bird once, but twice?!
  Grandpa Dave: I hate to say it dear, but he's inherited the clumsy gene.
  Uncle Fred: He's worse than I am.
  Binky: (appearing out of nowhere) Doofus! Doofus!
  Arthur: Binky?! What are you doing here? you're not supposed to be in this fantasy!
  Binky: Oh. Sorry. Try my peach cobbler?
  Arthur: Get out!!! (fantasy sequence ends)
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- Arthur: Yeah with my luck I'll probably knock down the tree.
  Uncle Fred: Hey! Thats my job!
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- D.W.: Look, I can even make him sing!
  Quackers: Quick, quack, quaddy-quack, squeeze my belly, squeeze my back. Quooky, quicky, quacky-quo, pull my bill, pull my toe. Quicky, quacky, doodly doo, you love me and I love you!
  Arthur: Happy holidays everyone!
  Quacker: Quick, quack, quaddy-quack, squeeze my belly, squeeze my back...
  Arthur: D.W., turn that thing off!
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- Grandma Thora: And what does your brother Fred do, dear?
  Jane Read: He works in a china shop.
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- Radio Jingle: Tina Tina, tiny Tina, Tina the Talking Tabby...
  Arthur: Dad, can you please put something else on? That ad is giving me a headache!
  Stereo: Tina, Tina... Crazy bus! Crazy bus! Riding on a crazy bus. Riding up and riding down and driven by a funny clown...
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- Muffy: But you can see your family any old day! Besides, it's not like Hannukah is as important as Christmas!
  Francine: (gasps) Well, it is to me! (hangs up phone)
  Muffy: (gasps) How rude! ... Okay, who wants Francine's present?
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- Muffy: Gather round my subjects. I, Muffy, the Princess of Christmas, will now give out your presents. The first one is for... Francine Frensky! (microphone feedback) I said, Francine Frensky!
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- D.W.: For your information, this is not a letter to Santa! It's to, um, the President of the United States. So there!
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- Muffy: I, Muffy, the Princess of Christmas, invite one and all to my holiday extravaganza.
  Binky: Her what?!
  Muffy: My party!
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- Radio Jingle: What's always at your feet and is really, really sweet? It's Tina the Talking Tabby.
  Arthur: (groans)
  D.W.: Don't even think about touching that dial!
  Radio Jingle: Just scratch behind her ear and this is what you'll hear: "I'm Tina the Talking Tabby. Oh Tina Tina, tiny Tina, Tina Tina, tiny Tina, Tina the Talking Tabby..."
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NOTES (2)
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- During Muffy's song about Francine, there is a wipe that involves a jigsaw puzzle full of her 'grand nieces'. Among those characters are charicatures of much of the show crew, and directly in the center is a 'muffy'ized version of Angela from "Mona the Vampire"
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- The given title for the special on the title screen is "Marc Brown's Arthur's Perfect Christmas."
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ALLUSIONS (1)
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- Muffy: How RUDE!
  This may be a reference to the early Full House episodes. In them, whenever Stephanie is annoyed, she says "How rude!"
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