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Author Topic: Arthur's First Sleepover / Arthur's New Year's Eve  (Read 1138 times)

Snowth Woogle

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Arthur's First Sleepover / Arthur's New Year's Eve
« on: November 27, 2013, 06:16:56 pm »
This is one of those episodes where I really like both entries in the entire half-hour episode.

"Arthur's First Sleepover" is a fun story (I remember the book having a slightly different ending, where apparently D.W. ended up in the paper), and the whole alien scare in town offered a nice little angle for Arthur, Buster, and Brain to be a little nervous about the sleepover (I liked each of their dreams as well)... and of course, D.W. wanting to join in on the fun is very typical little kid stuff... I remember when I was 10, my next door neighbor's little sister (who was half our age) always wanted to tagalong with us and our friends in the neighborhood whenever we'd play (made worse was that she had a crush on me too, lol). It does seem just a LITTLE dated today though, with Arthur wanting to bring a TV in the tent... in this day and age, they'd be wanting to bring their cellphones or tablets or something, lol.

"Arthur's New Year's Eve" is also a very strong and relatable story: when your a kid, one thing you always want to do is stay up late, though you don't always get to (funnily enough, now that I'm grownup and don't have a bedtime, staying up late doesn't feel so special anymore, lol), but especially at New Year's, because you want to see just what exactly happens when the old year ends and the new year begins. Speaking of which, which of the other kids' tales would you like to see? I like each of them, but I think I'd particularly like to see a flash of green light filling the sky as the new year begins, that'd be pretty cool... though I'd imagine an actual wrestling match between an old man and a baby would be hilariously entertaining. The grown-up meeting almost seemed more like a stand-up convention... "I told my kids spinach is good for 'em, but everybody knows we just like to see the funny faces they make when they eat it! Yuck!" Oh, and D.W.'s line about being trapped in a timewarp and never getting any older is priceless... apologies to Joe Fallon and Marc Brown for stealing that joke for one of my videos last year.
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A Lotta Moms

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Re: Arthur's First Sleepover / Arthur's New Year's Eve
« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2013, 08:05:45 pm »
Both of these episodes had such a warm and cozy feeling of nostalgia.  Something about the fact that they're both about sleeping, staying up, etc.  It makes me *yawn* in a good way.   :)    They make for great bedtime stories.

In fact, just thinking of them makes me want to go watch them...immediately!  Which is what I'm about to do.   
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Snowth Woogle

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Re: Arthur's First Sleepover / Arthur's New Year's Eve
« Reply #2 on: November 27, 2013, 08:10:21 pm »
It's funny you mention that, I'm a very habitual person, and I have certain viewing habits of some of my favorite shows and movies, and coindentally, it's usually around this time of year I watch this episode at bedtime for a few nights.
I stretch like a snake, and I shimmy and shake, and I bounce like a ball, and I say something cute when you give me a squeeze!

A Lotta Moms

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Re: Arthur's First Sleepover / Arthur's New Year's Eve
« Reply #3 on: November 27, 2013, 11:40:24 pm »
I wonder if it's on account of the cold weather and the feeling of warmth that comfort that these holiday/sleepover episodes bring.

I often set up playlists of Arthur seasons to play and loop as I go to sleep as background noise.  This occasionally results in Arthur characters making their way into my dreams.
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ralfsmouse

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Re: Arthur's First Sleepover / Arthur's New Year's Eve
« Reply #4 on: November 28, 2013, 10:56:43 pm »
I loved "Arthur's First Sleepover." I loved how it was such a simple yet fun episode, and how they got some "revenge" on D.W. It's probably one of my favorite episodes in the series, actually.

Against most of the opinions that I've heard, I really didn't like "Arthur's New Years's Eve." Arthur not being able to stay up, Grandma Thora not waking him up (she did try, but not too hard), and D.W.'s comments at the end just made for an episode that I didn't quite like.

Snowth Woogle

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Re: Arthur's First Sleepover / Arthur's New Year's Eve
« Reply #5 on: November 29, 2013, 11:29:11 am »
Thora aside, as she obviously didn't want to disturb Arthur since he was so sound asleep, D.W.'s comments seemed perfectly, and completely in-character for her... there was one time (I believe it was, "The Short, Quick Summer"), where she actually says, "I was trying to make him feel rotten, but now he feels great, I'm a failure as a little sister!", that's EXACTLY what she was doing, she was trying to make Arthur feel rotten for sleeping through midnight, even though she was disappointed in nothing happening... plus, I thought the stuff she just randomly made up on the spot were pretty funny, "Big explosions! And giant mules jumping off cliffs into the ocean! Wow, it was great!" I mean, just imagine THAT... "SHREEEEEEEEK! WAIT, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SWIIIIIIIIIIIM!" *Splash*

I forgot to mention too this episode features probably one of my favorite props from the whole show: D.W.'s bunny instant camera, that thing is so cute, lol.
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Ladonna Compson

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Re: Arthur's First Sleepover / Arthur's New Year's Eve
« Reply #6 on: November 29, 2013, 11:45:09 am »
ha, i loved that episode. not sure what else to say about it, but that it was so simple, and really refreshing to watch after a season 17 marathon. :-\
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ralfsmouse

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Re: Arthur's First Sleepover / Arthur's New Year's Eve
« Reply #7 on: December 01, 2013, 01:56:23 pm »
Thora aside, as she obviously didn't want to disturb Arthur since he was so sound asleep, D.W.'s comments seemed perfectly, and completely in-character for her... there was one time (I believe it was, "The Short, Quick Summer"), where she actually says, "I was trying to make him feel rotten, but now he feels great, I'm a failure as a little sister!", that's EXACTLY what she was doing, she was trying to make Arthur feel rotten for sleeping through midnight, even though she was disappointed in nothing happening... plus, I thought the stuff she just randomly made up on the spot were pretty funny, "Big explosions! And giant mules jumping off cliffs into the ocean! Wow, it was great!" I mean, just imagine THAT... "SHREEEEEEEEK! WAIT, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SWIIIIIIIIIIIM!" *Splash*
Now that I think about it (and re-watch it), you're right. The episode actually was pretty good, with both a good concept and execution. I'm not sure why I didn't like it the last time I saw it, I guess I must have been in a bad mood or something. It also had a lot of funny scenes, like the one with the "miserable meeting" where all of the parents gathered.


I forgot to mention too this episode features probably one of my favorite props from the whole show: D.W.'s bunny instant camera, that thing is so cute, lol.
It also has some great lines: "I'M RICH, I'M RICH! I'M A WEALTHY CHILD!"

Crossover Dreamer

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Re: Arthur's First Sleepover / Arthur's New Year's Eve
« Reply #8 on: December 03, 2013, 09:07:53 pm »
There were some things I realized about the scene in "Arthur's First Sleepover" where D.W. asks Brain to take a picture of the alien. First, Brain kept the camera until Arthur gave it back.

Second, a recurring theme for two-of-a-kind sitcom characters is has to do with one of the character's having to either take a picture or have their picture taken.

D.W. and Brain's scenario is similar to when Beaver asked his mother June to pose for a picture in the Leave It to Beaver episode "Forgotten Party" and when Michelle asked Joey to take a picture of the Queen of England in the Full House episode "Taking the Plunge." The part in the Get Smart episode "Pheasant Under Glass" in which Larabee said that Max makes a good picture is more similar to the Beaver and June moment in "Forgotten Party" and the part in the Christmas movie Elf where Buddy said that Deb's picture should be on a Christmas card.
« Last Edit: December 04, 2013, 11:57:06 pm by Crossover Dreamer »
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Snowth Woogle

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Re: Arthur's First Sleepover / Arthur's New Year's Eve
« Reply #9 on: December 03, 2013, 09:26:21 pm »

Now that I think about it (and re-watch it), you're right. The episode actually was pretty good, with both a good concept and execution. I'm not sure why I didn't like it the last time I saw it
That's happened with me with other shows before: sometimes an episode will come up that I remember not particularly liking, but then after watching it again, I'm actually reminded that it's not such a bad episode after all.
I stretch like a snake, and I shimmy and shake, and I bounce like a ball, and I say something cute when you give me a squeeze!