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Author Topic: Nicked by a Name/The Play's the Thing  (Read 260 times)

LovingBeagles

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Nicked by a Name/The Play's the Thing
« on: April 30, 2013, 07:08:28 pm »
Since these two episodes aired today (April 30, 2013), I thought we might make a topic to discuss it.

Muffy's mySmartPhoney was obviously a parody of the iPhone. The programs being called "pros", while equivalent to "apps", seemed a bit strange to me. The apps that it had were so random and/or unrealistic...I mean, chatting with people with the same shoe size as you? Being able to detect smells? Those aren't apps I expect to see any time or now. But if you think about it, Arthur is full of exaggerations. And in this case they just exaggerated the frivolousness of some apps out there (I mean, an app that turns on your Christmas tree lights? An app that measures how long you can hold your finger on the screen? Those seem pretty unnecessary.) But the whole shoe size thing just seems out of line.

On another note, What did you think of these two episodes? Were the plot ideas solid or original? I mean, I'm just not sure, really; I think I've seen name-calling/nickname related episodes before, so it wasn't really an exciting concept. But I still liked the episode.

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Crossover Dreamer

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Re: Nicked by a Name/The Play's the Thing
« Reply #1 on: April 30, 2013, 09:59:23 pm »
I think that Brain episode "Nicked by a Name" was intentionally a parallel of  D.W. episode "D.W.'s Name Game" Both episodes involve name-calling that gets out of control. Both D.W. and Brain have bad dreams as a consequence of name-calling. The problems weren't resolved until after the dreams. Unoriginal endings. The ending of "Nicked by a Name" is also similar to "It's a No-Brainer." I have a feeling that someday the characters will call him Alan instead of Brain.

"The Play's the Thing" is similar to "The Law of the Jungle Gym." The Tough Customers like to hang out on the Tower of Pain, but instead of the other kids using it, the kids are nowhere near it. Is "The Play's the Thing" supposed to have a moral? Is it "Make sure you get some fresh air and exercise and not spend so much time using electronics," or "Make sure bullies have their way"?
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LovingBeagles

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Re: Nicked by a Name/The Play's the Thing
« Reply #2 on: May 01, 2013, 12:24:24 am »
I have a feeling that someday the characters will call him Alan instead of Brain.

Why do you think that, Crossover?

"The Play's the Thing" is similar to "The Law of the Jungle Gym." The Tough Customers like to hang out on the Tower of Pain, but instead of the other kids using it, the kids are nowhere near it. Is "The Play's the Thing" supposed to have a moral? Is it "Make sure you get some fresh air and exercise and not spend so much time using electronics," or "Make sure bullies have their way"?

I think it's more of emphasizing a statement than conveying an actual moral (if that makes sense, I don't know). These days, kids are more preoccupied with electronics than with actual running around and playing on playgrounds- healthy, real-life, non-virtual activity. So the ending was sort of everyone starting to break that trend. I think that's the message the episode tried to convey.

Crossover Dreamer

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Re: Nicked by a Name/The Play's the Thing
« Reply #3 on: May 02, 2013, 10:41:54 pm »
Sorry, my quote feature doesn't work with my browser.

Why I think the kids will someday call him "Alan" instead of "Brain" (post-3rd grade): It's mostly because of IANB, NBAN and other episodes where Brain seems proud of his nickname (like "Brain's Shocking Secret" and "The Wheel Deal") and the two times (should've been more) D.W. called him "Alan." It would be ironic because in "The Perfect Brother" Arthur said, "Alan? Alan who?" and in "Prove It" Arthur asked D.W., "Who are you talking to?"

About the message of "The Play's the Thing": Yeah, the message you suggested makes sense.
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