I honestly didn't really think much of the first half of today's new episode, but "Read and Flumbergast" was enjoyable... it starts off as very interesting, it really speaks to little kids, because who among us, as a little kid, HASN'T taken a large, empty, cardboard box, and pretended it was an office, or a spaceship, or anything like that? I like the way D.W. ran her "office", it was cute and amusing (and her method of writing out checks... literally, that was clever in its childlike whimsy)... but, once it became a kangaroo court episode... meh, that's been done to death in kid cartoons... heck, they already did this on the show, remember "Sick as a Dog"? Arthur "sued" D.W. because he claimed she made Pal sick because she didn't like him, Brain served as the judge, Francine was her lawyer, and Buster was the jury. So yeah, "Read and Flumbergast" was off to a great start, but it ended on a sour note. It was also interesting that after all these years, we learn that Nadine's last name is Flumbergast... I was wondering just what in the world Flumbergast was supposed to mean with the episode title.

So... when exactly did James come out of his shell? D.W. and Emily, at one point, remark about how quiet he had been that day (after he caved in to accepting the Tibbles' invitation to their sleep over), but wasn't he ALWAYS quiet? So yeah, I don't get it...

As for the animation today, Arthur looks a little more on-model today, but D.W. on the other hand, maybe I didn't notice until now, but her eyes seem a little too big.

I did notice animation improvements in these two episodes today. I guess that is a sign of better things to come.