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Author Topic: So Many Summers...  (Read 422 times)

LovingBeagles

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So Many Summers...
« on: March 14, 2013, 11:26:20 pm »
About how many summer vacations have the kids gone through already? TVTropes says "some seven" but I think it's less than that. Plus, as it's been mentioned, the episodes don't necessarily air in order.
There's the summer where Arthur lost his summer to-do list, and one where Buster tries to launch a rocket (it was said during that episode that that was around the end of summer).
But just how many have they been through? And, realistically, in what grade do you think Arthur's class would be?

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Snowth Woogle

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Re: So Many Summers...
« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2013, 12:15:49 am »
"The Short, Quick Summer" is the only real summer vacation episode I can think of; I know there are other vacation episodes ("Arthur's Family Vacation", "D.W. Goes to Washington", "D.W.'s Deer Friend", "Cast Away", among others, but it's never really explicitly mentioned in those episodes that they're on summer vacation). I don't know for sure, but again, "The Short, Quick Summer" is the only one that comes to my mind.

But realistically? Well, considering the show started in 1996, and Arthur's class was already in Grade 3 at the time, they'd well be out of college by now. I was in Grade 3 1997-1998 (a year after Arthur), I was Class of 2007, so Arthur and his friends (assuming none of them were held back at any point) would have been Class of 2006, and let's say most of them (excluding Brain, and maybe Fern or George) enrolled in a traditional four-year college, they would have graduated in 2010. They would be roughly 25 or 26 or so, a lot of them would probably have crummy part-time jobs by now, living in tiny apartments, that sort of thing.
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LovingBeagles

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Re: So Many Summers...
« Reply #2 on: March 15, 2013, 03:20:04 am »
"The Short, Quick Summer" is the only real summer vacation episode I can think of; I know there are other vacation episodes ("Arthur's Family Vacation", "D.W. Goes to Washington", "D.W.'s Deer Friend", "Cast Away", among others, but it's never really explicitly mentioned in those episodes that they're on summer vacation). I don't know for sure, but again, "The Short, Quick Summer" is the only one that comes to my mind.

But realistically? Well, considering the show started in 1996, and Arthur's class was already in Grade 3 at the time, they'd well be out of college by now. I was in Grade 3 1997-1998 (a year after Arthur), I was Class of 2007, so Arthur and his friends (assuming none of them were held back at any point) would have been Class of 2006, and let's say most of them (excluding Brain, and maybe Fern or George) enrolled in a traditional four-year college, they would have graduated in 2010. They would be roughly 25 or 26 or so, a lot of them would probably have crummy part-time jobs by now, living in tiny apartments, that sort of thing.

Good observations there, Snowth. But by "realistically", I don't mean a year by year running of the series, I just meant considering how much time has passed in the episodes (like all the summers they've gone through, etc) because the seasons on average lasted only 10 episodes over the course of about a year. Still, it's strange to think that Arthur's class should be out of college by now.

Roabe

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Re: So Many Summers...
« Reply #3 on: April 11, 2013, 10:13:10 am »
I just realized something while watching "Sue Ellen Chickens Out" today. It takes place during the later autumn months, since there's fall foliage and piles of leaves everywhere.

But "Sue Ellen Moves In" took place in the middle of winter time. It also took place while they are in the third grade, as Mr. Ratburn is present towards the end.

So would that mean the kids were in the fourth grade during "Sue Ellen Chickens Out"?
« Last Edit: April 11, 2013, 10:15:27 am by Roabe »

LovingBeagles

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Re: So Many Summers...
« Reply #4 on: April 11, 2013, 12:27:24 pm »
I just realized something while watching "Sue Ellen Chickens Out" today. It takes place during the later autumn months, since there's fall foliage and piles of leaves everywhere.

But "Sue Ellen Moves In" took place in the middle of winter time. It also took place while they are in the third grade, as Mr. Ratburn is present towards the end.

So would that mean the kids were in the fourth grade during "Sue Ellen Chickens Out"?

Good observation, Roabe. I hadn't noticed that. If that is true, it's the only plausible explanation. Unless SOMEHOW it tends to snow a little before the leaves fall. That's some messed up weather right there.

Was Mr. Ratburn's class ever featured in "Sue Ellen Chickens Out"? If so, that would put to rest the idea that they are in 4th grade (unless Ratburn is also their 4th grade teacher).

Anyone else remember those instances of Sue Ellen appearing in season 1 before her actual debut? Like in Arthur's Eyes?

Snowth Woogle

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Re: So Many Summers...
« Reply #5 on: April 11, 2013, 01:03:56 pm »
It's been so long that I don't remember, but wasn't "Sue Ellen Moves In" a flashback episode? Seems like I recall the teaser having Arthur reminding Buster how he thought Sue Ellen and her family were aliens when they first moved to this town, while the episode itself was a flashback to when the Armstrong family moved into Elwood City.

But it's kind of the same with Binky too: he was held back in Mr. Ratburn's class, right? Yet, IIRC, in some flashbacks, he's in Mr. Marco's second grade class with Arthur and the gang... and I know that when Arthur's had flashbacks of preschool, Binky was in their preschool class as well:

ARTHUR: Can't we shawe the cwayons? I want to colow a wainbow...
BINKY: Oh, okay! Here, I'll share this WHITE crayon with you! AHAHAHAHA!

Matter of fact, I think "The World of Tomorrow" is the only episode where we see Binky actually in Mr. Ratburn's class prior to being held back.
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Crossover Dreamer

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Re: So Many Summers...
« Reply #6 on: April 13, 2013, 01:15:41 am »
"Sue Ellen Chickens Out" is just another example of the writers disregarding the timeline(s) of past episodes. Arthur and his classmates are always in the 3rd grade unless it's an obvious flashback ("Arthur's Eyes" and "Arthur and the True Francine"). As for the summer episodes, I think that they're usually supposed to take place after they finished 3rd grade. "Arthur Goes to Camp" is most likely set after they finished 2nd grade because of "Arthur's Family Vacation" also being a season 1 episode.

What's interesting about "The World of Tomorrow" is that Binky's previous 3rd grade classmates look like his current 3rd grade classmates, but Prunella wasn't there. Francine said that she had Mr. Ratburn last year.
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Re: So Many Summers...
« Reply #7 on: April 13, 2013, 01:40:47 am »
"Sue Ellen Chickens Out" is just another example of the writers disregarding the timeline(s) of past episodes. Arthur and his classmates are always in the 3rd grade unless it's an obvious flashback ("Arthur's Eyes" and "Arthur and the True Francine"). As for the summer episodes, I think that they're usually supposed to take place after they finished 3rd grade. "Arthur Goes to Camp" is most likely set after they finished 2nd grade because of "Arthur's Family Vacation" also being a season 1 episode.

What's interesting about "The World of Tomorrow" is that Binky's previous 3rd grade classmates look like his current 3rd grade classmates, but Prunella wasn't there. Francine said that she had Mr. Ratburn last year.

Some don't always pay attention to details when it comes to flashback episodes.