Spoiler alert
It wasn’t quite the “it was all a dream trope” but the writers and producers of the long-running PBS show Arthur made a not dissimilar move with their series finale. Yes, you heard right. After 25 years of entertaining children of all ages, the animated show Arthur has now ended. *SPOILER In a twist ending, the series finale revealed that the entire show was all part of titular character Arthur’s graphic novel memoir. And all the characters are actually…wait for it…grown up! *END SPOILER
As we celebrate literacy and National Library Week this month, we tip our hats to the extremely popular television series based on author, Marc Brown’s, picture books of the same name. Born out of a bedtime story, the books, the first published in 1976, morphed into a PBS series aimed at fostering good social skills in children and providing life lessons. The show made history by being the first daily program to be described for blind or visually impaired viewers and won an impressive 6 Emmy awards and 25 Emmy nominations. To add to its resume, Arthur also received the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award for excellence in broadcasting.
In an interview with Variety, Brown addresses why they decided to stop at 25 years, questions surrounding Arthur’s race, and how embedding adult humor into the episodes has always been a priority (so don’t feel awkward for enjoying the show even if your child has moved on).
That’s not to say that Arthur is gone forever. In his interview, Brown indicates that they are way more opportunities now to keep Arthur going than when they started. Podcasts, games, and perhaps even PBS specials are a possibility. The show’s creators haven’t slammed the door, they just found some digital windows to open.
You can say “hey” to Arthur and the gang in their final episode which aired on February 21, 2022, by watching it on PBS Kids.
Have you and your student read the Arthur books or watched the show? What are your thoughts on the series’ finale?
