The main characters of the children’s TV show Arthur come from a wide range of animal species. The show’s instructional value lies in its intriguing plotlines for each individual character. Arthur, a little boy of eight years old, goes to school and socialises with other children his age.
Therefore, the entire programme serves as a model for how children as young as eight should act and respond when faced with challenges.
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Which TV Show Is Called “Arthur”?
Which animal best describes Arthur? A brown cartoon aardvark named Arthur resides in the made-up city of Elwood City.
The animated Canadian-American TV show Arthur is an instructional animation aimed at kids ages 4 to 8.
The show was developed by Kathy Waugh and produced by WGBH for PBS. Elwood Metropolis is a made-up American metropolis, and the programme takes place there during third grade at Lakewood Elementary. The animated series Arthur has been airing on PBS Kids for quite some time.
It follows the adventures of Arthur Read, an aardvark who is eight years old, in a cartoon adaptation of Marc Brown’s popular book series. His younger sisters are the kindergarten-aged D.W. (Dora Winifred) and the newborn Kate, both of whom play pivotal roles in the drama.
His mom is an accountant and his dad is a chef. Similarly, Arthur also owns a dog whose name is Pal.
With the help of his friends, Arthur has experienced many new things and overcome numerous challenges over the years, such as getting a new bike, trying out new sports, becoming a better friend, and much more. Francine Frensky and Muffy Crosswire are two of the most primate-like girls ever.
Here we have Binky Barnes, a bulldog who resides in a kennel. Binky may look tough on the outside, but he’s actually a softie. Author and intrepid sleuth Fern Walters is a creative force in the world.
Fern is a dog with droopy ears. Tommy and Timmy Tibbles, two bear cubs, are full of energy. When bear cubs mature, they develop a great deal of physical strength. To relax, Prunella Deegan practises yoga and reads books. At last, Sue Ellen is a lovable, fluffy cat.
Who are Arthur’s Main Characters, and What Kinds of Animals are they?
There have been many interesting people featured in the show over the years. Several actors have taken on many of the roles.
Arthur Read, an aardvark in first grade, is known for his kindness and empathy. As Arthur’s younger sibling, D.W. Read is a Read. She’s only four, yet she sometimes makes Arthur mad because she’s jealous of how old he is. D.W.’s best friend and fellow preschool student is Emily.
The mother, Jane Read, works as an accountant. The dad, David Read, is a cook. Kate Read is Arthur’s younger sister, and Arthur’s dog Pal is his best friend.
Buster Baxter, Arthur’s dearest companion since he was eight years old, is a rabbit. He also enjoys science fiction, comedy, video games, and TV.
Arthur’s closest friend is a woman named Francine Frensky. The monkey has shown to be the best athlete in the school. Her closest confidante is Muffy. Muffy Crosswire, the cream monkey, is the wealthiest student at her posh high school.
Nine-year-old Prunella-Fern is in fourth grade. Brain’s real identity is Alan Powers; the nickname stuck since he was always recognised as the class genius. When not being a jerk, Alan, the brown bear, is polite and pleasant.
Currently, Sue Ellen Armstrong is a freshman at her new school. She’s a tan kitty who trains in karate. Shelley Barnes is Binky’s real name. Binky was his nickname as a kid because he constantly asked for his pacifier.
In later episodes, he has mellowed from his tyrannical ways of the past and become a good friend of Arthur’s. Shy Fern Walters is a fellow student of Arthur’s. It turns out she’s a dog with a penchant for detective fiction. In the end, Mr. Ratburn becomes Arthur and his pals’ instructor.
Brown supposedly read a bedtime story to his son Tolon about a “weird animal” after Tolon requested such a tale. Because it was the first animal that sprang to mind, Brown made reference to an aardvark. Two 11-minute episodes that stand on their own make up each Arthur season. The Buster spin-off series Postcards of Buster ran for a short time.
The real D.W., Arthur’s sister, Kim Brown, travels the country giving talks in which she claims to be Brown. However, most of the creatures in Arthur are voiced by children, as opposed to the professional voice actors used in most animated series.
As two examples, in one episode Muffy orders desserts from Eliza’s Bakery and in another the local moving company is called Tolon’s Moving (Elwood City).
In “The Contest,” Arthur and his pals are given a makeover and start talking like the South Park characters. In ‘Buster Baxter and the Letter from the Sea,’ protagonist Buster Baxter finds a message in a bottle and assumes it is from the mythical lost city of Atlantis.
The Other Creatures on Arthur There are a total of 14 animals shown on the TV show Arthur.
Since Arthur and his family are aardvarks given human characteristics, they serve as the series’ primary heroes.
The TV show features a wide variety of creatures, including aardvarks, monkeys, rabbits, bears, cats, bulldogs, dogs, bloodhounds, poodles, moose, foxes, pandas, rattlesnakes, and rats. Roughly 87 different people named Arthur appear throughout the books.
What’s With the Aardvark Hairstyle, Anyway?
It’s because the character’s appearance changed slightly throughout time, especially between books and episodes of the TV show. In Arthur’s universe, aardvarks are a common species, thus he and his family are one and the same.
When Marc Brown’s kid requested for a story about a “strange animal,” Brown told Newsweek that he was going through the alphabet and that “aardvark” was the first animal that sprang to mind.
Many of Arthur’s exploits and the people he encounters are based on Brown’s own experiences and the people he encountered when he was in third grade.
For example, Mr. Ratburn was inspired by a teacher he had as a kid, and Binky Barnes, the school bully, was also modelled by a real person. Having characters from all walks of life is a strength of the show.
An interesting aspect of this is how it causes friction between Francine and her friend Muffy. When Francine tells Muffy that she and her family will be celebrating Chanukah instead of Christmas, Muffy is both surprised and confused.
In the eighth episode of Season 29, Arthur makes an appearance as a puppet in the Neighborhood for Make-Believe, where he has conversations with a number of the locals, including Lady Elaine. Season 6 introduces it as Arthur’s new teenage neighbour who moved in after Mr. Sipple’s departure.
Last Words
Eight-year-old Arthur Read lives in Elwood City as an anthropomorphic brownish aardvark. Brain, the anthropomorphic bear, wears a grey sweater, olive green pants, and brown loafers.
In the books, Brain also dons a rainbow of sweaters and shirts. The Brain is one of the most respectful characters in the show.
