Underplayed Gems

Arthur (1996)

Arthur poster
Genre
educational entertainment, problem solving, slice of life, comedy drama
Country
United States, Canada
Length
25 seasons, 253 episodes
Rated
TV-Y
Rating
7.0 of 10 from 186 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
The 3D catalogue: film cases on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalogue in 3D

The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this series is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

An anthropomorphic aardvark named Arthur lives with his family and friends in the fictional city of Elwood City. The episodes show his everyday experiences dealing with childhood problems like school, friendships, and family life.

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What happens

Arthur is an animated children's television series developed by Marc Brown and Kathy Waugh and produced by WGBH Boston for PBS. Based on Brown's Arthur book series, the series is set in the fictional city of Elwood City and follows the everyday lives of Arthur Read, an anthropomorphic aardvark, his family, his friends, and their interactions with one another. Production was first announced in 1995 by WGBH and Montreal-based animation studio CINAR, and the series premiered on October 7, 1996, on PTV, later renamed PBS Kids. During its 25-season run, Arthur aired 253 half-hour episodes. In June 2018, the series was renewed for four additional seasons, extending its run through season 25. On July 27, 2021, it was announced that the 25th season would be the series' last. The series concluded on February 21, 2022. Arthur received critical acclaim for its portrayal of issues affecting children and families, including asthma, dyslexia, cancer, diabetes, and autism. It also promotes reading and emphasizes the importance of family and friendship through its diverse cast of characters with varying personalities, beliefs, and interests. It was the longest-running children's animated series in the United States until it was surpassed by SpongeBob SquarePants in 2025, and is the fifth-longest-running American animated television series, behind The Simpsons, South Park, Family Guy, and SpongeBob SquarePants. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

More like this

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