24x01 - The Great MacGrady

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Arthur". Aired: October 7, 1996 - February 2022.*
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Arthur demonstrates to kids how to deal with challenges as homework, teachers and bullies.
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24x01 - The Great MacGrady

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♪ Every day when you're
walking down the street ♪

♪ Everybody that you meet
has an original point of view ♪

(laughing)

♪ And I say hey ♪

Hey!

♪ What a wonderful
kind of day ♪

♪ If we could learn
to work and play ♪

♪ And get along
with each other ♪

♪ You got to listen to your
heart, listen to the b*at ♪

♪ Listen to the rhythm,
the rhythm of the street ♪

♪ Open up your eyes,
open up your ears ♪

♪ Get together
and make things better ♪

♪ By working together ♪

♪ It's a simple message,
and it comes from the heart ♪

♪ Believe in yourself,
for that's the place to start ♪

♪ And I say hey ♪
Hey!

♪ What a wonderful
kind of day ♪

♪ If we could learn
to work and play ♪

♪ And get along
with each other ♪

Hey!

♪ What a wonderful kind of day ♪
Hey!

♪ What a wonderful
kind of day ♪

Hey!

Hey, D.W.!

Hey!

Whoa...

(crash)

♪ ♪

Ooh!

It's divine!
I'll take it.

Excellent choice, Madame.

No one captures broccoli

like the th century Dutch
painter, van Plop.

BUSTER:
Stop!

It's a fake!

This is not a genuine van Plop.

It is a copy by the
master forger: Le George!

(gasping):
Le George!

BUSTER (voiceover):
Yes, Le George.

His copies are so good,
no one can tell the difference.

They hang in museums
and private homes

around the world.

But I knew
there had to be something

that made Le George's paintings

unique.

(sniffs)

And then I found it.

Lunch!

Le George eats his lunch
while he works,

and whether it's
mustard or grape jelly,

some always ends up
on his canvases.

(crashing)

(gasps)
Le drat!

How sad.

He had so much talent.

Yes, but his downfall was this:

no matter who he tried to be,

he could never
avoid being himself--

Le George.

MUFFY:
"George Scraps His Sculpture."

MR. RATBURN:
The county-wide art show

is next month.

We need a volunteer
to contribute a work of art.

(yawns)

Ah, George, splendid.

I'll be right back.

Just have to
order our new telescope.

What just happened?

I think you just volunteered
to make a piece of art.

I did?

Relax!

You have a whole month.
That's ages away.

♪ ♪

ARTHUR:
Hey! It's our new telescope!

And it only took a month
to arrive.

MUFFY:
Ooh, the county-wide art fair
is this weekend.

Can't wait to see your piece,
George.

FRANCINE:
Yeah!

What'd you make?

Uh... a sculpture?

What's it look like?

Well, it's kinda hard to say.

I'm sure it's great.

Yeah!

Just think, you'll be

representing our class
to the whole county.

(nervously):
Uh...

Uh...

(as Wally):
George?

You've been uh-ing
for two hours now.

I know!

But I have less than a week
to come up with something.

Everyone's counting on me.

(as Wally):
So, start sculpting already.

You have wood,
you have wire...

But nothing I think of
is any good.

I don't even know if I know
what good looks like.

MUFFY:
"Good" looks like this.

"The Thinker?"

By Rodin.

You know it's good,
'cause it's famous.

Just do that.

(confused:
Just make Rodin's "The Thinker?"

Well, don't do it exactly.

Do it better.

Better?

You know, with more oomph.

Here, I got you
a few gift certificates

to the art supply store.

Nothing says oomph
like new art supplies.

So, does that have
more oomph or less oomph?

(as Wally):
Less. Definitely less.

(sighs)

FRANCINE (appalled):
"The Thinker?"

Muffy's taste is about
a hundred years out of date.

You want a sculpture
that's moving.

Like this kinetic sculpture
by Arthur Ganson.

(sculpture rattling)

Okay, time to make it move.

(yelps)

(parts clattering)

I'm telling you, it should be
a giant sculpture of an alien.

Like this!

That's Abraham Lincoln.

Are you sure?

No way he was that tall.

George, "The Thinker."

The "Little Dancer" by De.
I could pose for !

Or... why don't you
make a huge sandwich?

Oh!

And don't forget
to sculpt the mustard!

Everyone has
a different opinion.

How do I know
which one is right?

Is there a right opinion?

Sure there is!

Mine.

You're gonna trust someone who
likes olive oil-flavored yogurt?

What's wrong with that?

Ugh, that's what you put
on bruschetta.

You have red velvet!

That's a kind of cake.

You have no taste,

Binky Barnes.
What?

GEORGE:
Yogurt, art,

everyone has different tastes
about everything.

And now they're
all fighting about it.

How are you going to
please everyone?

Well,

Brain thought I should
do something like this,

but Buster likes
the Lincoln Memorial.

So, I combined them,
with a little bit

of "The Thinker" and
the "Little Dancer" thrown in.

I don't understand what it is.

Neither do I.

But it'll have to do.

Help me bring it to the curb?

My dad is going to
drive it to the fair.

Actually, I kind of like it.

But I'd like it more
if it looked like a train.

Bye.

Bye, Carl.

(sighing):
At least I'm done.

(crashing)
Wha...?

Stop!

(panting)

GEORGE (frantic):
Mr. Frensky!

Did you get my call
about the sculpture?

Don't worry,
we're on the lookout for it.

I was just telling my friend
about your art problem.

Guess one person's art
is another person's trash.

And vice-versa.

Kevin Sampson.

Pleasure to meet you,
George.

Oliver's got a great eye.

He's been mailing me
interesting doodads

for my work for years.

What is your work?

Just being Kevin Sampson,
I guess.

Whoa!
Look at these!

Oh yeah,
I saved those for you.

What are you gonna
do with them?

Beats me!
But if I listen to them,

I'm sure these little guys
will let me know.

That's part of my job.

(horn honking)

OLIVER:
Hey, George,
I think they found it.

(clattering)
GEORGE:
(sighs)

This it?

It's ruined!

And I used up all my
best materials making it.

Hey, there's a great place
for art supplies

just a stone's throw
from here.

Really?

KEVIN:
Look at that, and that.

What did I tell you?

Uh...

Check out that old fan.

Maybe its days
as a fan are done,

but I'll bet you it's
still got some secrets.

Secrets?

Sure.

Maybe that fan's
got a whole dream life,

but it needs someone to help
give it a voice.

(gasps)

I have no idea what to do.

And the art show
is only a day away.

Oh, maybe I'm just
not an artist...

(as Wally):
Well, you could try using
the gift certificate

Muffy gave you
for art supplies.

And I could use a little varnish
while you're at it.

(sighs)

♪ ♪

GEORGE:
Huh?

Kevin Sampson?

(indistinct chatter)

Huh?

Hey there, George.

Did you make all of these?

Guilty as charged.

Want to know a secret?

When I really need help
making a piece,

I turn myself
into a little bird.

♪ ♪

Then I can hop all around it
and see it better.

I've never seen anything
like this.

Good!

If you had,
it would mean

there's more than one of me
out there.

Huh?

The art you make
comes from you,

so it's bound to be unique.

But what if I can't make
anything amazing?

I'm representing
the whole class.

Don't worry about that.

Your job is just to be George.

That's what your friends
are counting on.

My friends...

Of course!

Got to go! Sorry! Bye!

Good luck, George!

(machine humming)

Mr. Morris!

You look like you're
on a mission.

The trash from
Mr. Ratburn's class--

how many days-worth is still
at the school?

Probably about two weeks' worth.

Follow me.

♪ ♪

(scissors cutting)

(screw turning)

(paint scraping)

(peanut butter dripping)

♪ ♪

(people chattering)

♪ ♪

(kids gasp, "ooh," and "hmm")

It's...
A train?

MUFFY:
Something about it

seems familiar.

Hey, I know that trash!

Yes, because the sculpture
has all of you in it.

Like here.

This is the box
for the new telescope

that Brain
raised the money for.

And these are the cups
from the yogurt

you were all arguing about.

(scoffs)
Olive oil. Ew.

GEORGE:
And Francine,

remember when you gave Muffy

a thank-you gift
for cat-sitting?

I used the wrapping paper
to make paper butterflies.

And here's chalk
representing Mr. Ratburn.

and the whole thing's
in the shape of a train,

Because it's like we're all
on a train together

heading into the future.

A "Friendship Train."

(claps)

(cheers and applause)

Beautiful! That's amazing.
(whistles)

♪ ♪

(as Wally):
Oh, It's not really
my cup of tea.

Well, you're entitled
to your opinion, Wally.

(Wally's wooden wink clicks)

(Kevin's wink chimes)

Oh, thank you.

And now a word from me,
Mr. Kevin.

It's the first door
on the right.

GIRL:
Mr. Kevin is the artist

Kevin Sampson.

MR. KEVIN:
Here in this space,

I create these pieces.

GIRL:
He finds things

around the city of Newark

to make his sculptures.

MR. KEVIN:
It's found object art,
which is found objects

plus other materials.

I see dinosaurs

up here.

He used rope and sticks.

GIRL:
What inspired you

to make this?

MR. KEVIN:
I'm a retired police officer,

so I wanted to do
something dedicated to

police officers.

That's why if you look closer

you can see police badges.

Because what I like to do
is go out

and talk to people
in my community

and find out what their fears,
their joys, their troubles,

and I come back
and I create a piece.

Most of these pieces have

some kind of hidden meaning
to them.

So, my community
is part of my process.

Downstairs is a woodshop.

Early on, I became friends
with Ron, the owner.

He has supported me
through the years.

(hammering)

A lot of my work starts
right here.

This is just the beginning,

it's the foundation.

If the foundation's good,
it's good.

Isn't it wonderful
that you could

make art out of anything?

BOY:
Today we are at
Paul Robeson Gallery

at Rutgers University.

We're going to build things.

BOY:
We're searching through

our materials to use
for our artwork

and make things

like Mr. Kevin.

Oh, they're going to come up
with all kind of things.

And I'm going to let them loose.

♪ ♪

BOY:
Like, we're figuring things out,
like, as we go.

MR. KEVIN:
You guys have

great imaginations.

GIRL:
Whatever you have, you can just

build something out of it.

MR. KEVIN:
Look at that!

That's beautiful.

Did you learn anything?
It was a fun project.

To make something creative means

to make something
that no one made before.

KIDS:
And now, back to "Arthur."

(dog barks)

If Grandma Thora
pays me two dollars a walk,

and if I walk k*ller

two times a day...
(whines)

...then I'll
finally have enough money

to buy the coolest thing
in the world--

♪ ♪

Bionic Bunny sneakers.

The first ever!

I started trying to
get money for them weeks ago.

I was just wondering,
could I have a raise

in my allowance?

(laughs)
Ah!

ARTHUR:
That didn't work,
so I had to go to plan B.

Come and get it!
Nice, cool lemonade!

(thunder claps)

(rain pouring down)

Made with real organic
rain water.

(voiceover):
Then I moved on to Plan C...

(trash clatters)

And D.

D was particularly gross.

But now, with just two days
of walking k*ller,

I'll finally have enough.

Those Bionic Bunny sneakers
are going to

be so cool, aren't they?

(barking)
Whoa!

BINKY (voiceover):
"Arthur's Big Meltdown."

MUFFY:
Daddy says I can have
a celebrity chef

and a makeup artist
to do face paint.

It'll be the best party ever.

Isn't the party for the new
showroom at Crosswire Motors?

Well, yes,

but Daddy wants me
to have fun, too.

Whoo-hoo!

Did you see that goal?

Huh?

I think someone
is a little too busy

admiring his new sneakers.

Kale smoothies, boys?

Okay, thanks!
Sure!

Okay,

next point wins the game.

♪ ♪

(puck clatters)

Whoa!

(splashing)

ARTHUR:
(gasps)

Yeah!
You ruined them!

You ruined my new shoes!

We did?
What happened?

You and your dumb game!

That's what happened!

Arthur.

Relax.

Relax? Look at them!

I worked weeks and weeks
to get these sneakers.

Grr...

And they're ruined!

(sneakers squishing)

(objects crashing)

(door slams)

Hey! You're gettig
green footprints everywhere.

Were you playing in a swamp?

ARTHUR:
It's not my fault.

Buster and Brain did it.

And I'm never ever
talking to them again!

I've never seen Arthur
get so angry.

Maybe you should apologize.

It was just an accident.

We didn't do it on purpose.

Still.

They were his new sneakers.

Huh?

BRAIN:
You don't think Arthur did that,
do you?

No way!

Actually, I'm not so sure...

(growling)

Take that!

Wow, Arthur's
even madder than I thought

if he's destroying
his own house.

Good luck.

Come on.

(doorbell rings)

Oh.
Hi Buster, hi Big Head.

Hey, why'd you make Arthur
play in a swamp?

Um, we didn't.

Is he at home?

We have to talk to him.

Sorry.

He said, "I'm never, ever
talking to them again."

That's a quote.

(both gasp)

Want me to take a message?

No, that's okay.
We'll talk to him at school.

Good luck.

What's going on?

This isn't like Arthur at all.

It's like there are
two different Arthurs.

Like the novella,

"Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll
and Mr. Hyde."

In the story,
a mild-mannered doctor

drinks a potion

and becomes a completely
different person.

(plopping)

ARTHUR:
(gasps)

You got tea
on my new wingtips!

(growls)

They're ruined!

(stammering):
It-it was an accident!

(growls)

It was that smoothie.

I knew kale
was bad for you.

Buster,
it was just an example.

Maybe. But still,

this is an Arthur
I've never seen before.

(scrubbing)

(dinging)
Huh.

Sorry,

I was just
washing my sneakers.

Those icky green things you
were ruining the carpet with?

They're not green anymore.

They look brand-new, see?

I'll clean the carpet
after dinner.

Hey, what happened
to the fence outside?

I may have bumped into it
while I was parking.

Sometimes accidents just happen.

You're welcome, by the way.

For what?

Buster and Brain stopped by.

I told them that you never
want to talk to them again.

Why would you do that?

Because that's exactly
what you said.

Did you guys have a fight?

No, not really.

I just thought
they'd ruined my sneakers.

I kind of overreacted.

Like you said,
sometimes accidents

just... happen.

I'll apologize
at school tomorrow.

Arthur was still so mad,

he tore apart the fence
in front of his house.

Guess what?

After ruining my game room,
Arthur went on a rampage...

"...and destroyed
his whole house?"

GEORGE:
Wow!

Arthur banned for life

after he ripped the door
off the library.

Everybody's saying
he's a menace to society.

Hey! That's my job.

Then he wrecked
the bowling alley

with his bare hands.

Who did?

(gasping)

Huh?

ARTHUR:
I need to talk to you.

(nervously):
Oh! H-hi, Arthur.

Please don't
kick my locker in.

(bell ringing)

Guys?

What's wrong with them?

Nothing's wrong,
just stay calm.

I am calm.

FRANCINE:
Of course you are.

Did you finish
that book report?

Oh, I forgot
to put my name on it.

C'mon, pen.

Grr--

Oops!

KIDS:
(gasping)

(whispering):
There he goes again.

Looks like everyone I invited

is coming to Daddy's party
tomorrow.

I hope the old Arthur
shows up.

Who knows what the new Arthur
is capable of.

(angry groaning)

(kids screaming)

(bouncy castle hissing)

I'm not inviting him.

You have to!

If you don't,
it'll hurt his feelings.

(gasps)

(groaning)

Sorry.
He's not coming.

♪ ♪

ARTHUR:
Wait up!

Why is everyone avoiding me?

(nervously):
I'm not avoiding.

Why would I be avoiding?

Bye. I have to, um,

catch up on
next week's homework!

Wait, take me with you.

Buster!

Tell me what's going on.

You've turned into Mr. Hyde.

ARTHUR:
Huh?

What I mean is--
it's your temper.

Everyone's afraid of you.

My temper?

I'm the calmest person I know.

What about yesterday
at Muffy's house?

Yeah, I did overreact.

And then you
knocked down your fence,

and threw that pen,
and had a fit in the cafeteria.

What?

I didn't do
any of those things!

It isn't fair.

Everyone thinks I'm dangerous

just because I got
a little mad at Muffy's.

BUSTER:
A little mad?

Arthur, I think there's
something you should see.

Now just relax, Arthur.

I'm going to
download the footage

from my security camera
to my laptop.

See?

Relax? Look at them!

I worked weeks and weeks
to get these sneakers!

And they're ruined!

Okay, I guess
I do seem pretty mad.

Wait,
it gets worse.

(Arthur grunts, ball bouncing)

(objects crashing)

I-I didn't mean
to do all that.

I was surprised, too.

You were out of control,
Arthur.

D.W.:
Hey,

can I borrow these pens?

Sure.

How about this pad?

Whatever.

Just get out of my room.

Hey,

what do you think you're doing
with all my stuff?

You said I could have it.

Did not.

Did so.

Did not!

You said "Whatever."

That means anything!

So don't go
and have a meltdown.

(yelling):
Meltdown? I'm perfectly calm!

Wait.
Why am I yelling?

That's what I always say.

Maybe Buster is right

and I really am like Mr. Hyde.

I don't know who that is,

but everybody
gets mad sometimes.

That's what Ms. Morgan says.

But now my friends
are afraid of me.

D.W.:
Well, Ms. Morgan says

it's what you do
when you're mad that matters.

I can't believe I'm asking you,

but what do you do
when you're angry?

First thing,
I blame everything on you.

I know that part.

D.W.:
But when that doesn't work,

I do this.

Wicky-wacky-ticky-
tacky-flibbedy-flabbady-floop!

What?

I say something really silly.

Ms. Morgan says
when you do that,

you forget you're so mad.

And that's it?

Then I give myself a time out

and take a very deep breath.

And then I feel better.

That's the worst advice
I've ever heard.

So... can I keep your stuff?

ARTHUR:
No.

I'm really sorry.

I was upset,
but that's no excuse.

I get it.

I've gotten a little mad myself
once or twice.

You? Of course not!

Never.

I never meant to
wreck your game room, Muffy.

Okay, I accept your apology.

You can come
to Daddy's party.

But no bringing Mr. Hyde.

♪ ♪

(music playing,
indistinct chatter)

See?

I told you
we didn't have to

worry about Arthur.

Yeah, I guess that
was a one-time thing.

ARTHUR:
What?

(gasping)

Uh-oh.

(angrily):
Again?

Wicky-wacky-ticky-tacky-
flibbedy-flabbady-floop!

(deep breath)

Really sorry
about your sneakers.

It's okay.

It was just an accident.

Huh?

What was that thing you said?

Something D.W.
told me to do.

You listen to D.W. no?

Just this once.

And you can
never, ever tell her.

BUSTER:
To watch more "Arthur"

and play games with all
the Elwood City friends,

You can find "Arthur" books

and lots of other books, too,

at your local library.

♪ ♪
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