We Need To Talk About Arthur's DARKEST Episode...Made For Kids, Content For Adults...

[@offmodel]

I was the Storyboard Supervisor on Arthur in the 1990's and I spoke to Greg Bailey, the Series Director, about this episode recently. He said: "It was obvious we would do the show April 16 because we did our annual story meeting one week after 9/11 at WGBH in Boston. Peter Hirsch (the writer of this episode) was still traumatized by 9/11 because he lives in Manhattan and he was itching to write that episode. There were concerns from WGBH that we not traumatize the kids in the audience with it so we came up with the fire angle. Peter showed up (to Boston) with his gas mask from NY and I drove down to Boston for the meeting (from Montreal), going across the tiny Vermont border before the days of all that heavy border security and after the big traffic tie up at the border in the days following the attack. I remember sitting at the small crossing in Vermont waiting for the border guard to get out of his rocking chair and come and see what I was doing. Not many people used the little crossing. A family and some little kids with a balloon walked across the line and he waved to them while directing me through. Anyways, this was an episode very important to Peter so he took great care in this script. " Note that Arthur voices and pre-production artwork was done in Montreal, Canada.

[@BorneoVR]

This needs to get pinned!

[@Karen-du3pj]

Thank You for sharing this, from Michigan, I was on the road weekend after 9/11, they were empty

[@brandimullins8813]

I was 5 years old when 9/11 happened and i was born in Indiana, so for me my experience was sitting in the living room playing while my mom and uncle watched on TV. I remember seeing the news coverage and wondering "what's going on? what's so important about this? I don't get it." also for years afterward every single time during sept 11th, there would always be what i called "9/11 activities" in school which was basically an entire day where every class i was in was basically dedicated to talking about 9/11, why we needed to remember it, and even showing us documentaries and making us take quizzes and write essays about what happened. and even outside of school it was always "where were you on 9/11?" which i didn't like answering because "sitting in my living room playing with my toys" is not in any way comparable to something like "I was in school and my mom came and picked me up because my grandmother lives in New York a few miles away from the WTC and my mother and i were terrified for her" or some other jaw-dropping story some people have. My whole early childhood i couldn't understand why everyone was making such a fuss about something that didn't affect us (because Indiana, not New York). So Buster's reaction to what happened was very relatable for me and I definitely appreciated it. "Why am i okay and everyone else is not?" has been a continuous thought for me throughout my life.

[@Toonkid4life1]

@@brandimullins8813 as someone that was around the same age, but was in school when it happened, i get that feeling. our school was primary, so no one was over 7 yrs old then and we didn't understand why they had us all go to the inner gym and have us sit with the projector going on the wall. All of us kids were sitting and talking cause it was the first time all grades/classes were together. I remember being confused why all the adults around us were obviously nervous and i just kept looking the projection (coudn't read that well back then) and i saw the plane fly in the explosions... i heard the adults gasp and some on the kids got quiet... but we didn't understand-- what we did understand was the adults were scared and thats not normal. I think our age group being as young but remembering a lot of details is an uniqe perspective on that event and what followed. From that point on, at least in my eyes, it looks like every action from the adults around me was a reaction to their fear that day, especially when it was brought up every year and the 'never forget' mantra didn't become a memorial.... but something darker. I was in the Air capital so for my area, no matter how far away the event was, it impacted my city a lot cause of the planes and aviation industry.... and i think in our own way we are 'okay' than some, but we have our own trauma too, the after affects that linger from that day.

[@snackasmversion2752]

This needs to be pinned

[@Ninetails2000]

One note on Binky's story, the guy he talked to was Oliver Frensky, Francine's dad with whom he had a previously established mentorship role. Oliver is one of the few people Binky could feel vulnerable around, so it also showed that you can and should talk to people you trust about your feelings and fears as part of healing.

[@bandz6025]

Wasn't he also volunteer firefighter

[@curiotimetv]

Here here for Oliver Frensky! An all around good guy!

[@josephcalrow2586]

@@curiotimetvyes he was a great guy

[@claymathewselevator8121]

He’s such a great character on Arthur

[@coleallen3895]

Oliver Fresnky is an amazing father

[@angelwatcher374]

I’m a cancer survivor. I experienced some very traumatic things growing up because of that. I could never understand why I would get so nervous going to the hospitals for follow ups. The doctors even thought it was weird that a “vet” like me was so nervous because I should be used to this stuff. One day, my mom finally told me I was experiencing PTSD. My eyes widened as I realized she was right. My mom even said if the things that had happened to more weren’t for my health, they would have been considered child abuse and torture. I realized she was right and decided I’d never let a doctor laugh at me again for being scared.

[@TheAeroAvatar]

You forgot to mention Buster's eye-opening encounter with Mr. Morris who was injured while containing the blaze, and the friendship they struck up over the entire incident. Aside from that though, excellent review. Episodes like this are why Arthur is one of the greatest cartoons EVER. I grew up with this show, I started Kindergarten when this show came on. It's been stitched into my heart ever since.

[@joshualowe959]

I can relate to Buster. I have never actually experienced a tragedy or a big fire in my life first hand but i keep seeing on the news about mass shootings, wildfires, wars, etc.

[@DarkLink1996]

I was kinda close to a wildfire and I have heard bad accidents happen outside my house

[@hunterolaughlin]

I remember last year my older brother was living in Highland Park, IL and he was one of the millions of people that was a survivor of the mass shooting that happened during the 4th of July parade. While I never experienced a tragedy like Buster, having a close family member that did really opened my eyes and for a while, made me even afraid to go outside or go anywhere because I had a fear a mass shooter was going to show up. So I definitely was also going through what Binky went through in this episode and can really relate.

[@DoraemonFan-ww3jm]

Me too. I was a baby when 9/11 happened (like my brothers since they're the same age as me), so I don't remember how I felt at that time. The major bad current events that happened hasn't affected me too much because I wasn't there directly, but I still feel sorry for the innocent people that experiences those events.

[@DarkLink1996]

@@DoraemonFan-ww3jm I was only 5 when it happened. I don't remember much

[@michaellynes3540]

Despite people who never experienced a tragedy like 9/11, it had a BIG impact on them.

[@Firepuma27]

Sesame street had a similar plot with a fire happening in Mr. Hooper's store and Elmo being affected by it.

[@crimsondynamo615]

I remember that!

[@knottyorchid1212]

i was gonna say Sesame Street would like a word with ya

[@AmusementParkLife]

Today is April 9th… I watched this episode when I was younger, but now I truly understand it

[@NekoTamer15]

I was 10 when 9/11 happened and was only vaguely aware of the situation. I reacted to it like they were just plane crashes that happen every so often instead of a terrorist attack. Years later, I talked to my dad about it, and he was actually thankful that was wasn't traumatized by the event.

[@earthlyworld4698]

I was a 2 month old baby during the event

[@Winterfur1]

Same exact I was living on a military base and still had to go to school. Pacific Northwest

[@PrincessofEllabur]

I was 10 as well but since my elementary or even the high schools up in Canada aren't watching the news in the morning I didn't learn about the incident until about 5:30pm that night. I guess in a way, Its similar to Buster's reaction.

[@tessamitchell7597]

I was only 2-3 years old when 9/11 happened therefore I don't really remember it.

[@abcdeshole]

I was 12 at the time and I don’t remember anyone being “traumatized” by 9/11. People weren’t so fragile back then.

[@laurawilson5666]

You don't ever "Get Over" trauma sure you can get through it but you still have to deal with triggers the rest of your life.

[@pepito2847]

A moment from the episode that I liked was when Muffy was initially wondering why Sue Ellen was so upset about losing a book Francine had to enlighten Muffy why said book meant so much to Sue Ellen It was a scene that showed that Francine was the more mature one between her and Muffy

[@PrincessofEllabur]

what the creator says is a "Scrap book" is actually a a diary. The same diary that was in an early episode of Arthur (forget the name of the eposide)- but Binky and Muffy once they hear that Sue Ellen "lost" her journal in the library and they have an imagine scene of X or Y- Muffy has an image scene of here being a princess trapped in a tower and Sue Elen is a "brave knight". and Binky thinks that Sue Ellen has a crush on him. I think Arthur was the last person to found out but is the only person who didn't have a imagine scene.

[@chellecunningham1997]

@@PrincessofEllaburThe earlier season episode that you’re referencing is, “Sue Ellen’s Lost Diary

[@hunterolaughlin]

The fact Francine showed genuine care and sympathy for Sue Ellen really shows she’s a better friend than Muffy. Muffy didn’t understand how much sentimental value that journal had and when she tried to replace it the first time, she acted rude when Sue Ellen turned it down. I sometimes even wonder why Muffy is best friends with Francine in the first place.

[@theAstarrr]

"It was a scene that showed that Francine was the more mature one between her and Muffy" Everyone is more mature than Muffy for the entire show lol, didn't need that scene to tell us

[@pheunithpsychic-watertype9881]

Eh that tends to be interchangeable. Like meek meek a week and grancicne francine superstsr

[@MissSirenita]

I was in school, in first grade, when the incident happened and I heard the news. However, it’s a memory I still have. My class and I were in the library when the librarian felt distraught. She brought in the tv for all of us to watch. While the quality definitely wouldn’t have been the best, I still vividly remember the planes crashing into the towers. I remember people jumping out to try to save their own lives. I remember the librarian there who had her hands folded like she’s praying and she was shaking and crying. I wasn’t directly impacted nor did I fully understand it fully. So the most it affected me was what I saw and the nightmares there after. That’s it. I feel bad for those impacted by 9/11 and my heart reaches out.

[@ArquaticDreamer1994]

See the thing with me was I was about to get ready to go to school but the thing is while I was watching it live at home and seeing the look of horror on mom's face as she nearly spewed her coffee I'm autistic on the far end of the spectrum so I have a really REALLY good imagination and I also have something called hyperphantasia where your imagination and minds eye can be like you're actually there in the TV. And by watching the second plane hit i felt panicked enough already and then also watching the people jump to their deaths I felt like I was frozen with fear and disbelief. 22 years later I'm still dealing with what I felt that day as a kid. It just really made me feel so hopeless and helpless like there was nothing I could really actually do. And when I saw it on TV and when I saw my mom's reaction as if it were real life happening I knew that it wasn't a drama or horror movie

[@brandimullins8813]

Ive heard so many similar stories like this and its absolutely insane to me that some teachers' reactions to it while being in class teaching were "Oh my god I need to get the TV so my young students can watch these two buildings burn with people still inside! they have to see this very traumatic thing!" what 5 - 12 year old needs to see people jumping out of burning buildings to their deaths? Its so weird to me that teachers did this.

[@demonicpokeyfruit9006]

@@brandimullins8813 Bringing that up, the visuals of those that had jumped stayed with me for a while. (Another comment on this video states I was 8 years old that morning) My morning journal for 9/12 was a drawing of people jumping out of the two buildings. I know it was young me trying to rationalize what I saw, but to this day I find it interesting that the teacher never brought these drawings up with my mother or father. I agree, it's really strange to me that our entire school had the tvs on for most of the live broadcast and didn't shut them off until class was over. The constant exposure to the imagery I'm sure is what caused my fear of fire and planes, not to mention my cousin's internship in North Tower. (He is alive and well, but still dealing with nightmares of the attacks.)

[@Pirategirl4nightwish]

Wow, that was a horrible thing to do to young children. I was in 8th grade and our teachers wouldn’t let us turn on the televisions. I didn’t know anything happened till I got home that afternoon.

[@sheleavitt06]

I was in 8th grade and every class room had their tv’s on and we witnessed in real time the second plan crash. None of us could stop watching. You could feel the silence in the whole school except for the CNN reporters on the screens in every classroom. We were all mad when the principal told all the teachers to turn off the tv’s and continue teaching. How could we just go back to learning after this?!?!? Looking back that was probably about the time people started jumping from the towers…I can see now why she told the teachers to turn off the news😢 later that day she called a special assembly to talk about the attack and to morn together. The band teacher sung the nation anthem. I had to help him remember the lyrics earlier in the day when he was writing them down so he wouldn’t mess up. I honestly had no idea he was such a good singer because that is a HARD song to sing, especially as a soloist with no accompaniment.

[@aprilbess4074]

I remember this episode but Binky’s storyline stuck with me more as a kid.

[@TheZamaron]

Hard not to as he's desite being a friend of Arthur's, basically the "school bully" role, so as typical he acts tough like nothing could hurt him, only for this event to frighten him, ussual of this type of character.

[@Spottedstorm27]

Binky and Arthur's were the strongest to me as a kid. But it was such a good story for me as a kid. Helped me overcome the trauma I had later in life when my high school bus was in an accident. I was terrified of driving on buses for a long time after!

[@peterjohnisback]

Binky reminds me of Buford.

[@Kymanbitch]

​@peterjohnisback yeah, they're both bullies but nice and good characters

[@hunterolaughlin]

While I never experienced a tragic event, but when my older brother who was living in Highland Park, IL at the time was a survivor of the 4th of July mass shooting that took place, I went through what Binky was going through in being afraid of the possibility of something tragic happening again, except for me it was the possibility of a mess shooting and being there and I was similarly afraid of going outside or anywhere until I talked it over with someone and after some time, my fear started to go away and I became more comfortable with going places.

[@lkjhb1]

I like how it educated kids that sleeping through a loud alarm is possible

[@foxfanAly2005]

I lost my mom to cancer in 2020 when I was 14 and thought it was my fault because growing up my dad would yell at me when my mom had her medical episodes. But as i gotten older i realized it wasn't my fault because my mom brought me to Heaven and told me I had nothing to do with her death and moved on.

[@jamiethomas3768]

I’m really sorry😢that happened….

[@foxfanAly2005]

@@jamiethomas3768 thank you

[@pheunithpsychic-watertype9881]

I needed this as an eye opener because as a kid when 9/11 was going on me and my cousins trivialized it when we saw the coverage at my grandmas house. We laughed and fell over the bed shouting *&^de in Spanish when they showed footage of the guy falling.

[@the-nina-beans88]

I was 12 when 9/11 happened. But I was kinda like buster who didn’t know how to feel about it

[@Karuminu2]

Same.

[@TheZamaron]

Well you were a kid, kids don't always know how they should feel about it, but I assume now that you're much older you feel differently, especially if you've eventually learned more about how bad it was and what happened. As a kid it's easy to think it was probably some accident, or not know what terrorists were.

[@the-nina-beans88]

@@TheZamaron yeah. I remember the news that day showing the cameras man running away before the towers collapsed. Plus all the angles of the second plan crashing into the second tower were brocast. As an adult you now do feel the weight of what happened that day.

[@mickmack3]

I was like 3 about to turn 4.

[@songbirdrebel5895]

I'm the same about that, and I was around 7

[@pygmiegoatsheepbeat]

I remember I was 14 when the attack happened, I went to a school with 100 students, so incredibly small and IMO the teachers handled it VERY poorly. Classes were put on hold, kids were being pulled from classes left and right, and no one would tell us anything. We didn't have tvs in any of the rooms so no one could turn one to the news. All we kids had was hearsay and rumors. I tried being the voice of reason when some kids panicked about the terrorists attacking OUR school next. I pointed out A: We were in Florida, and B: We were a VERY small school. But I got shot down. I was freaking out but trying to remain calm and the teachers seemed to think it was better we were kept in the dark and left to gossip among ourselves. My brother, who'd skipped school that day for whatever reason, watched it live on tv with our mom and they were both just horrified and silent.

[@TheZamaron]

Wow, you were a pretty rational 14 year old despite feeling fear. Why would terrorists target your tiny unimportant school in the middle of some likely unimportant town? But yah keeping the kids in the dark wasn't likely a good idea. All the teachers had to say was "Some bad guys hijacked 2 planes and crashed them into 2 skyscrapers in New York City."

[@aromaladyellie]

No TVs is no excuse, my 3rd grade teacher had the radio on. I remember sitting in my dark, quiet class. We didn't have much in the way of class that day either, but I can hardly blame the teachers for being shaken and scared.

[@pygmiegoatsheepbeat]

Yeah the teachers just handled it badly on my end. Kept us kids in the dark to 'protect us' and wound up freaking us all out even more because kids spread rumors and hearsay.@@aromaladyellie

[@williammerkel1410]

I was in second grade at the time and remember it well, those of us who had gotten to school early for breakfast add a TV rolled out on one of those tall carts by the lunch ladies and we watched it in real time, mostly in silence, just taking it all in, our marine Vietnam vet principal let us all in prayer over the intercom after everyone had gotten to school and we were dismissed orderly shortly after

[@Shastasnow]

The second space shuttle explosion and 9/11 were glued in my mind back then. I still remember my second grade teacher putting the news on TV and all of us going home early. It was all on the news, so it was almost impossible not to feel something. These memories never go away. Neither does this episode. Nothing on TV compares to actual life events.

[@richardperaza5083]

To me what I like about this episode is the fact Arthur really wanted his dad to be safe, Sue Ellen after losing her journel is like you have other things in life, Binky in this episode shows 2 things that make it impactful one is that no matter how tough you are you can still be scared and that it's ok to talk to someone, Buster even with him shows that you may not feel bad as bc he wasn't there and didn't know yet he still feels bad and even if you werent there you can still comfort someone that may have been affected by an incident

[@edgecruz4832]

Although I was only 5 years old turning 6 when 9/11 happened, I was like buster. I never truly understand the traumatic historical event that many people had lived with since that day. I can never understand the disaster and I still don't to the degree that many people do. I am glad that my feelings are just as valid as the ones who witness the disaster first hand.

[@Karen-du3pj]

Saw this recently, liked the fact it was Francine's dad who helped Binky, nice mix images with the TORNADO episode.

[@andreapatane4204]

I can possibly relate to April 9th which is the name of an episode from Arthur before it got cancelled, because it was natural for me and everyone else in the world to feel sad whenever schools catch fire or have other tragedies of any kind. Even though Arthur is an animated educational TV show that's marketed for children, plenty of them may feel shocked, sad or traumatized after they see the characters undergo the same kind of emotions that we all have in reality.

[@ethane-dawgwenger4207]

I love how these kids' shows made episodes referencing 9/11 and how people felt during that time. Children are humans, too, and they all need to understand how emotions like the ones displayed on this episode work. Sesame Street did the same thing.

[@sarahtelles1931]

Still at the intro and I have to mention how impressed I was that the Ratburn wedding episode remembered his sister who substituted for him in that one episode existed. Especially since the writers before retconned Wally as in they forgot that George made Wally and in a later season afterwards gave a flashback that made it seem as if George received Wally as a gift

[@Tanyableu]

I empathize with Arnold. My dad was coming home from a business trip from Albany that day. Even though they are not close to each other, it was easy that day to overlap them both. I bawled when he came home

[@anapprenticeforlife4116]

Who's Arnold?

[@Tanyableu]

@@anapprenticeforlife4116 He's that football headed kid. XD I meant to type Arthur

[@HighAsHeckPriestess]

Arthur helped me grow up more able to work through difficult and traumatic situations as someone who grew up around adults who didnt regulate their emotions well. I hope they keep the reruns going as long as we have PBS

[@snowqueen_8958]

I remember this episode and alot of cartoons tackled 9/11 in some way or form

[@callanightshade8079]

Yeah. Even Mr. Rogers came back to help us feel safe ❤

[@snowqueen_8958]

@@callanightshade8079 i remember that and back in the day there was the conflict episodes that talked about the Cold war In a way kids could understand

[@nola281]

I was in high school on 9/11. It was 9th grade and was in geometry class, the lesson was supposed to be quadratic equations. One of the kids had a cell phone, one of only like three kids and maybe ten teachers. She came in class and said that some of her friends in New York had seen a plane hit one of the buildings. We asked the teacher to turn the news on and she did, on mute, in the corner. There was a boy who said, what's that?, pointing out the plane. Class was over, nothing else was done all day. I started crying because i knew my brother was going overseas. He joined the army in 1999 and i actually joked about, well there's no wars. He called a week later to say nothing and everything. I miss the pre 9/11 world. It wasn't perfect but we didn't know how bad it would get. He served double digit tours in iraq and Afghanistan, came back physically but mentally gone.

[@michaellynes3540]

My family were in California and I was still 1 years old when 9/11 happened. My dad was at the military base when it happened. Some soldiers at the base said that we were under attack. My dad didn’t believe it until he got home and saw the World Trade Center in flames on TV. And after he saw it, there wasn’t much he could do about it.

[@stefanomicali]

I wish it showed that after Binky confronted his fears to Oliver, he confessed the reason of the fire prank to Mr. Haney.

[@Nixie3545]

Honestly, I can relate with Binky a lot. I had a house fire and it only affected from the neighbor's house going through my kitchen window and spreading into the kitchen but it was still traumatic cuz my room is right next to the kitchen like as soon as I open the door there's my kitchen window and there was the fire. I screamed but my mind automatically went into fight mode and that resulted in me getting my mom her dog my dog and both the tenants with their dogs and cats out but I couldn't get my cat out. luckily my cat survived, but I can barely handle lighters and as long as somebody tells me they're lighting a candle I will be okay with it. I can't sleep with a light on in the kitchen because I see the glow and it hurts me. If I hear anything that's like a fire alarm a smoke detector and it goes on for a while I go into panic attack mode to where I can't sleep and I start bawling my eyes out as well as having chest pains. They can last 4 hours to a whole night. The fire happened almost 2 years ago and I'm still living with the PTSD from it even if it's mild. Like I can handle fires on shows and stuff like that but I worry what will happen if I go camping and I have to have a fire going. Will I be okay? Will I go into full-blown panic attack mode? These are things I never know. Not to mention I haven't gone to any grills I haven't used my grill or anything like that and I have no idea what the future could hold for me. All I know is it's traumatized me but at least I know my mind will go into immediate rescue mode versus freezing from Fear. That's the only thing that reassures me constantly. And the worst part I'm an adult like past my mid-twenties adult and it's still horrific to think.

[@anapprenticeforlife4116]

You experienced the "flight" part of "fight or flight", and thank goodness you did!! You got everyone out that you could safely, AND your cat survived!! That's awesome of you. I hope you can speak to someone about this, whether a professional, a family member, a friend, a support group, or even reach out to ANYONE! Good luck!!

[@Nixie3545]

@@anapprenticeforlife4116 thank you. I think it was more 'safety mode' vs flight. Flight would mean running and even abandoning. I haven't got tge help but a couple of my friends understand & support me at least.

[@jonathanhamiltonjrbigjohn2409]

I know and remembered this episode from 2002 and even I can relate to Buster at times. Though I've experienced some real life events through practice, there were times where it has actually happened. In 2007, when I was in school, a fire did break out, though it was a small one, then almost 6 months later, on one stormy day in 2008, after several tornado warnings, we had a tornado warning actually did occur and we took shelter, fortunately though, there was no tornado. A few years later, while I was in the workplace at school, one student pulled out a weapon in one of the classes I take, a lockdown occurred happened.

[@zaktilton1680]

I was in 4th grade when the terrorist attack happened. I'm ashamed to say that at the time I wasn't really aware of how serious things were and was more upset about not being able to watch my after-school shows since all the channels were showing the news. Growing up and taking time to understand it I realized how serious it was, just shows how your views can be so different from childhood to adulthood.

[@GoliathSaint]

My dad was in the pentagon when it got hit on 9/11. He helped a few others get out, was given a medal, etc. That day was hectic watching it on tv while my mom kept trying to get in touch with him. 9/11 was a wild time.

[@BokanProductions]

I feel the switch to flash animation is the reason why ratings got lower and the show got cancelled. It deserves a BETTER finale!

[@peterjohnisback]

What do you mean?? It did get a better finale.

[@BokanProductions]

@@peterjohnisback I wasn't talking about this episode. I'm talking about the one with all of them as adults. It wasn't good enough considering how long the show lasted.

[@SockTeamStudios_Official]

​@BokanProductions the show ended properly. Cry harder

[@Interestingenough4]

The finale saved the series and ended it on a high note. The show started getting bad after about Season 12 or so, it needed to stick the landing.

[@nevaehhamilton3493]

I wasn't even born yet when 9/11 happened, but one of my mom's ex-boyfriends was deployed in the aftermath. 2001 was also the year my mom met my dad - followed by getting engaged the same day they met. Cupid, 1, Saudi Arabian extremists, 0.

[@Sugar_SpiceDB7ZS]

Early 2000s Arthur was such a great show and I'm glad to have grown up watching it. This episode was always a tough one as a kid, especially Arthur's part in it as my Dad used to go on a lot of cross country business trips and I would always wonder if he would come back home safely. Watching Arthur go through this same feeling as I did and learning how to not be overly worried for his dad helped me get over my fear along with praying to God that my Dad was safe. This show was so good at tackling things like this, definitely the best educational show I've ever watched.

[@lindseyalexander2237]

I actually saw the attack happen on TV that day, I was at my grandparents and was kind of playing or whatever on the floor when I heard my grandparents react. Then the news casters, yes I was little, but I can remember very far back and this is one of my clearest memories. Following it I actually drew pictures of the Towers, like planes hitting it, stick figures falling out, and flames. For a while I was even scared of those cell towers with the red lights blinking on them, because I learned the lights were so airplanes wouldn't crash into them.

[@Gestrid]

I was alive during 9/11, but I'm young enough that I don't remember it. I never realized this episode was about 9/11, but I still remember Binky pulling that fire alarm.

[@pbsfundingaddict790]

Yeah, Binky pulling the fire alarm was the only thing I remembered about this episode and I find it funny even though it’s forbidden in real life

[@ccutehoney]

I was in elementary school in the DC area during 9/11. We were more affected by the pentagon because some of the kids in my classroom had parents that worked there. It was actually really scary because half of my class just randomly got picked up. Then I made it home and my mom was watching people jump of the building. I remember her crying telling me “ they are jumping off the building”. It was really traumatic

[@DutchBrosOnTop]

oh my god... im sorry you had to go through that kind of trauma. i hope you feel better...

[@cqntralls]

New subscriber! Thank you for speaking about this episode. It’s one of the realest episodes this entire show has ever seen.

[@WildMustangxt_09]

I wasn't born when 9/11 happened, but I learned about it in 5th grade and heard stories from my family; my mother lived in Alaska with my "father" while my maternal grandmother was still in South Carolina and they saw it on the news. This show took a good approach on covering this event in a way to help children out.

[@apkphantom2122]

I can tell you that even though I was around during the attack, I was too young to have any memories of it. Because of this I didn't know what the big deal about 9/11 was until highschool when a news station came to my school and interviewed some of the students about what that day means to us and I said that because no one will actually tell me what happened, I don't care and think it's annoying for everyone to say "never forget" while also never saying anything. I said how my grandparent died on that day just around a decade later and that's the only meaning it has to me. Within the next week the school made everyone spend the next few days learning about 9/11 but at that point I still couldn't have really cared because for years I would ask and nobody said anything. As an adult, I have come closer to being able to comprehend the horrors that had happened, but the day is still first and foremost the day one of my grandparents died.

[@Freaky0Nina]

This. I can somewhat comprehend that people didn't want to explain it. This is apparently a thing with communal trauma. Nonetheless, it is important to properly explain what has happened. But then again, I can also imagine that a lot of adults perhaps shy away from explaining it because how? How explain not just the attack but the political and social aftermath, when we have only just begun to be able to look back at it through a historian's lense.

[@wmavfacebookstyle]

You did a very good job analyzing this particular episode. I definitely believe that the creators of Arthur really hit the nail on the head regarding everything they talked about in "April 9th" and all the subplots every one of the characters had following the fire. Unfortunately, I can relate to this as I dealt with multiple live action showings of this: when my home caught fire in 2014 and when both parents passed away this year. Its kinda hard to explain which Character(s) I would relate to

[@PamelaBellOfficial]

I was 5 years old when 9/11 happened. I actually don’t even remember it happening. I do remember seeing all the anniversaries of it on the news as I aged though.

[@ethant.buckingham4020]

Buster pulled a Seth Mcfarlane and slept thru his alarm the day of the fire

[@PeriwinkleB]

This is not your average cartoon, that’s why I’m grateful my mom put this on for me as a child. I’m now 25 and the lessons still count ❤

[@terrance1310]

I was only like, 2-3 when the actual 9/11 happened, but I had always liked the April 9th Arthur episode. Arthur was always one of those shows meant for little kids that appealed to older audiences too, and seems no different to Nick and Disney cartoons like Hey Arnold or Recess.

[@C.A._Old]

11 likes...

[@alyxlocke1284]

Idk how I never realized that Binky pulled the fire alarm out of fear. I always assumed he did it to look tough

[@ErinBeanz]

I never understood Blinky’s trauma when I watched this as a younger kid. Now, after having something traumatic happen in my life, something where someone I care about was hurt but I was physically fine, I understand. I felt like I had to be fine because I wasn’t hurt, but I wasn’t fine. And I’ve had some issues. And now, I’m able to acknowledge it.

[@peterjohnisback]

I love Arthur as a show, I’ve never seen another kids show like it.

[@jessicacarranza4010]

So true

[@pheunithpsychic-watertype9881]

There's bluey today but the parents are way better.

[@AshlynMercedez]

I was 9 years old when the attacks happened. I watched it live while mom wasn't looking. She covered my eyes and watched, but I managed to get a good look at the TV right as the second plane hit. Before then I had dreams of visiting the UK, going to the Australia Zoo, New Zealand and everywhere I could go. Today, I can't even go into an airport without panicking.

[@MsDisneylandlover]

I was at school 2000s the attack happened. the crazy thing unaware I had on these pants that had landmarks on them such as the Twin Towers. That was crazy.

[@nerdoftheatre]

I was 3 whenever 9/11 happened. I remember some foggy memory of seeing it on TV before my mom pulled me away to lunch. But I remember this episode soooo vividly, especially the plotpoints of Arthur, Binky, and Sue Ellen. I especially related to Binky's story. Which I realize now is because I had an undiagnosed anxiety disorder at the time. (Anxiety disorder was not a result of 9/11, I should probably say. I just related to Binky.) I never knew this was in response to 9/11, but it makes so much sense.

[@katarinaclaes96]

This was a great cartoon when I was growing up 😄

[@lizgreer6888]

All 3 planes left from Boston, Logan Airport. Being from MA, and having our own terrorist attack, everyone knows someone directly affected by terrorists. Arthur is written and produced here in Boston so it makes sense there would be a strong need to talk about this.

[@mmtthewkatz4410]

Only the planes that hit the twin towers took off from Boston; the plane that hit the Pentagon originated from Dulles Airport just outside Washington DC, and the 4th plane that crashed in Pennsylvania originated from Newark Airport.

[@bondinvisible]

I always thought Binky pulled the alarm at the school because he wanted to pretend their was a fire when he knew there wasn't one to show everyone how brave he was. I'm glad he was cut some slack over what he did.

[@sachinraghavan4556]

I really want Arthur to have a high school spinoff but I'm seriously thinking that someone out there will do teen pregnancy, drugs, and school shootings as subject matter.

[@BlackShrekProductions]

I honestly think that a lot of issues that even high schoolers experience can still be relatable through a show about elementary schoolers.

[@Interestingenough4]

Nah, let the show rest in peace. It was on for about 26 years, the third-longest cartoon only to "South Park" and "The Simpsons," it has nothing left to prove.

[@renji90998]

I was in second grade when 9/11 happened. I’m pretty class ended quickly, but I didn’t know why. Thought it was regular day. Don’t think I fully knew about 9/11 until I did a research paper on it in the sixth grade.

[@cintsscha5899]

I was 11, and to this day I remember the image of people throwing themselves out of the burning building in the news. I think those images made quite an impression on me...

[@demonicpokeyfruit9006]

I was 8 years old in Rossville, GA at the time. So nowhere near New York, though my older cousin who was 18 at the time bragged the year before about how he would be starting a new career and he would need to complete an internship in North Tower. I don't remember the business, but he explained that it was one of the 'really big towers in NY.' With how the news spread and with us being in the same timezone as NY, all the televisions were on by 9:20 am or so. I started crying and screaming realizing the buildings my cousin talked about were hit, and the other students looked at me seemingly confused as to why I was reacting that way. The teacher came over to see what was the matter, and I explained as best I could as a young kid speaking through sobs. Not long after my mother was able to call through to the school, and she told me my cousin had caught a cold of some sort and hadn't gone to his internship the last two days. He was watching the attacks from his bedroom window and describing what was happening to the rest of our family, but he was safe. Last I heard he still has nightmares about the attacks ever so often. That was a lot of explanation, but I do remember this episode of Arthur, and relating to Binky's story heavily. I was afraid of fire, and planes. Talking with my parents enough helped me to board planes without near as much fear, and I even visited NYC earlier this year via plane! Anyone else reading who deals with these similar fears, someone you're comfortable with talking to, and a healthy support group will definitely go a long way. It's been 22 years, but sometimes the memories come back when you least expect them. Of course, my heart goes out to everyone who experienced it first hand, and those who lost a dear family member.

[@claymathewselevator8121]

Well my family had a barn burn down a couple years ago so this episode has always resonated with me since

[@girl1213]

I was 10 when 9/11 happened, and I had a reaction that was a mix between Binky and Buster. I don't live anywhere near NYC, but I did live near an airport at the time. It was normal to see airplanes take off and land all hours of the day. But after watching the news and seeing those planes crash into the buildings, suddenly I became scared of the airplanes. I feared that there were terrorists in them all the time. When I shared this with my parents, we agreed it would be alright if I went into some therapy to help me deal with what I saw. It helped, now I don't worry so much about it, but it's always somewhere in the back of my mind.

[@ScrubGuy]

Another reason why this show is one of the childhood legends

[@jonymartinez7288]

I somewhat remember that episode when I was younger, specifically the one where arthur was worried about his dad inside the school. Not sure why that stood out to me.

[@lizzyleverone7253]

I was 9 year old when 9/11 happened

[@KirbyLinkACW]

I was 3, going on 4 when 9/11 happened, so I have no memory of it (I didn't learn about until years later when the school had a moment of silence in remembrance). I remember watching this episode multiple times on TV growing up, and I'm only learning today, in my mid 20s, that this episode was about 9/11. The weirdly dark, almost melancholy tone did hit me as a kid, but I wasn't sure why.

[@disneyparksstarwarslover7638]

Man, Arthur’s nightmare in this episode always scares me.

[@Kattlarv]

There is honestly a supreme irony in how the "adult" shows are mostly stuff like... "let's hurl some more orphans into the orphan crushing machine". And then kids shows like Bluey are all "Hold my sippy cup." and does an episode about infertility.

[@jakecollins3669]

The fire alarm screamed, "He's been shot! He's been shot! Lee Oswald has been shot. There's a man with a gun. It's absolute panic!"

[@CaptainCretaceous91]

This is probably one of my favorite episodes. I would love to see it one more time.

[@dylbeentheplotagonistandra2811]

I can definitely relate to buster as a couple years ago, there was a house fire in my town and an alumni of my high school died in it. A lot of students knew her and were devastated by her death but I didn’t know her that closely and felt a little left out since I wasn’t balling my eyes out like everyone else. That day I was even called into the office to speak with a free counselor that was called to talk to anyone dealing with this trauma and I was initially nervous about that because I thought “what do I say? I’m not mega depressed.” But later into the meeting I started to have a Binky moment as I had remembered that the girl had died trapped inside a bathroom. After that realization, I started to wonder “how do I escape if I’m in this situation? The windows in my regular bathrooms are too small for even the skinniest person to escape from. Do I keep a tool in the bathroom to bust the entire frame, not just break the glass?” And I also started to think “when I have my first house built, I’m going to make all of the bathroom windows big enough to escape out of and if I buy an existing house, I’m going to remodel all of the bathrooms to have those types of windows before doing anything else to the house”

[@claymathewselevator8121]

Arthur shows kids tv can be more than glorified toy commercials

[@saginevital-herne3750]

I remember a lot of images from this episode. I had no idea that it was meant to relate to 911.

[@pbsfundingaddict790]

I’ll be honest, April 9th is my favorite Arthur episode. Even though the events that occurred weren’t entirely based off of the 9/11 attacks, it proved to children young and old that it’s ok to have big feelings whether sad or scared and it’s nice to be able to talk to a trusted person about how one feels after a hectic event. I will say that I relate to both Arthur and Binky given there are days I worry about my parents’ safety and I’m afraid of something and I try too hard to impress people by pretending not to be afraid of whatever gives me PTSD. Not only did this episode help children cope, but it also taught the dangers of a fire and that fires can mean a loss or a sudden change. I also liked how Francine’s dad was willing to work with Binky for community service after Binky pulled the fire alarm and sympathized with Binky when he expressed his fears of fires. Binky may be a bully, but you gotta admit, he’s the most relatable character in the series

[@peskygull9279]

When I was in y1, my school had a fire. For some reason though, I remember it as a very comedic event. The school kitchen burned down, and everyone had to sit on a field during lunchtime and eat their lunch, until a fire engine pulled up and parked in the middle of the playground.

[@Herowebcomics]

This episode was really good! They did a great job figuring out how to talk about trama in a way that was tense,but not too scary!

[@brianmitchell8422]

Growing up during that time I never really processed the events in a normal way all I know is our country got attacked in a way that wasn’t seen since Pearl Harbor and coming from a military family “my dad retired not even a year before” and either I could go to war or my father and family,I end up not being allowed to serve because of epilepsy but had a lot of friends who did.

[@hunterolaughlin]

I can definitely relate to Binky in this episode as I remember a tragic event that happened last year that while I wasn’t a witness to it, I had a close relative, my older brother, who was. He was living in Highland Park, IL at the time and he was a survivor of the mass shooting that happened during the 4th of July parade. When I heard about it from my mom, the news alone made me afraid of going outside my house or going anywhere because I was afraid a mass shooting would take place, similar to how Binky was afraid to go back into the rebuilt Elementary School because of his fear of another fire breaking out. Like Binky, I did talk to someone about it like my counselor and my mom and after some time, I did start to get over my fear and start to relax more when going places. So I definitely empathize with what Binky is going through because I’d probably be like him and afraid to step inside school again because of a fear of another fire breaking out; although I definitely wouldn’t pull the fire alarm like he did and cause a near panic in the whole school.

[@Songbird12]

I wasn't even born when 9/11 happened. I was born 4 months later. I only knew about 9/11 from references here and there in school or online ig. People I know were indirectly affected by it though. Everyone's ok now, but it was a scary event.

[@JediMaster362]

When I saw the evacuation from the fire, it gave me a 9/11 feeling. I actually felt like I was watching a 9/11 video, rather than a review of a TV episode.

[@ArtToonsOfficial.]

I am glad I never saw 9/11 and I was born a week after this tragedy that happened 22 years ago and I am 22. I also grew up with Arthur but I didn't know they had an episode based on 9/11

[@not.supermario]

I vaguely remember this episode as a little kid. But I was often playing with my toys in front of the TV and not really paying attention. What I do remember is the school on fire, Sue Ellen crying and the show Binky was watching where a guy closed the door on an oncoming train. That last image somehow stuck with me for years. 😂 Anyways, this episode and the episode of Sesame Street where a fire broke out in Hooper's Store really handled the topic of 9/11 subtly without making it too scary. But they didn't sugarcoat it either. I feel most shows now don't do this at all.

[@ladyrandom7080]

Wow, what a great analysis of the episode ❤ I wish we have Arthur in México jaja ❤

[@BM-sn7vr]

Reminded me of a time in middle school where a guy had escaped from jail and stole a cop car, he ended his chase in the parking lot of either my middle school or the high school across the street. Anyway we had to go into "code: black", my class all hid in the corner while the sub held the door closed because she couldn't get it to lock. We were never in any danger, the man blew his brains out with a shotgun not long after pulling into the lot.

[@hollywalker3726]

I remember this episode and I did not realize at the time that it was a reference to 9/11. Altho I was too old at that point to be a part of the core audience for "Arthur."

[@sirducksworthythe3rd842]

I would not consider this episode dark at all

[@noah33artist]

I was not born until April 2003, so I was not alive for 9/11 but me and my dad were in Boston at the Red Sox game on Patriots Day, 2013 so we lived through the Boston Marathon Bombing. It was three days after my 10th birthday so we got to the train station and they told us to evacuate then we had to get in touch with my grandfather who had no idea what was going on so we told him to put on the news and to tell my grandmother we were OK, my mom was in France with a French exchange. Shortly before we went to the Red Sox game, my dad‘s old boss said “you’re such a New Englangder you never leave the Cape”. Then the next time my dad was at work he said to him “now you see why I never leave the Cape”. But I lived through Patriots Day, 2013.

[@bondinvisible]

At one point this episode was a trigger for my anxiety

[@aquarianangel]

Ive never seen this episode but as someone with alot of trauma that finds it hard to explain it to my child my ptsd i feel like this episode might help! Im gunna watch it and show it to him :)

[@DiegoojedaMendez]

I WAS BORN IN JANUARY 2, 2001. YEARS LATER WHEN I LEARNED ABOUT THE ATTACKS I BECAME EXTREMELLY ANGRY. 😡

[@paigecosgrove654]

I was 8 years old. Got out of school early and saw what was happening on TV when I got home

[@randomshorts6862]

I remember i was in elementary school when 9/11 happened and they wheeled in the tv sets and the teachers were chatting to each other about how our state had a big weapon facility and then a teacher got up and said your all going died and never see ur family again 😢 by the time my parents signed us out of school everyone in the school was crying non stop and parents were angry finding out what one teacher said

[@CherryFrog321]

My goodness, why would a teacher say that to kids?

[@DutchBrosOnTop]

what a grumpy teacher. they probably just mad they cant get a raise and find fun in scaring children

[@TheAllSeeingEye2468]

Ima be honest with you i don't remember 9/11. Didn't even know it happened till 2006. And it wasn't like i was really young at the time i was born in 91 its just i had allot of other things on my mind at the time like not missing the latest ep of dbz or digimon. I don't think my classmates even talked about it either or the adults. Or maybe they did and i just didn't care. I was a selfish child bwck then and just wanted to have fun

[@gamerwatchproductions8684]

I remembered this episode when I was a kid. I was born on 9/11/1995 six years before the incident happened.

[@marywallace3620]

You know, I was Buster in the 9/11 scenario. Like i didnt lie about losing family members during it or anything but on the day it happened, I wasn't upset or affected by it really. Yea it's sad lives were lost (that's the only part that made me a little sad) but I just didn't show any emotions towards 9/11 at all. Probably because my biggest worry at the time was trying to get a toxic friend to stop being toxic towards me (of course said toxic friend is now out of my life to which I'll never forgive her or her family for harassing me and my family over me giving her puppy for her birthday and her family greedily wanting another one from a litter of pups my family's dogs had). But yea i talked to one of my middle school's vice principal/assistant principal/administrator (who i had formed a trusting relationship with due to him having talked to me on my first day of 6th grade when i was kinda nervous lol), and he said it was perfectly alright for me to not have any emotions about it since I'm not talking down to others about it or since I've shown to be concerned for others in general other times).

[@joeyiscool3]

Arthur is one of the darkest cartoons like come on pbs

[@boredreindeer5602]

I wasn’t aware of this episode actually

[@Rkatondonegal]

I did not know they did an episode that related to 9/11. I think it’s a good idea

[@automatedimagination]

Arthurs dad is mistaking worrying with being responsible