Arthur (1996) s22e02 Episode Script

When Rivals Came to Roost/The Longest Eleven Minutes

1
HELP ALL KIDS LEARN
AND GROW WITH PBS KIDS.
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING
YOUR PBS STATION.
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 beat ♪
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)
Lights, please.
The rivalry between Mighty
Mountain and Lakewood Elementary
stretches back decades.
Ever since Biff Biffington beat
us in the hoop championship,
our drive to defeat them
has only intensified.
Sports;
spelling bees;
quilting bees;
competitive beekeeping.
Whatever the activity,
our schools have duked it out
for glory.
But the most highly charged
contest of them all has been
the Elwood City Science Fair.
The trophy has switched hands
dozens of times,
but this year,
our archenemy won't prevail.
They may have the best quilts
and honey,
but science fair glory will be
ours!
MUFFY:
"When Rivals Came to Roost."

I wish our science fair project
wasn't quite so
(shuddering):
wormy.
Muffy,
worms play an important role
in keeping soil healthy.
Yeah.
And they're funny.
(chuckling):
Especially Mr. Wiggles!
He doesn't seem funny
to me.
I guess not everybody gets
worm humor.
MR. RATBURN:
Class,
may I have
your attention, please?
A burst pipe flooded
the third-grade classroom
at Mighty Mountain this weekend.
So they'll be here
until the damage is repaired.
Will their classroom be nearby?
Oh, by "here,"
I meant in this room.
They're arriving
after lunch.
Here?!
What?
Here?
It'll be a little crowded,
but I'm sure we'll make them
feel as welcome
as we would wish to feel
if we were in their shoes.
But they'll see our worms.
Our top-secret worms!
Yes.
And we'll get to learn
about their project,
because a janitor
rescued it.
Mr. Ratburn said they lost
a lot of their school supplies
in the flood.
We should make them
welcome kits.
I have a lot of extra scrunchies
we could give them.
And I have some
ketchup-flavored jellybeans.
Or, jellybeans
I accidentally got ketchup on.
I was thinking
notebook paper.
Yeah,
we should think about things
we would appreciate having
if we were them.
LADONNA:
And what
if we all wore these ribbons?
They're in Mighty Mountain's
school colors.
Why would we wear these?
Solidarity.
To show we're all
on the same team.
But we're not
on the same team.
We're rivals!
Brain, just because
Los Dedos beat you at chess
a few months ago
It'll be fun to have
Mighty Mountain here.
The more,
the merrier.
(bell ringing)
On behalf of
the third-grade class, welcome!
Please know that
anything of ours is yours.
Except that pencil!
That's my pencil.
Any questions?

Brain.
Los Dedos.
Let's make
the upcoming science fair
about good science,
not competition.
Agreed?
Of course.
Measuring worm-digging?
That's your whole project?
Worms eat their weight
in dirt every day.
That kind of data will impress
the judges.
(sarcastically):
Oh, I'm sure.
A bunch of ants
in a pickle jar?
I'm sorry, Los Dedos,
I expected more from you.
We had
an incredible display.
It was almost complete,
but the flooding destroyed it.
Oh, I'm sure.
(fizzing)
(Brain gasps)
Ah! My measurements!
(Buster gasps)
Mr. Wiggles!
ARTHUR:
It felt weird
having Mighty Mountain kids
in our class.
I'm sure it felt weirder
for them.
Imagine having a different desk,
a different teacher
Debbie, my desk-mate,
kept asking
if she could borrow
an eraser.
Probably because
she didn't have one.
They're all just trying
to fit in.
How does sabotaging
our worm graph with juice
help them fit in?
That was an accident.
Or was it?
Did you know,
in the natural world,
ants and worms are
mortal enemies?
(gasps)
I've never heard that
before.
Then you've never read
"Bionic Bunny" Issue 312,
"Dr. Antic versus Squirm:
Doom in the Dirt."
The super-villain Dr. Antic
retired,
(roaring)
but with Squirm on a rampage
(gasps)
(grunting)
BUSTER:
Bionic Bunny needed backup.
(groaning)

Squirm's auntie was anti-worm,
so he bribed Antic's auntie,
upping the ante with antiques
in her Antarctic antechamber
to antagonize Antic into
standing firm against Squirm!
(phone ringing)
(Auntie talking in ant language
on phone)

And what happened next was
horrible!
What happened?
My mom made me leave
the store
before I could finish
the issue.
Well, "Bionic Bunny"
isn't based on science.
And the ants and worms are
in separate containers.
But maybe we should keep
a closer eye on our worms.
And on the Mighty Mountain kids.

I can't believe how long
we've been waiting in this line.
I know!
Soon it'll be dinner.
Well, maybe
if some people didn't insist
on the Mighty Mountain kids
going to lunch first.
It was to make them feel
more welcome.
Besides, after working
with worms all morning,
I've kind of lost
my appetite.
(groans)
But it's pizza day!
I've been dreaming of pepperoni
all week.
Sorry, kids.
Just ran out.
But I turned yesterday's
spaghetti into "Pasta a la Yum."

I can't escape the worms.
But what about
my pepperoni?
Oh!
Mighty Mountain is
really starting
to wear out their welcome.
Yeah.

BUSTER (voiceover):
I have to wait longer to sharpen
my pencils.

ARTHUR (voiceover):
We couldn't use
the four-square court,
'cause Mighty Mountain kids were
using it.
MUFFY (voiceover):
Are we making them feel
too welcome?
What if they don't want
to go back?
I don't think
we have to worry about that.
Hey, where did Danny
and Los Dedos go?
(gasps):
The worms!

(Brain gasping)

BRAIN:
What's going on!?
It was an accident.
We left lunch early
to check on the temperature
of our ants' soil
The table was crowded.
It slipped!
What do you think
you're doing?!
Just trying to help pick
the worms up.
No, don't pick them up
like that,
you have to be very careful.
Okay, okay.
But where will you put them?
You can't use that soil now,
it could be contaminated
with floor soap.
She's right.
Hmm.
They could live in here.
BUSTER:
With your ants?
Just temporarily.
Do we have a choice?
Mr. Wiggles may have something
to say about all this.
I think.

(sighs)

I've drawn up some designs
for a small but sturdy wall
to keep our two science projects
separated.
Is that really necessary?
BRAIN:
I believe
it'll ensure the safety
of both the ants
and the worms, while
Hmm.
If I didn't know better,
I'd say they're plotting
something.
Quick, hide!
Huh?
MUFFY:
Whoa!
(sighs):
Now the whole Lakewood class
is angry at our class.
I miss Mighty Mountain.
It feels like
everything we do here
is treated with mistrust.
Hmm, maybe if we helped them
Yes,
let's do something to help them
with their worm project.
I know the perfect thing
to move the worms.
Let's see if it's still
in our classroom
back at Mighty Mountain.
(gasps):
Did you hear that?
They're taking our worms.
If we can prove they're trying
to sabotage our project,
they'll be disqualified.
Come on!

MUFFY:
There they are!
Don't deny it!
You're here to retrieve
your "Worm Mover"
so you can take our worms.
Yes, we didn't want to harm
your worms
while we transferred them
to a new worm-home
we wanted to build.
So we came here
to retrieve those.
LOS DEDOS:
Soft tongs.
To move the worms gently.
Oh.
But I'm afraid our classroom
is still too damaged to enter.

Wow.
It's really bad.
LOS DEDOS:
That was my desk.
All my schoolwork.
(gasps):
I had no idea
so many things got ruined.
And that was our ant farm.
BRAIN:
It's so elaborate.
We couldn't rebuild it
at Lakewood,
because we didn't know where
to find the materials.
Well, we could
have been more help.

BRAIN:
You were right,
your project was better
than ours.
I'm sorry, Los Dedos.
Los Dedos is just my nickname
for chess.
Please,
my name is Isabella.
(catching breath):
There you are!
Come quickly!
The ants are attacking
the worms,
just as Bionic Bunny
predicted!
BRAIN:
The ants do seem to be
engaging with the worms.
But I don't think
they're attacking each other.
Fascinating.
The ants and worms
are working together
BOTH:
to distribute nutrients
throughout the colony.
Isabella,
do you know
what this means?

(machine humming, squeaking)
BRAIN:
And that's when we realized
that we would have
a stronger entry
if we combined the projects
of our two schools.

Well, Brain,
you and your classmates
turned out to be
worthy opponents.
But I think we all turned out
to be worthier partners.

(camera clicking)
KIDS:
And now, a word from us kids!
My name is Maya, and
this is my second-grade class.
Mighty Mountain's classroom
flooded,
so they had to go
to a different school,
and Arthur and his friends tried
to make them feel welcome.
Something actually happened
in our community.
We have had a gas emergency.
What happened was, like, a pipe,
like, wasn't working,
and gas got out,
and houses got burned.
TEACHER:
We have had a lot of families
displaced,
which means they are living
somewhere else.
All the kids in my class had
to leave their homes.
They would go to their
relatives' house, hotels,
or live in trailers.
I had to leave my home, 'cause
I had no electricity or gas.
Can some friends share
how the community helped?
STUDENT:
They donated food and clothes
for us,
because we didn't have them
anymore.
TEACHER:
How do you think those donations
made the families feel?
Awesome.

We are making pictures
of what to bring
So that it feels
like you're at home.
My advice is that you bring
certain things,
like, I bring my bed.
My favorite toy and a blanket
and my suitcase.
Some of my clothes
and my favorite stuffed animal,
because it helps me sleep
at night.
I would bring my football,
because I always play football.
There was people who worked,
and they were working
to fix the gas,
and they're still fixing it.
TEACHER:
And they're digging
in the street.
What are they doing?
ALL:
Helping us!
If there's an emergency
where you live, just keep calm,
and, like,
just do something you like,
and, like,
just take a deep breath.
And, like,
it's going to be okay.
KIDS:
And now, back to "Arthur"!
Throughout history,
there have been many inventions
that people have come
to rely on.
Imagine what life was like
before the invention
of the wheel.
(screaming)
(roaring, screaming continues)
Go, Arthur!
Go!
(breathing heavily)
(growling)
This will not end well.
ARTHUR:
Or the invention
of the printing press.
(German accent):
We need 10,000 copies
by tomorrow
für das
Elwood City Book Fair.
Schnell, schnell!
(gasps):
No!

ARTHUR:
Or even the telephone.
(Arthur panting, doorbell rings)
(catching breath)
I'm going to be late.
Oh, okay.
Thanks.
You ran all the way down here
just to tell me that?
The telephone was
never invented.
I wonder what invention of today
we won't be able to live
without.
BINKY:
"The Longest Eleven Minutes."
(birds chirping)

(video game music and quacking
on speakers)
Not today, Takashi.
Hmm, now what's the best angle
for my selfie?
(birds chirping)
Aw.
Whoa.
Hey, you guys!
Huh!
Whatcha doing?
Ah!
Not now, D.W.
I'm bored.
Go play with Mom.
Mom took baby Kate
to the store.
Dad, then.
Dad's in the garage.
He's got a big catering job.
He said to play with you.
All right
Then I guess
I'll just sing to myself.
Crazy bus ♪
No!
Fine.
ALL:
No!
I said fine!
My new profile pic won't post.
Look!
I don't like
that spinning wheel.
I lost Takashi.
My video says it's buffering.
But, but it's not buffering.
It's not buffering at all.
Relax.
Hit refresh.

Guys, I think the internet is
gone!
That can't happen.
Can it?
I must have been getting
too close to the truth,
and at exactly
1:00, they
shut down the internet!
Who are "they"?
Exactly!
I thought you were working on
your great inventions report.
I am.
The invention of aluminum foil.
I typed A and L
into Boogle, and boom,
"aliens" popped up.
It's like Boogle knew.
(gasps):
That's it.
Let's ask Boogle
how to fix the internet.
Yeah.
(both gasping)
There is no Boogle.
What do we do?
Just unplug
that blinking box.
BUSTER:
Of course!
The router!
How do you know
about the router?
It's what Mom does.
Wait!
What?
You have to wait
three seconds.
Everybody knows that.
What do we do
for all that time?
We count.
One
Stop.
You have to count
with Mississippis.
One Mississippi
Two Mississippi
Three Mississippi!
(all sighing)
Oh, no.
Now what?
Let's be unicorns!
(neighing)
We just need to use
our brains.
Did you run system diagnostics,
checking for connectivity?
Uh, what?
(barking)
(neighing)
I also suggest you temporarily
disable any firewalls
to ensure
that's not the root cause.
This is
an emergency!
Can you just give us
a quick fix,
using simple words?
Did you unplug
the router?
ALL:
Yes!
BRAIN (on phone):
Did you wait three seconds?
ALL:
Yes!
Sorry, guys.
That's all I've got.
Might be an internet outage
on your block.
(D.W. neighing, Pal barking)
(door closes)
Hola, Arthur.
Hi, Alberto.
Is your internet out too?
Afraid so.
What are you going to do?
Um, I'm just going to walk
my dog.
How will I update my video blog?
I have fans!
Stay calm.
If we stay calm, we can get
to the bottom of this.
How did people get
to the bottom of things
before the internet?
(music playing on speakers)
That sound
Someone is streaming music.
(music playing on speakers)
Dad!
The internet is gone.
Because of the aliens.
ALL:
It's not aliens!
Hello to all of you too.
Mr. Read,
are you streaming music?
Please tell us
you found the internet.
It's the radio.
(all sighing)
Why don't you play outside?
We can't play outside
at a time like this.
Can you fix it,
Mr. Read?
The internet?
Did you try unplugging
the blinking box
and waiting for
ALL:
Three seconds, yes.
Oh.
A long, long time ago,
people used radios
to broadcast emergency
information.
You don't say.
It's true.
I did my great inventions report
on the radio.
Maybe it can help us.
We know
the internet is out.
Maybe we can find out why
and for how long.
Dad, we need to borrow
your radio.
HOST (on radio):
The bestselling book,
"100 New Uses for Spatulas"
(camera clicking)
MUFFY:
Ooh!
(camera whirring)
What's that?
I don't know.
It's blank.
Maybe it's some kind
of paper machine.
It gives us paper,
and we write on it.
Whatever it is,
it must be broken.
That's probably why I found it
in that box over there.
(camera clicking, whirring)
Yep, this one's a dud too.
LADONNA:
Wow, cool.
Look at all these old books.
ARTHUR:
Books!
Of course.
Maybe there's something written
about the internet
that can help us.
(groans):
We need more light.
Books don't have screens
we can brighten.
Let's take the box
to the backyard.

You guys want to play with us?
(struggling):
We're a bit busy.
(struggling):
Saving the internet.
What's it say?
(slowly):
En-cyc-lo-pedia.

MUFFY:
Hmm.
This book is just about
anything that starts with an A.
If only it was a book about I.
That's a little selfish.
"I" for internet,
not "I" for me.
Oh.
That would be good.
Here's the one with I.
Internet's not here.
They took it out.
I think this book might be
from before the internet.
Whoa.

(bird chirping)
BUSTER:
Hey, guys.
Something very strange is
happening-- look!
MUFFY:
That is not
a flattering angle.
(gasps,
camera clicking and whirring)
What kind of sorcery is this?
(Frisbee whirring,
Ladonna gasps)
Look!
"Instant camera."
D.W., you did it!
I did?
"This type of camera uses
self-developing film."
This book is like Wikipedia,
but you don't need the internet!
I can do my school report
on this camera.
Now this one has good angles.
And it already comes
with its own cool retro filter.
Whoa.
Mine's of the tree.
Shouldn't that little bird
be in the tree?
(bird chirping,
Buster gasps)
Huh?
(barking, bird chirping)
Here it is.
Aw.
It must have fallen
from its nest.
MUFFY:
Oh.
What should we do?
BUSTER:
The internet would be
really useful right about now.
Wait!
Don't.
Maybe
we shouldn't touch it.
Isn't that bad?
That's just a myth.
I know what to do.
I was watching a science video
on baby birds.
We need to return it
to its nest.
It's like
"Best of the Nest" IRL.
IRL?
In real life.
(barking)
ARTHUR:
Buster, hold onto Pal.
Ladonna, you'll need to get
on my shoulders.
Muffy, you get the bird.
Huh?
I need to document this
for my blog.
It will get so many likes.
D.W., you'll need to pick up
the baby bird
and carefully hand it
to Ladonna.
Everyone got it?
ALL:
Got it.
(Pal barking)
(chirping)

(baby bird chirping)
It's no good.
I can't reach.
(sighs):
We'll have to go to Plan B.
ALL:
There's a Plan B?
(camera clicking, whirring)

Plan B is a strawberry basket?
To make a nest.
Will that work?
Mother birds are very good
about looking after their young.
If we make a new nest
and put it as high as we can,
the mama will fly down
to feed it.

I think this means
I only have three photos left.
ARTHUR:
You'll just have to be
selective.
Ugh, limited photos?
How barbaric!
(bird chirping)
ARTHUR:
Ready?
Ready.

(birds chirping)
ARTHUR (gasps):
Yay!
ALL:
We did it!
I win!
Uh, I mean, we win.
And the best part is that
we did it without the internet.
(whispering):
So they will never know.
(music playing on radio,
Pal barking)
There's a good chance aliens
wrote this book.
(gasps)
This will be
a perfect profile pic.
(phone camera clicking)
#NoFilterNeeded.
MR. READ:
Hey, kids.
The internet's back on!
It feels like forever ago
that we lost the internet.
How long has it been?
It's 1:11.
It was 1:00
when it went out.
That means
The internet was only out
for 11 minutes.
I don't know about you guys,
but I wasn't worried.
ALL (laughing):
Yeah, right!
BUSTER:
To watch more "Arthur"
and play games with all
the Elwood City friends,
visit pbskids.org.
You can find "Arthur" books
and lots of other books, too,
at your local library.

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