We Need to Talk About The Body Shaming Episode of “Arthur”
Why this episode from the beloved animated series had to be banned.
After 25 years, 25 seasons, and over 240 episodes, the well-loved, animated children’s program, “Arthur”, has come to an end.
The animated series that featured the titular anthropomorphic aardvark’s navigation through his prepubescent years has remained a staple throughout the childhoods of millions of American millennials and many of them — myself included — continued to watch it into adulthood.
Adapted from the popular book series in 1996, the show was celebrated for its honesty about common childhood problems and its handling of serious topics such as illness, autism spectrum disorder, and losing a family member.
It’s also notable for featuring the marriage of two male characters, one of them who was well-established, and several shorts discussing current topics such as mask-wearing and racism.
The bittersweet final episode, which featured the adult forms of Arthur Read and the other characters we grew up with, made headlines and was praised by fans reveling in nostalgia, however, despite its popularity, the show was far from perfect.