Season premieres of a show have a tough void to fill. The first episode of a season, in many cases, is when an existing fan often decides whether or not the series is still worth their time. Many soon-to-be fans tune in for the first episode of a new season. So due to the upcoming premiere of the new Arthur season, it is crucial that we talk about season premieres in preparation, so we can get a better understanding of what this season premiere needs to do.
Please note that ratings at the beginning of each premiere entry are on a scale of 1 to 10, ten being the most, 1 being the least. The first number represents the first episode half, and the second number represents the second episode half.
Please note that ratings at the beginning of each premiere entry are on a scale of 1 to 10, ten being the most, 1 being the least. The first number represents the first episode half, and the second number represents the second episode half.
Season 1: Arthur's Eyes/Francine's Bad Hair Day
Ability to Keep Old Fans: N/A
Ability to Attract New Fans: 10, 10
"Arthur's Eyes" was a great choice for a series premiere, doing everything necessary. Fans of the original books could instantly love the the idea that the books that they grew up with were coming to life. At the same time, the episode also was a wonderful representation of all the main cast members, rather than specifically focusing on a supporting character.
"Francine's Bad Hair Day" was another great choice for the second half. This episode accomplished multiple tasks. It showed fans that not every episode is going to be focused on Arthur, but sometimes on the diverse population of supporting characters. The episode also showed that not every episode was going to be based on the book, but would still give fans fresh content for them to see.
Ability to Attract New Fans: 10, 10
"Arthur's Eyes" was a great choice for a series premiere, doing everything necessary. Fans of the original books could instantly love the the idea that the books that they grew up with were coming to life. At the same time, the episode also was a wonderful representation of all the main cast members, rather than specifically focusing on a supporting character.
"Francine's Bad Hair Day" was another great choice for the second half. This episode accomplished multiple tasks. It showed fans that not every episode is going to be focused on Arthur, but sometimes on the diverse population of supporting characters. The episode also showed that not every episode was going to be based on the book, but would still give fans fresh content for them to see.
Season 2: Arthur Meets Mister Rogers/Draw!
Ability to Keep Old Fans: 9, 9
Ability to Attract New Fans: 9, 9
"Arthur Meets Mister Rogers" was the first season premiere to feature a guest star, a terrific idea on the crew's part. It is an effective way to attract new fans, by giving them a person that they already know and love to help new fans in their transition to the series, combined with great humor and writing. The reason, however, that I only gave this a nine was because this episode may have given a misleading image that in order to maintain the series, it had to use an already popular person as a crutch to get through the series successfully.
"Draw!" is not one of my favorite choices for a season premiere, but still serves its purpose quite well. The episode seems to showcase a wide variety of characters, to give new fans a glimpse at the entire cast. It also proves to be a fun and lesson filled story to maintain existing fans' interest.
Ability to Attract New Fans: 9, 9
"Arthur Meets Mister Rogers" was the first season premiere to feature a guest star, a terrific idea on the crew's part. It is an effective way to attract new fans, by giving them a person that they already know and love to help new fans in their transition to the series, combined with great humor and writing. The reason, however, that I only gave this a nine was because this episode may have given a misleading image that in order to maintain the series, it had to use an already popular person as a crutch to get through the series successfully.
"Draw!" is not one of my favorite choices for a season premiere, but still serves its purpose quite well. The episode seems to showcase a wide variety of characters, to give new fans a glimpse at the entire cast. It also proves to be a fun and lesson filled story to maintain existing fans' interest.
Season 3: Buster's Back/The Ballad of Buster Baxter
Ability to Keep Old Fans: 8, 8
Ability to Attract New Fans: 4, 5
I'm going to group both "Buster's Back" and "The Ballad of Buster Baxter" together, as they are basically a two-part episode. This episode does a great job in keeping old fans around. They are immediately enticed by the story of Buster finally coming home, and Arthur's reaction to it all. For an new fan, however, this episode isn't too appealing. To start, the episode so heavily focuses on Buster in addition to Arthur that it almost has an identity crisis. We don't get to see Buster's true relationship with his friends as much, so that he almost comes off as a dorky, outcast kid to some viewers not familiar with the series. The extra point for the second half is due to Art Garfunkel, someone that many new fans could possibly relate to.
Ability to Attract New Fans: 4, 5
I'm going to group both "Buster's Back" and "The Ballad of Buster Baxter" together, as they are basically a two-part episode. This episode does a great job in keeping old fans around. They are immediately enticed by the story of Buster finally coming home, and Arthur's reaction to it all. For an new fan, however, this episode isn't too appealing. To start, the episode so heavily focuses on Buster in addition to Arthur that it almost has an identity crisis. We don't get to see Buster's true relationship with his friends as much, so that he almost comes off as a dorky, outcast kid to some viewers not familiar with the series. The extra point for the second half is due to Art Garfunkel, someone that many new fans could possibly relate to.
Season 4: D.W.'s Library Card/Arthur's Big Hit
Ability to Keep Old Fans: 9, 7
Ability to Attract New Fans: 8, 5
There isn't much to say about "D.W.'s Library Card" here. It seems to be pretty well written, complete with humor and heart.
"Arthur's Big Hit," on the other hand, is a very interesting premiere, due to the fact that Arthur ends up hitting D.W. in the episode. This seems to be one of the worst episodes, in fact, for a premiere, as old and new fans may be turned off by the violent element of the episode, thinking that Arthur was either ruined starting in this season, or bad from the start, depending on which perspective. Even though a good lesson shines in this episode, I imagine that many people would overlook that, still appalled by the violent element.
Ability to Attract New Fans: 8, 5
There isn't much to say about "D.W.'s Library Card" here. It seems to be pretty well written, complete with humor and heart.
"Arthur's Big Hit," on the other hand, is a very interesting premiere, due to the fact that Arthur ends up hitting D.W. in the episode. This seems to be one of the worst episodes, in fact, for a premiere, as old and new fans may be turned off by the violent element of the episode, thinking that Arthur was either ruined starting in this season, or bad from the start, depending on which perspective. Even though a good lesson shines in this episode, I imagine that many people would overlook that, still appalled by the violent element.
Season 5: Arthur and the Big Riddle/Double Dare
Ability to Keep Old Fans: 9, 9
Ability to Attract New Fans: 8, 9
"Arthur and the Big Riddle" was a fairly good start to a new season. It enticed old fans, with an interesting plot that, to some extent, gets away from the normal boundaries of the show to try something new, a game show. The game show format, plus Alex Trebek, was used to bring in new fans, while at the same time, new viewers may find the plot to be a tad far-fetched.
"Double Dare" appears as an even better premiere half. The brilliant plot of skipping school, something that many kids may think about doing, is depicted in a negative way, while adding some humor and heart at the same time, making it a perfect episode for new and old fans alike.
And that is as far as we are going to post today. Tune in soon for part two of this series.
Click here to discuss this article on the Elwood City Central forum.
Ability to Attract New Fans: 8, 9
"Arthur and the Big Riddle" was a fairly good start to a new season. It enticed old fans, with an interesting plot that, to some extent, gets away from the normal boundaries of the show to try something new, a game show. The game show format, plus Alex Trebek, was used to bring in new fans, while at the same time, new viewers may find the plot to be a tad far-fetched.
"Double Dare" appears as an even better premiere half. The brilliant plot of skipping school, something that many kids may think about doing, is depicted in a negative way, while adding some humor and heart at the same time, making it a perfect episode for new and old fans alike.
And that is as far as we are going to post today. Tune in soon for part two of this series.
Click here to discuss this article on the Elwood City Central forum.
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