America's favorite aardvark is retiring after 25 years on air. Arthur, which was based around the popular children's books by Marc Brown, became a series back in 1996 and became a staple for kids everywhere. Even better, the show was always entertaining for parents as well.
Arthur is known for being the second-longest animated series on air, just behind The Simpsons, which got its start back in 1989.
The show often focused on the importance of education and friendship. It also discussed diversity. In 2019, the show aired an episode called "Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone," which showed the students' beloved teacher as gay. It wasn't the first time the show introduced an LGBT+ character. In the show's spin-off, "Postcards From Buster," Buster meets up with children with lesbian mothers in one episode set in Vermont.
So why was Arthur canceled? It seems like PBS decided that the show has run its course. Fans might not realize this, but supposedly the crew stopped working on the series around two years ago. According to Entertainment Weekly, the news was revealed on an Arthur-centric podcast called Finding D.W.
"Arthur is no longer in a production," stated Arthur writer Kathy Waugh. "We had our wrap party two years ago. I think they've made a mistake, PBS, and I think Arthur should come back. And I know I'm not alone in thinking they made a mistake." That may mean that there's hope for the future.
In a world of children's programming, it'll be hard to find anything that can replace a show like Arthur. Kathy admitted she's not quite sure why PBS pulled the plug, but she felt like the show had material to last forever.
"I don't pay attention that much to things like ratings, so I don't know if it was a ratings issue or if it just felt like it needed to be retired," she admitted.
"To me, it felt like evergreen, like it was never going to end, but it did end," Kathy said. She did admit that there were some new Arthur projects happening, but the series has been shut down. "They used the Arthur characters so they're still around," she noted. "As far as I understand, not all of the shows have aired. There's still a few yet to be aired, but they've all been produced."
Carol Greenwald, executive producer of Arthur, made sure to connect with Entertainment Weekly to confirm that Kathy's accounts were accurate. And she admitted that the show had no plans to continue forward. But she did mention how wonderful of a program Arthur was, offering no other clues as to why PBS chose to cancel the series.
"Arthur is the longest-running kids animated series in history and is known for teaching kindness, empathy, and inclusion through many groundbreaking moments to generations of viewers," she wrote in her statement. "In the winter of 2022, the 25th and final season of Arthur will debut. Arthur will continue to be available on PBS KIDS for years to come. Producer GBH and PBS KIDS are continuing to work together on additional Arthur content, sharing the lessons of Arthur and his friends in new ways."
That said, never say never. PBS has reversed a cancellation before, meaning it's always possible they can do it again. A drama called Sanditon, based on Jane Austen's incomplete novel, was initially canceled with a cliffhanger ending before fans stood up and protested. Shockingly, PBS listened and reversed its decision, renewing the show for two more seasons.
At the very least, the show is still available to stream, meaning that future generations can still get into Arthur if they're interested. Plus, since Arthur is an established character, it's possible that Marc Brown might someday approve a movie or another television show with a different angle. Spin-offs are also a possibility. As mentioned, the character of Buster had one that survived for four seasons.
The show was known for more than just openly pushing some boundaries that other children's shows were too afraid to mention. It was a great way to educate children about the importance of libraries and reading. Since it was so well done, it earned Emmy nominations — and often won.
One of the best marks of a children's television show is the way that adults respond when they find out it's been canceled. Good shows include wholesome and funny content for both children and adults, which is why many parents are in such disbelief. Arthur was always a great watch that you could feel good about.
But no matter what, 25 seasons is something worth celebrating. The team behind Arthur seemed to always have great stories to tell, and knowing they were willing to go on forever shows their loyalty to both the program and the beloved characters. Arthur is a great show for all ages, and it will always have a place in our hearts.
