A Bibliophile’s Nostalgia: Arthur
I’m back again with my blog post series to revisit some bookish things that give me all the nostalgia feels. Today, I’ll be talking about the beloved children’s show Arthur.
In my childhood, I spent many summers at my Grandma’s house which didn’t have cable at all. Hence, I watched a ton of public television. Whether I was hanging out at her house or happened to be at home, one show was always a must-watch, Arthur.
Arthur is an animated educational television series for children ages based on the popular book series by Marc Brown. The show is set in the fictional U.S. city of Elwood City and revolves around the lives of Arthur Read, an aardvark, his friends and family, and their daily interactions with each other. The show originally aired its first episode on October 7, 1996 and ran for a total of 25 seasons (253 episodes).
Though the show has become a pop culture phenomenon and spawned multiple memes, Arthur to me is a wholesome cartoon that holds so many memories. Thinking back on the show, it fills me with nostalgia of a simpler time in my life and how it fostered an even deeper love for reading. Arthur, the main character, was an avid reader like me, and I used to check out the book series from the library when I visited each time.
Arthur is a quieter cartoon, almost like a slide of life series that focused on conflict resolution, making difficult choices, and navigating life. It had a cast of memorable characters, a tight-knight neighborhood, and showcased the small things that bring joy in life. But the most memorable episodes to me were the book-focused ones where they featured songs about library cards and musical numbers about Jekyll and Hyde.
Arthur taught me a lot of life lessons that I use in my adult life and it’s impacted a generation as a whole. It’s bittersweet to see the series come to a close, but I know all good things must come to an end. Thank you Arthur for the great memories and fulfilling a love of reading that is bound to last a lifetime!
Did you watch Arthur growing up? Did the show leave an impact on you? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Not one I ever saw (too old!!). But watching different TV with a grandparent really chimes with me. When I used to go and stay with my gran (my dad’s mum) in a seaside town, I got to watch sitcoms and the wrestling!
Watching TV at my grandma’s house will always be a cherished memory for me. It’s one of the reasons I love PBS TV shows so much as an adult.