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"So Funny I Forgot to Laugh"
Season/Series: 16
Number in season: 10a
Original Airdate: United States May 10, 2013[1]
Canada May 24, 2013[citation needed]
United Kingdom April 25, 2013[2][3]
Australia December 14, 2012[4]
Credits
Written by: Peter K. Hirsch
Storyboard by: Allan Jeffery
Episodes
Previous
"Sue Ellen Vegges Out"
Next
"The Best Day Ever"
Read transcript

"So Funny I Forgot to Laugh" is the first half of the tenth episode in the sixteenth season of Arthur.

Summary[]

Arthur thinks his jokes about Sue Ellen's new sweater are all in good fun but Sue Ellen's feelings are hurt. Has Arthur become...a bully?[6]

Plot[]

Sue Ellen writes in her diary about the yak wool sweater that her Tibetan pen pal Tenzin recently sent her. And yet, she looks at the sweater differently now. Instead of thinking of just happy things, she now looks at it as a means for how mean people can be (foreshadowing what is to come).

So Funny I Forgot to Laugh

Sue Ellen unveils her new sweater on a cold day at school for the first time. Arthur cannot help joking about the sweater, saying that it makes Sue Ellen look like a giant sheepdog. Sue Ellen finds the joke funny, followed by the rest of Arthur's friends, who think the joke is funny, too. However, although it is simply slight, mild teasing at first, Arthur can not seem to let it go. He frequently makes that same joke on Sue Ellen, using one sheepdog joke after another, back and forth. And even though Buster, Francine and Muffy have stopped laughing, what will not stop are the "funny" jokes created by Arthur (which actually becomes hurtful as the episode progresses). Arthur even draws a picture of Sue Ellen's head on a sheepdog's body (with the words "Happy Sheepdog Appreciation Day") and tapes it to her locker. Sue Ellen reacts with anger upon seeing the insulting drawing, implying that the joke transitions from funny to hurtful. As Binky looks at the drawing as well, he, too, thinks that the drawing is offensive and funny, claiming that the sheepdog does not even look a bit like Sue Ellen and instead, looks like Fern as a goat, prompting him to shove the drawing into Arthur's chest and storm off.

Later, as Mr. Ratburn's class is dismissed, Arthur is surprised when Mr. Ratburn makes him stay behind. Mr. Ratburn tells Arthur that he is actually being a bully to Sue Ellen because he is continually teasing her even after she told him to stop. Then, Arthur is forced to write Sue Ellen an apology letter, and is not happy about the situation at all (because he does not believe what he did was bullying and he is worried that he will probably fail the history test). To make matters worse, the letter turns out to be extremely backhanded and it makes Sue Ellen look like it is her fault because Arthur mentioned that he is sorry for her overreacting manner. After Francine, Muffy and Buster read Arthur's letter, they all agree to stop talking to Arthur until he gives Sue Ellen a real apology.

At lunch, Arthur is wondering why his friends are not speaking to him. Buster accidentally speaks to him, but then stays quiet again and writes on a piece of paper about Arthur's letter to Sue Ellen. Arthur does not understand it, thinking he did a good job with the letter. Muffy and Francine agree to go sit at another table because they think he knows what he did wrong. Arthur still does not get it until Buster finally says that his letter to Sue Ellen was terrible because Arthur sounded like he was not sorry at all and also leaves the table, which shocks Arthur.

Afterwards, Arthur tries explaining himself to Sue Ellen again, but he is unable to keep himself from thinking that she overreacted. Later, Arthur is shown at home, watching TV. After a few minutes, he turns it off and calls Buster, who tries his best to keep from talking to Arthur. Arthur irritably states that Buster literally just said hello, but Buster only makes things worse by cruelly imitating a voicemail, and by the time he says "Bye, Arthur!" he hangs up, much to Arthur's frustration.

That night, Arthur photo-shops a picture of a sheepdog's head onto Sue Ellen's body and then e-mails it to her. However, he appears to feel a pang of remorse after doing so.

When Sue Ellen sees the picture on her computer, she cries, and we go back to where the episode started, with her writing in the diary. Sue Ellen puts her sweater in a bag and goes to talk to her mother about something important.

The next day, Sue Ellen donates her yak sweater to the school's clothing drive. Arthur tries giving her an apology once again, but she still does not think that he really means it, replying "You thought I overreacted. I know. You've told me." and turns her back on him.

Later at lunch, not seeing how upset he is, Francine and Muffy angrily confront Arthur (despite being bullies in the past), telling him that Sue Ellen wants to switch classes, due to not wanting to be continuously picked on with the sheepdog insults. And instead of being encouraging, Muffy says in a very discouraging tone, "But haven't you done enough damage already?!", despite Arthur pleading to apologize.

Arthur tries to catch Sue Ellen before she goes home, but she angrily slams the car door as the car drives off. Arthur then goes back to the clothing drive and is surprised to see that the sweater is still there. He takes it from the clothing bin, and as he does so, he starts reminiscing about all of his frequent teasing and finally realizes that he has been a bully, how much it was bothering her and that it is not funny anymore. Arthur then stops reminiscing and sadly shakes his head in regret.

The next morning at the school entrance, Arthur is anxiously waiting for Sue Ellen. He finally makes a heartfelt and sincere apology, confessing that (and possibly explaining that he had realized) she did not overreact and that he has been a bully. He begs her not to switch classes because, among other things, he does not want to lose one of his best friends. Then, Arthur reveals that he is wearing Sue Ellen's yak sweater now and he vows to do so for the rest of the year, and never pick on her again if she forgives him. Sue Ellen accepts but adds that she will take her sweater back. Arthur states that the sweater is "the warmest thing [he's] ever worn," Sue Ellen adds “And soft, right?” Sue Ellen then jokingly adds that it makes him look like a mouse. "Squeak, squeak!"

Characters[]

Major[]

Minor[]

Cameo[]

Mentioned[]

Trivia[]

  • Arthur appears to be the only one at home all alone, and neither D.W., Jane, David, Kate, and Pal are seen at home.
  • This episode is permanently available for free on the PBS KIDS Video app and website.
  • Moral: Harmless jokes can hurt people's feelings.

Cultural references[]

  • Sue Ellen is working on a report on Canadian athlete and cancer research activist Terry Fox when she receives Arthur's email.

Episode connections[]

Production notes[]

Errors[]

  • When Buster says "Bye, Arthur" his eyes briefly stretch out as he realizes the mistake.
  • The clothes donation bin is still around during the winter, but in the episode "Spoiled Rotten!" it was already picked up during the fall before winter came; Muffy found that out when she was going to donate her sneakers, and Buster said that the donation bin was picked up.

Home Video[]

DVD:

Gallery[]

Main article: So Funny I Forgot to Laugh/Gallery

References[]


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