Tucked within the fictional town of Elwood City, a family of aardvarks are saying their onscreen farewells.
Anyone who has watched Arthur, the PBS show based on Marc Brown’s books, may already be hearing the show’s theme song right about now. Arthur Read and his world were stamps on countless childhoods, with lessons, musings, and laughter laced into every 30-minute episode. Now, Arthur, which defined children’s television and multiple generations for 25 years, is coming to a graceful end.
Arthur, the titular hero of this tale, and his fellow anthropomorphic friends and family are bidding adieu on PBS, with a final episode airing on Monday that has loyal fans paying tribute. Arthur is now the longest-running children’s animated television show in history, first airing in 1996.
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Across Elwood City diners, family living rooms, and schoolyards, Arthur‘s cast of characters sensitively explored the nuances of childhood and personhood. Subjects like divorce, anxiety, and gender and inclusivity are examined in the show, developed by Brown and Kathy Waugh, and directed by Greg Bailey. Everyday life unfolds, the good and the bad, packaged with vibrant colors, bouncing music, and animated adventures.
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For kids, the franchise resulted in tons of extra content, including video games and digital games (which nine-old-year me could — and would — play for hours). But the show’s true legacy, particularly for Gen-Zers, will live on tangibly in digital culture. Snippets of Arthur became a major part of online culture, from social media’s reactionary tweets to simple creative appreciation of the show’s standout moment.
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Just take the iconic Arthur fist: for any sort of online response — mostly moaning or venting – there’s a high chance you’d see a clenched fist attached to a yellow sweater. Know Your Meme, which chronicles memes and viral moments, traces the popularity of the Arthur fist back to 2016, originating on Twitter.
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Even today, the iconic Arthur fist is likely to pop up on your social media feeds. It’s just one of many derived from the show. There’s DW — Arthur’s middle sister — and her extremely convenient catchphrase, “That sign can’t stop me because I can’t read!” Another DW classic is the image of her standing at a wired fence, sunglasses on, watching from afar (this one has also inspired some Halloween costumes). Or there’s the meme of Arthur skipping off enthusiastically — courtesy of the theme song — which digital mavens have borrowed to present excitement for just about anything.
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You could chalk up the fascination of the meme community to the signature animation style of the show, primarily done by Boston’s WGBH. After all, there’s a range of adorable, wide-eyed animals, complete with round glasses and red bows. The visual element isn’t enough, though.
For over two decades, the show has proven to be educational yet giggle-inducing, transcending generations and telling stories of love, family, friendships, and dreams. So while that clenched fist or sassy expression may be used to express our own woes and comedy, let’s take every meme as a tribute itself: to the relatability and empathy of Arthur, both of which sat at the heart of the beloved show. The meme culture Arthur has produced means we’re not really saying goodbye.
And it’s a wonderful kind of day to see that.
