♪ Every day when you're walking down the street ♪ ♪ Everybody that you meet has an original point of view ♪ (laughing) ♪ And I say hey ♪ Hey!

♪ What a wonderful kind of day ♪ ♪ If we could learn to work and play ♪ ♪ And get along with each other ♪ ♪ You got to listen to your heart, listen to the beat ♪ ♪ Listen to the rhythm, the rhythm of the street ♪ ♪ Open up your eyes, open up your ears ♪ ♪ Get together and make things better ♪ ♪ By working together ♪ ♪ It's a simple message, and it comes from the heart ♪ ♪ Believe in yourself, for that's the place to start ♪ ♪ And I say hey ♪ Hey!

♪ What a wonderful kind of day ♪ ♪ If we could learn to work and play ♪ ♪ And get along with each other ♪ Hey!

♪ What a wonderful kind of day ♪ Hey!

♪ What a wonderful kind of day ♪ Hey!

Hey, D.W.!

Hey!

Whoa... (crash) MAN: La ke Shagamonk, an hour's drive from Elwood City.

Home to herons, beavers and the weekend fisherman.

But is there something else lurking beneath the surface of these placid waters?

Something ancient, cold-blooded and extremely dangerous?

What do you think it is, Mr. Morris?

Beats me.

And I'm not sure I want to find out.

MAN: Could this peaceful lake be the home of... ...the megatoad?!

Ahh!

Sweet Jehoshaphat!

Tonight, our team of scientifically inclined specialists investigate a giant, carnivorous amphibian that may live among us.

The megatoad: myth?

Or the frightening, undeniable truth?

(roaring) I'm Martin Spivak, and this is The Factoid Front.

What do you think?

Myth or truth?

Oh, truth.

Definitely truth.

It's on TV.

BUSTER: It's as tall as a double-decker bus.

And it can climb straight up buildings with its sticky feet!

Buster, there's no such thing as a megatoad.

Yes, there is.

I saw it last night on The Factoid Front.

Ha!

That Martin Spivak isn't even a real doctor.

He is, too.

He's a doctor of... "Forensic Speculography."

What's that?

I'm not sure, but I wrote it down because I want to study it when I grow up.

Buster, it's a terrible show.

It's filled with half-truths and bad science.

You take that back!

The Factoid Front is where I get all my best information.

Then I hate to say it, but you're even more gullible than I thought.

(gasps) Oh, yeah?

We'll see who has the last laugh when megatoads are hopping down Main Street.

(roaring) BUSTER: The Factoid Front is canceled?

But why?

According to the article, it was filled with half-truths and bad science.

But I believed it.

Well, you weren't the only one, honey.

A lot of people did.

I'm not hungry.

You were right.

Megatoads don't exist.

Oh-- well, that's a good thing, right?

I guess.

Do you think I'm gullible, like Brain said?

That I'll believe anything?

No.

You just have... a really big imagination.

Like, if I saw some flashing lights in the sky right now... Where?

How fast is it going?

Is it saucer-shaped?

I said "if"!

I'm not even looking out the window.

Oh.

I see your point.

I think you answered my question.

Thanks, Arthur.

It's not a bad thing, it's just... (sighs) You're throwing all this away?

Why?

Because it belonged to Old Buster, that laughing stock who would believe any old thing.

Well, New Buster isn't buying it, you hear?

Help yourself.

(horn honking) Hey, Buster, did you hear?

The Factoid Front was...

I know-- canceled.

New Buster says, "Good riddance!"

New Buster?

Yep.

It's the brand new me.

From now on, I'm only believing things that can be scientifically proven.

What about your horoscope?

You love hearing your horoscope.

Astrology?

Hogwash!

Poppycock!

I don't know... Let's see.

Aquarius... (gasps) No way!

That can't be true!

What does it say?

Am I coming into money?

Read it for yourself, New Buster.

(groans) Must.

Be.

Strong.

See?

I have changed.

"Take advice from an old friend..." (clears throat) (laughs sheepishly) Wasn't quite finished with this.

Good luck!

Luck?

New Buster doesn't believe in luck.

Strike one!

Is there any scientific proof that luck exists?

Strike two!

The only thing that matters in baseball is skill.

Or the lack of it.

Strike three!

You're out!

I rest my case.

Oh, wait, we should take umbrellas.

The forecast said it might rain.

"Might" rain?

Oh, please!

And a piano "might" just fall out of the sky.

Buster, that's not the same.

Unless the forecast says it definitely will rain and there are facts to back it up, we shouldn't believe it.

(thunder rumbling) It's sheer coincidence.

FRANCINE: I miss Old Buster.

He had some pretty weird ideas, but he was a lot better at baseball.

And a lot more fun.

Maybe you could talk to him, Brain?

Yeah, tell him monsters exist and he can believe whatever he wants.

I'm not telling him that.

Well, isn't there something you could say?

(Buster gasps) Is that a photograph of the megatoad?

No, it's a tree frog.

Oh.

But the tiny tree frog is kind of special.

Every winter, it completely freezes.

Its heart stops for weeks, maybe even months.

Then when spring arrives, it comes back to life.

(frog ribbits) Cool!

Wait, why are you showing me this?

Because...

I can't believe I'm going to say this.

If a frog can live after being frozen, then I suppose there's a .0001 percent chance that a megatoad could've survived from the Cretaceous Period.

There, I said it!

Could I have a glass of water, please?

I feel faint.

Do you have any proof?

What?

That a giant toad survived for 70 million years?

Of course not.

I just...

I'm sorry, but if you don't have hard evidence, then you're no better than Martin Spivak.

(gasps) He called me a forensic speculographist.

What's that?

I have no idea.

But it sounds offensive.

Maybe we should just hypnotize him.

I bet Prunella could do it.

There might be a better way.

Do either of you have a big tarp?

(roaring) ARTHUR: Hey, Buster, want to go for a walk?

It's a beautiful day.

Oh, really?

Can you prove it?

Why don't you just look out the window?

(birds chirping) Okay, seems to check out.

Meet you in five minutes.

(mysterious roaring) Wh... what was that?

Uh, I don't know!

It sounded like a lion!

(roaring) Ahh!

What is that thing?

It's looks like a... giant toad!

Maybe even a... megatoad!

Martin Spivak was right!

(barking) Pal, no, come back!

(barking) FRANCINE (quietly): Cut it out, you crazy dog!

(banging) Wait a minute!

That's no megatoad.

Um... good boy!

You saved us!

Nice try, but... We know, we know.

(roaring stops) New Buster isn't buying it.

We just wanted the Old Buster back.

I hate to admit it, but even I miss him.

So do I.

But why should I believe in something if it can't be proven?

(phone ringing) Telephone for you, Sweetie.

MR. MORRIS: Hey, amigo.

I'm on UFO patrol.

Think I might've spotted one.

It was probably just an airplane.

Bright green and shaped like an eggplant?

Not like any plane I've ever seen!

Can I ask you something?

Why do you believe in stuff like aliens?

Do you know how many galaxies scientists estimate are in the universe?

I don't know-- a million?

100 billion!

And do you know how many we can see with our best telescopes?

Uh-uh.

Five.

Think about that.

There's a lot out there we don't know.

But there's another reason I believe in aliens.

What's that?

I like to.

Life is more interesting when there's a little mystery in it.

Yeah.

It is.

BUSTER: So then the alien civilization used their advanced technology to freeze the prehistoric creature in a block of ice and left him in Lake Shagamonk, where one day, he'll wake up.

And that's how a megatoad could still exist.

Will you admit it's possible?

If I do, will you go away and let me finish my homework?

(chuckles) Old Buster is back!

(buzzing) (ribbits) And now a word from us kids!

Hi, my name's Wilson.

And my name is Lynn.

Welcome to Beaver Summer Camp!

WILSON: Buster believes in UFOs, aliens and the megatoad, the giant toad that lives in the lake near Elwood City.

LYNN: Here at Beaver Summer Camp, we have our own local legend.

WILSON: Rumor has it there's a strange creature living in Hammond Pond.

We're doing some investigating to see if the legend's true.

Let's go.

Tell me what you heard about the Hammond Pond monster.

I heard it acts cute and then tries to grab you with all four hands.

I heard it's allergic to little sisters.

I'm a little sister!

I heard it has ten eyes.

Now that we have a description, we're making a model of what we think the monster looks like.

We're making claws out of popsicle sticks.

Interesting.

I'm giving it feathers so it can fly.

What are you working on?

I'm working on the tentacles.

Ooh, I'm gonna get you!

It's ready.

Not far from Beaver Summer Camp, in the depths of Hammond Pond, there lives... (roaring) ...the Hammond Pond Monster!

(growling) (shutter clicking) (growling) What do you think?

Is the Hammond Pond Monster fact... ...or fiction?

(laughing) Bye!

And now, back to Arthur!

(barking) ARTHUR: Okay, boy, there you go.

Chow down.

(giggling) No, the food, not my hand!

Have you ever realized there was this one thing you were really great at?

I bet Francine knew she was going to be great at sports when she was really little.

(crowd cheering on TV) ARTHUR: And Buster's been a comedian ever since he was a baby.

(gasps) (laughing) (babbling) ARTHUR: I'll never forget when I realized what I was great at.

(dogs barking) (giggling) Whoa, whoa!

Pal, your owner is a real dog person.

ARTHUR: And ever since, I try to be around them as much as I can.

Okay, Mr. Samuels, they're all fed.

Thanks for volunteering.

I've never seen anyone so good with dogs.

(phone ringing) Spadina Road Dog Shelter.

It's Buster.

Can you come over?

Okay.

What's wrong?

My aunt just asked us to take care of her dog for a week.

I'm kind of nervous.

Sometimes dogs don't like me.

I'll be right there.

Arthur Read, Dog Hero, to the rescue!

(barking) Hey, Buster, I'm here!

(giggling) Okay, girl, and fetch!

Looks like everything's okay.

Yeah, I don't know why I was so worried.

Carrot Cake is really sweet.

Carrot Cake?

I know, what a great name, right?

(whimpering) Oh, her ball's stuck.

Don't worry, Carrot Cake.

I'll get it back for you.

Here you go, girl.

(whimpering) Weird!

Um, not really.

She probably just needs to sniff my hand to make sure I'm friendly.

(sniffing) (whimpering) Huh.

Aw... You like Arthur, don't you, Carrot Cake?

Yes, you do.

You know you do.

(barks) Why is she doing that?

I don't know.

I've never met a dog who didn't like me.

Well, she sure doesn't.

Maybe she has an upset stomach.

Did she have any table food?

I don't think so.

Wait a minute!

Is that chocolate?

Um, yeah.

Buster, chocolate's really bad for dogs.

It is?

Maybe she licked some of it by accident.

I should check her to see if she... Where'd she go?

(yipping) Oh, that's it!

She wants a walk.

You're right.

Okay, girl, here we go.

(gasps) And that was it.

I gave up and went home.

Do you think it could have been the chocolate?

What's wrong, boy?

(whimpering) Oh, you've got something stuck on your nose.

Dogs can be fussy.

Just be patient and let her come to you.

Yeah, you're right.

I bet it's just a matter of time.

Okay, you've been sitting there staring at Carrot Cake for over an hour.

I'm just worried about her.

This isn't normal.

Well, we're going to miss the movie.

Just another few minutes.

You have to be patient with dogs.

(sighs) (whimpering) (dramatic music on TV) ANNOUNCER: Next week on Extreme Kite Flying, Tex Buttery in Antarctica!

Okay, if we leave right now, we can catch the last matinee.

Just a few more minutes.

Be there in a second, Mom!

It's dinnertime.

Don't your folks want you home?

(gasps) (yawns) Just a few more minutes.

(sighs) ARTHUR: She likes Buster.

It's just me she's got problems with.

Normally I don't like dogs, but this one sounds pretty smart.

Maybe it's because you smell like cabbage.

What?

I don't smell...

Wait, you might be right.

Smell is really important to dogs.

(sniffing) (sniffing) Soap, toothpaste, ink.

Now yours.

(sniffing) Pizza, peanut butter, vanilla or butterscotch pudding.

Vanilla and butterscotch pudding.

That's it!

You smell like food.

Thank you.

I don't know why I didn't think of it before.

I should just get some of your food scent on me.

See, Carrot Cake?

I smell like Buster now!

(barking) Don't take it personally.

She's just picky.

Aha!

A dog hair.

Hmm...

I thought you said you were coming in today.

I'm really sorry, Mr. Samuels, but I can't be around dogs for the next few days.

Sorry, boy.

I can't get your smell on me.

(whimpering) (doorbell rings) Okay, I'm ready!

For what?

(whimpering) Are we going to be "patient" all day again?

Nope.

It's on to Plan B.

(whimpering) (sniffing) (barking) (whimpering) Sorry.

Plan C. (yawns) Okay, this is just ridiculous.

(sighs) You're right.

Plan D. We're not going to go through the whole alphabet, are we?

ARTHUR: Don't worry, girl.

Pal's penned in the kitchen.

Are you sure your folks are all right with this?

Sure, it's just for one night.

(whimpering) Come on, Carrot Cake, you're going to love it here.

(door closes) (groans) See?

Told you!

(D.W. laughing) What a great dog!

(laughing) Here's her food and water bowl.

See you tomorrow.

Why does this not surprise me?

(whispering): Are you ready?

You better not touch my stuff.

(yawning) (speaking gibberish) Carrot Cake!

(barking) No, no, it's okay!

No, no, no, Mom!

(banging) D.W.: Mom!

Dad!

That dog really hates you.

Thanks for telling me.

Give up, already!

Why do you care so much about this one dog?

Because if she doesn't like me, then there are other dogs out there who don't like me either, and then I'm not really a dog person.

(sarcastically): Oh, okay.

That makes a lot of sense.

You know what?

It doesn't.

Now that I've said it out loud, I don't think it actually makes any sense at all.

(clattering) Wow, that dog really, really... Don't say it again!

(whimpering loudly) Oh, no!

Aw, you poor girl... Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you.

(whimpering) D.W., can you get the tweezers and some gauze and antiseptic?

And Mom, can you call Buster?

It's okay.

It's okay, girl.

Last one... Just a little antiseptic.

Wow, you're really good at that.

See how good he is, Carrot Cake?

(whimpering) Yeesh!

ARTHUR: It's all right.

I'm okay with it now.

It's impossible for anyone to be liked by everybody.

My aunt called today.

She said Carrot Cake doesn't even like her.

Then why does she keep her?

'Cause she loves the rest of the family, just not my aunt.

And my uncle.

And my mom.

Actually, she just likes Cousin Karen.

Poor girl.

I'm sure it's not much fun being so wary of everybody.

Huh, Carrot Cake?

(whimpering) She'll be fine.

She just needs to sleep it off.

Thanks a lot, Mr. Samuels.

Should we drop you off, Arthur?

Thanks, but I think I'll work at the shelter today.

Okay, see you tomorrow then.

(barks) She likes you.

Only Carrot Cake knows for sure.

Okay, guys, I'm back!

(barking) BUSTER: To watch more Arthur and play games with all the Elwood City friends, visit pbskids.org.

You can find Arthur books and lots of other books too at your local library.

Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org