♪ 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) And then the ref said it was out when it was clearly in.

It was so unfair!

Maria's always been really quiet.

She's the best at hide and seek.

Where is she?

We've been searching for two hours!

Okay, Maria!

We give up!

You win!

ARTHUR: She almost never talks in class.

Who knows the answer to number 12?

Maria?

Correct.

ARTHUR: She's even quiet on Halloween.

(doorbell rings) Oh, a mime!

What a creative costume!

Now that I think about it, I don't think I've ever even heard her speak!

Hey, Maria... Where'd she go?

Phew!

MR. RATBURN: Exciting news, class!

Lakewood is starting its very own student-run, live TV news show.

It will air every Friday, and this week, it's our turn to produce it.

I've assigned each one of you a role.

Francine, you'll be the director.

Buster, you'll do the weather.

Muffy will be in charge of arts and culture.

And our lead reporter will be Maria.

(gasps) This is a d-d-d-disaster!

Now everyone will know that I s-stutter.

It's no big deal.

Besides, I thought you were seeing a speech therapist?

Yes, b-b-b-ut this is l-live TV!

Well, I think you'd be an amazing reporter.

Who knows?

It could be the start of a great career.

You'd travel the world, be watched by millions of fans... Maria Pappas here, reporting live from Egypt.

What are your thoughts on the discovery of a brand new pyramid?

(camel bleating) That would be p-p-pretty amazing.

But if you don't want to do it, I guess they'll find someone else.

No!

I mean, I'll d-d-do it.

Now I j-j-just have to find a way to h-hide my s-stutter.

So we'll start the show with weather.

Hm, partly cloudy with a 70% chance of an alien invasion.

(sighs) Then Maria will introduce George on sports.

Wait, where is Maria?

Ms. Pappas is sorry she's late, but she was doing vocal warm-ups.

As I was saying, after George, we'll have Muffy on arts, and then a story from our lead reporter.

What've you got, Maria?

(whispering) Ms. Pappas will be doing an interview.

Okay... With whom?

(whispering) Ms. Pappas is exploring her options.

Well, you'd better decide soon.

We don't have a lot of time.

Okay, let's practice the opening.

Hello?

Yes, I'm sure she'd love to interview you, Mr. President.

(whispering): Sorry!

She's a big fan of yours too, sir!

That's funny, I didn't even hear her phone ring.

And you thought I was a prima donna!

What am I g-going to d-do?

I c-can't avoid t-t-t-talking f-forever!

Maybe you should just tell Francine the truth?

She'll j-just ask R-Ratburn to r-replace me.

Jenna, did you take out the trash?

Yes.

Okay, I haven't yet.

But I'm going to do it right after dinner.

Promise!

MARIA: Wow!

Your m-mom's good.

Yeah, she has this way of getting me to talk.

All she has to do is give me that look and I spill the beans.

Hm... M-m-maybe there's someone I c-could interview who would do all the t-talking for me.

Buster, no one cares about the current weather on Pluto!

Tell that to the Plutonians!

Hey, Maria!

Excited for our first show tomorrow?

So, today's our last rehearsal.

Who have you decided to interview?

FRANCINE: Muffy?

Why do you want to interview... You want to interview me?

What a brilliant idea!

Okay, ask me anything!

Maria's interview with Muffy.

Rehearsal, take one.

I'm M-M-M...

I'm h-here with... Muffy Crosswire, entrepreneur, style guru, and heir to the Crosswire Motors dynasty.

Um, okay...

I'm a Gemini.

I love clothes, pop music, opera, and... And helping people.

What?

You don't think I like helping people?

I do!

I mean, I know sometimes I can come across as selfish, but...

Okay, you're right, sometimes I am selfish, but it doesn't mean I don't care about people!

You think it's easy being this smart, pretty and popular?

I feel so much pressure!

Sometimes, it's just more than I can bear!

(crying) FRANCINE: Cut!

This is a news show, not Hoping with Hoprah!

Sorry Maria, but you're going to have to find someone else to interview.

(blowing nose) (sighs) I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders.

You really are good!

G-g-great!

Where am I going to f-f-find someone who loves to t-talk as m-m-much as Muffy?

There must be someone out there.

It's a one-act puppet opera based on Cervantes's Don Quixote.

I'm performing it next month at the Community Center.

Bingo!

Good night, Goldie.

Wish me luck for tomorrow.

FRANCINE: And now, the Lakewood Elementary News.

With Buster Baxter on weather, George Lundgren and Wally on sports, Muffy Crosswire with arts and culture, and lead reporter Maria Pappas.

(baaing) (loud car horn honking) What's wrong with her?

(turkey gobbling) She can't talk!

She has a frog in her throat!

No!

She has a... ...stutter!

(laughing) (gasps) Hey!

Ready for your close up?

This is it!

Great idea to interview Mr. Ratburn, by the way.

We're on in ten!

Everyone to their places!

FRANCINE: And we're live in three, two, one... G-g-g-g-g-g-g... Good m-m-m... (whispering): Cut to Buster!

Good morning, fellow students, earthlings, and extraterrestrial life forms.

What happened?

Are you feeling okay?

She's probably just nervous.

N-n-no.

It's n-n-not just n-nerves.

I have t-t-t-trouble... You have trouble with what?

Maria, wait!

She has a stutter!

It was so humiliating!

I bet everyone thinks there's something wrong with me.

Why can't I talk to them like I talk to you?

MR. RATBURN: Animals are easier to talk to.

I used to practice lines before school plays in front of my hermit crab, Thoreau.

I'm sorry I r-r-ruined the show.

I'm sure F-F-Francine would b-b-be happy to t-t-take my place.

Oh, I'm not here to replace you.

But m-m-my stutter...

I know.

But we've got a few weeks until our next show, and with practice and some help, I'm sure you'll do an excellent job.

That's why I chose you.

Now let's try our interview again.

I think you'll find my story quite interesting.

Now relax and speak slowly... (slowly): My name is Maria.

Miss Morgan, how did it feel to be named athlete of the year?

Good morning, Lakewood!

Today's headline, "Maria takes Elwood City by storm!"

Where is she?

Mr. Ratburn told me she'd be here.

After what happened last time, who could blame her for not showing up?

MARIA: I'm here!

You sure you want to do this?

Okay, and we're on in three, two, one... G-good m-m-morning, L-Lakewood.

I'm M-Maria Pappas.

Today, I'm r-reporting on an important issue for k-kids and adults: stuttering.

L-lots of famous people have been s-stutterers.

L-Lewis Carroll, Winston Ch-Churchill, M-Marilyn Monroe, and my next guest.

Thank you for joining us, Mr. R-R-Ratburn.

A pleasure to be here, Maria.

So, w-when did you first begin s-stuttering?

Well, it all began when I was three... And when I won the role of Captain Corcoran in our seventh grade production of the H.M.S.

Pinafore, I knew I'd arrived.

There you have it.

I'm M-Maria Pappas, signing off.

And we're out!

Nicely done.

Great job!

Who knew Ratburn stuttered?

Why didn't you just tell us you stuttered?

I d-didn't want to seem d-d-different from everyone else.

I understand.

Think how I feel being the only fashionable one at this school.

So, when do we start p-planning our n-next show?

I've got a ton of ideas!

And now a word f There are lots of interesting ways you can communicate with people.

Tin cans and string, drums... One time, Buster and I tried semaphore.

"Watch out for the...

...skun-jill-ing-fung?"

ARTHUR: Only there were too many black flies.

What's a skun-jill-ing-fung?

(squeaking) Ah, skunk.

Ah!

But I think my favorite way to communicate is by letter.

Emails are great, but with a letter, you can draw pictures on it and stick things to it.

Then it gets carried by hand to the other person.

It's almost like getting a present.

Cool!

So that's why I think letters are the best.

Nah.

I want to do it my way.

Come on!

(sighs) I had a feeling it wouldn't work.

How do you spell "soccer"?

S-o-c-c-e-r.

Thanks.

Where's "S"?

What are you writing?

Email.

To my grandparents.

See, last week, my whole family came over to our house and I got to tell everyone about the big soccer game.

Then I go... (grunts) And he goes, "Ah!"

And it's a... Goal!

(applause) I feel like I'm right there.

BINKY: Only my grandparents weren't there because they live too far away.

My mom said I should just email them, but it's not working.

Whenever I write it, it's like, "Then I go, 'Eh.'

"And he goes, 'Ah.'

And it's like, 'Eh.'"

It's all kind of... ALL: Eh.

Yeah.

Eh.

I want my grandparents to really feel like they were there!

How can I do that with just words?

Why don't you do a video postcard instead?

A video what?

A video postcard.

I sent them all the time when I was traveling with my dad.

Back up closer to the canal!

Keep going, keep going... (splash) Oops.

Sorry, Dad!

A video postcard!

That's a great idea!

I'm glad I thought of it.

Wait a minute!

The soccer game was last week.

How do I do a video of something that happened last week?

Simple.

Do what I do: a reenactment.

A re-en-what-what?

Whenever I want to preserve important moments in my life, I do like on TV.

I get actors to reenact it.

MUFFY: You guys, this is important!

What are we going to do about this outbreak of head lice?

I don't know.

Me neither.

(sighs) As usual, it's up to me.

Don't worry, I've got it under control.

When did I say "I don't know?"

That's what I need!

The drama!

The excitement!

I feel like I was right there.

See you three tomorrow on the field.

8:00 a.m. sharp!

I never said, "I don't know."

And you gave me head lice!

He's even more real than me.

Mom, can I borrow the video camera?

MOM: Okay, but this time remember, it's not a hammer.

Right, not a hammer.

Thanks!

BINKY: I thought a lot about this.

I want to give my grandparents the feeling of what it was really like to be there.

So here are your parts.

Get ready for the first scene.

(stiff): They're too good, Arthur.

(stiff): You're right!

We'll never win!

Okay, now Arthur starts bawling like a baby.

What?

I'm not bawling.

It didn't happen like that.

I'll cry.

Okay, Buster, you're Arthur.

Start over.

Huh?

Okay, now you see me.

Look amazed!

Look amazed!

It's... Can it be?!

It is!

It's Binky!

(lackluster): We're saved.

Move in slow motion!

This is not fun.

BINKY: Look amazed!

Look amazed!

Can we leave now?

I'm hungry.

There's only one more shot.

This is where you carry me off the field like a hero.

I'm tired.

But this is for my grandparents.

It's dinnertime.

I'm going home.

Come on, everyone.

You're the only one who stood by me, George.

Just for that, you get to help me on the next part.

Cool!

All we need is a lake, a boat, and a fish.

I don't have any of those things.

Don't worry.

We can do it all with the magic of... ...video postcardery!

You mean that singing fish?

Yeah, you can borrow it.

My pool?

Sure.

As long as I get credit and a piece of any cookies or fruitcake you get from your grandparents.

Found it.

Ready?

Ready!

Ready!

BINKY: Okay everybody, quiet down!

Thank you for coming to see my first video postcard.

I couldn't have done it without you.

Well, probably I could.

Whatever.

Anyway, here goes.

Hello, and welcome to a video postcard to my grandparents from me, Binky Barnes.

Hi grandma, hi grandpa!

Last week, as you remember, was the big soccer game.

As our story starts, our team finds itself outnumbered.

They're too good.

You're right!

We'll never win!

It's no use, I tell you!

We should give up now!

We'll never win!

Never, never, never!

(crying out) BINKY: Dun-dun!

Wait!

Who's that?

It's... Can it be?

It is!

It's Binky!

(Binky's voice): We're saved!

Okay, team.

Let's win this one.

(whistle blows) One minute to go!

BINKY: (humming Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries") GEORGE: (groans) (gasping) Yes!

And that's how I made the goal.

After that, I went on a fishing trip, and you'll never guess what happened.

Time to go on a fishing trip!

BINKY: Vroom!

(imitates squealing brakes) We're at the lake now!

(deep inhale) Ah, nice air!

I hope I catch one!

Something's tugging!

I got one!

Whoa!

It's got me!

BINKY (as fish): (menacing laugh) BINKY: Oh no, the fish is eating me!

Help!

Whoa, look at this!

I'm inside the fish!

Hey, a boot!

But how do I get out?

I've got it!

Cuchi-cuchi coo!

(giggling) Cuchi-cuchi coo!

Oh, ho, ho!

That tickles!

Stop it, Binky!

Come on, fish, or I'll use both hands.

I know when I'm licked.

You can go now.

BINKY: I'm free!

Okay, fish.

We're even.

I'll let you go.

Bye, Binky!

Thanks a lot!

You're the best!

Bye, fish!

That's my postcard!

Thanks!

You let the fish go?

That's so great!

Actually, we ate him.

But it sounded better that way.

What did you think?

Good!

Amazing!

Sue Ellen?

You didn't say it was amazing.

Yet.

You didn't actually get swallowed by a fish, did you?

No, of course not.

So you made that all up?

Yeah!

But...

But I thought you wanted to tell your grandparents your news.

Yeah...?

Don't you think they'll want to hear what really happened to you?

I tried that, but I couldn't make it exciting.

But now you can.

Huh?

Make your email like that movie.

It'll be great!

BINKY: "Dear Grandma and Grandpa.

"I wanted to tell you all the things "that happened to me lately.

"Like, I saved the soccer game!

"While I was running, "it felt like everything was moving in slow motion.

"When I made the goal, I couldn't believe it.

"I wanted to yell, 'Goal!'

"Catching the fish may not have been an action movie, "but it felt like one.

I thought that fish would pull me out of the boat!"

(laughing) "One more thing I did this week: "I made an awesome movie with the help of my friends, "which is coming by mail.

Hope you like it."

Love, your grandson, Binky Barnes.

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