Arthur

The show revolves around the lives of 8-year-old Arthur Read, an anthropomorphic aardvark, his friends and family, and their daily interactions with each other.

Arthur (1996-2022) is a Canadian-American children's animated series created by Marc Brown for PBS, running twenty-five seasons and nearly five hundred episodes. Eight-year-old aardvark Arthur Read (voiced by Cameron Ansell, with later voices by Justin Bradley and Dallas Jokic) lives with his family in a friendly neighborhood of animal characters, and his friends Buster Baxter (Daniel Brochu), Francine Frensky (Jodie Resther) and Muffy Crosswire (Melissa Altro) fill his school days. Each thirteen-minute episode is built from small, concrete dilemmas: a missed playdate, a jealous sibling, a lost pet, a misunderstanding in the classroom. Stories move at an unhurried pace and resolve with clear moral lessons about kindness, honesty and patience. The tone is cozy, sincere and wholesome, with gentle humor and a bright, storybook look. Based on the children's book series, the show is an educational family staple in the tradition of preschool animation. Fans of Bluey, The Magic School Bus and Dora the Explorer will find similar warmth and learning woven into everyday life.

Audiences broadly regard the series as a warm, gentle, positive children's show, though its later seasons drew a notably weaker rating.

• Blueygentle kid-focused animation with everyday school life and friendship lessons
• Dora the Explorereducational animated preschool comedy built on social lessons and friendship
• The Magic School Buswarm children's animation about classroom friends and growing up

Created by

Marc Brown

Release Date

1996-10-07

Episode runtime

13 min

Rating

7.4 / 10 (189)

What is Arthur about?

An anthropomorphic aardvark named Arthur Read navigates school, friendships and family life in a gentle animated children's series.

What is Arthur like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Arthur as measured, its intensity as subtle and its storytelling as simple.

Is Arthur violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Arthur.

What did critics think of Arthur?

Audiences broadly regard the series as a warm, gentle, positive children's show, though its later seasons drew a notably weaker rating.

Which shows are like Arthur?

Shows with a similar feel include Bluey, Dora the Explorer, and The Magic School Bus.

How long is Arthur?

Arthur: 25 seasons, 493 episodes.

Is Arthur still running?

No, Arthur has ended.

Where can I watch Arthur?

In United States, Arthur streams on PBS Kids Amazon Channel, Hoopla, YouTube TV.