Ep 1. The Tattletale Frog/D.W. and Bud's Higher Purpose

Arthur season 18 episode 1, "The Tattletale Frog/D.W. and Bud's Higher Purpose," follows two stories centered around Arthur's little sister, D.W., and her adventures with her imaginary friend, Bud, and her classmates. In the first story, "The Tattletale Frog," D.W. learns about the consequences of tattling on her friends after she accidentally lets a frog loose in the playground, and her friends start to "tattle" on her to their teacher, Ms. Turner. D.W. soon realizes that tattling only leads to negative things, and instead she decides to take responsibility for her mistake and figure out how to catch the frog and return it to its home. Along the way, D.W. learns some valuable lessons about honesty, responsibility, and empathy.

In the second story, "D.W. and Bud's Higher Purpose," D.W. and her imaginary friend Bud decide to become superheroes after reading a comic book together. They decide to do good deeds around the school to help their friends, like picking up trash, returning lost items, and helping with homework. However, their good intentions soon backfire when they accidentally ruin some of their classmates' projects and cause more chaos than good. D.W. learns that being a superhero is harder than it looks, and that sometimes the best way to help others is by listening and asking how you can be of service.

Both of these stories teach valuable lessons to kids about honesty, responsibility, empathy, and communication. The show also features a diverse cast of characters, including classmates from all different backgrounds, genders, and abilities. The animation is colorful and engaging, and the voice acting is top-notch, with veteran actors like Michael Yarmush (Arthur) and Daniel Brochu (Buster) bringing their characters to life with humor and heart. "The Tattletale Frog/D.W. and Bud's Higher Purpose" is a great example of the kind of quality children's programming that has made Arthur a beloved show for nearly 25 years.