PBS Kids
It’s time to say goodbye to a childhood classic, Arthur!
After 25 years, PBS Kids has announced that they will be ending the iconic children’s series in 2022. Screenwriter Kathy Waugh shared the news during a recent interview on the Finding DW podcast. She shared that the series will end with season 25, which will air in 2022. The program, which first aired in 1996, was last renewed in 2018 for four more seasons.
“Arthur is no longer in production. We had our wrap party two years ago,” Waugh told host Jason Szwimer. “I think [PBS] made a mistake, and I think Arthur should come back and I know I’m not alone in thinking they made a mistake. I don’t know if it was a ratings issue or if it felt like it needed to be retired. To me, it felt evergreen, like it was never going to end but it did end, we finished the last episode, season 25, two years ago.”
Arthur was developed by Waugh and based on the books by Marc Brow. It first premiered on television on October 10, 1996. The show is currently the longest-running children’s animated series in the U.S. According to IMDb, it’s also currently the second-longest running animated series in the U.S. behind The Simpsons.
During its run, the classic series won four Daytime Emmys for outstanding children’s animated program. It’s also made many headlines over the years for taking a progressive approach to children’s television.