One of the longest-running, beloved, and critically appreciated shows of television is coming to an end. “Arthur,” a much-loved children’s sitcom, is going to breathe its last in the winter of 2022, after running for 25 seasons.
The show, which was based on a series of children’s books titled “Arthur’s Adventures” had completed filming almost two years ago. One of the show’s writers, Kathy Waugh confirmed the news of the team’s disbandment in a podcast about the series, released earlier this month.
Executive Producer Carol Greenwald confirmed the news of the series ending on Wednesday. In a public statement, she confirmed that episodes of the show would remain available on PSB Kids, but no new ones would be released after next year.
Widely known for inculcating the values of “kindness, empathy, and inclusion through many groundbreaking moments,” it became the longest-running animated series of kids to date. However, a concrete reason for the show’s conclusion was not provided.
During the podcast, Ms. Waugh said she was unaware of the reasons behind the show’s cancellation. Whether it was a problem of ratings or a case of a show being retired, Ms. Waugh said that calling it quits was a mistake. “To me, it just felt evergreen, like it was never going to end. But it did end,” said the unhappy writer.
The show ran for over two decades and garnered a massive fan following, along with a couple of awards to its name. It aired its first in 1996 and ranked first in the list of most popular shows for children aged 2 to 11.
The series follows the story outlined in the books, where Arthur, an aardvark in third grade, and his animal friends experience a variety of different adventures. From learning lessons about honesty and friendship to know more about public libraries and loss, the show had it all.
Despite its cancellation, Ms. Greenwald did confirm that the team was still working on additional Arthur content for the audience.
