Ep 12. What Scared Sue Ellen?/Clarissa Is Cracked

Arthur season 3 episode 12 is divided into two parts with each part revolving around different characters. The first part, "What Scared Sue Ellen?" focuses on Sue Ellen, who is one of Arthur's close friends. Psychological anguish is the primary theme of this part as we get to see Sue Ellen struggling to confront her fears.

Sue Ellen is an adventurous character, and this aspect is highlighted in the introduction of the episode where we see her trying to overcome her fear of spiders. She does this by allowing a spider to crawl up her arm. Although the task was challenging for her, she manages to complete it with success. However, Sue Ellen experiences an unexpected nightmare that shakes her from the outside-in, significantly affecting her psyche.

The nightmare is incredibly vivid, and Sue Ellen struggles to shake it off. Her friends try to help her by asking her what triggered the nightmare in the first place. However, Sue Ellen is unable to pinpoint the cause of the nightmare, making her feel more helpless. Everyone tries to help, with each friend giving their own take of what might have caused the nightmare.

Francine suggests that it could be anxiety from moving to a new town. Buster thinks it might have been the extra sugar she put in her cake. However, none of their suggestions help, and Sue Ellen continues to feel scared. Eventually, her friends suggest ways to help her overcome her fear, including practicing self-talk, gradual desensitization, and breathing exercises. They also offer to accompany her to help ease her anxiety whenever possible.

The second part of the episode, "Clarissa Is Cracked" shifts our focus to Clarissa, another recurring character in the series. This part is different from the previous one as it injects a bit of comedy into the show. In this part, Clarissa has mistakenly cracked her mom's favourite plate and is frantic about it. She has to find a way to get her hands on a new plate before her mother discovers what happened.

Clarissa turns to her good friend Muffy for help, who agrees to take her to her favorite vintage store to find the perfect plate. However, things do not go as planned, and they have to improvise. Their adventure to find a similar plate takes them to several places, including a fancy restaurant where they almost get into trouble. In the end, they find what they are looking for, but the plate is too expensive to buy.

Clarissa and Muffy are not deterred, and they work out a plan to negotiate with the Shopkeeper. Initially, the shopkeeper is not interested in selling the plate to them, but they use various tactics to get him to change his mind. The duo's persistence eventually pays off, and they manage to get the plate for a reasonable price. Clarissa is relieved that she can now replace the broken plate, and her mother will never know the difference.

In conclusion, Arthur season 3 episode 12 is an enjoyable episode that touches on different themes. The first part is about confronting your fears, while the second part is about dealing with the consequences of your actions. The show's creators have done an excellent job of balancing the emotional and comedic elements, making it a joy to watch. This episode remains a fan favourite, and its lessons continue to resonate with viewers of all ages, even to this day.