The beloved PBS series Arthur is set to end its record-breaking run as the longest-running children’s animated series in history.
The final four episode of Arthur, as part of the show’s 25th season, will air on PBS in the winter of 2022.
The news was first revealed by Arthur co-creator Kathy Waugh during a recent interview on the Finding D.W. podcast. “Arthur is no longer in production. We had our wrap party two years ago,” Waugh explained.
“I think [PBS] made a mistake, and I think Arthur should come back and I’m know I’m not alone in thinking they made a mistake,” Waugh added. “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.”
Consequence reached out to representatives of PBS, as well as of Oasis Animation and Mark Brown Studios for comment. In a statement attributed to executive producer Carol Greenwald, PBS confirmed that no new episodes are in development.
“Arthur is the longest-running kids animated series in history and is known for teaching kindness, empathy and inclusion through many groundbreaking moments to generations of viewers. In the winter of 2022, the 25th and final season of Arthur will debut. Arthur will continue to be available on PBS KIDS for years to come. Producer GBH and PBS KIDS are continuing to work together on additional Arthur content, sharing the lessons of Arthur and his friends in new ways.”
Nearly 250 episodes of Arthur, based on Marc Brown’s children’s books of the same name, have aired since the show first premiered in 1996. It was the longest-running children’s animated series in the US, and the second longest-running animated series in history, behind The Simpsons.
