'Arthur' Still Canceled After Backlash, Series Finale Date Revealed

After 25 seasons, PBS Kids' long-running animated series Arthur is coming to an end. The public broadcaster announced Tuesday that the beloved children's show, which is based on the character created by Marc Brown for his beloved book series, will air its final four episodes as part of a marathon for its 25th anniversary in February 2022. The series will leave the airwaves as the longest-running children's animated series in the history of American television, lasting 25 seasons and nearly 250 episodes to date.

The 25th anniversary Arthur marathon will kick off on Wednesday, Feb. 16 and will feature more than 250 episodes and movie specials from across the series' run. It will air on PBS Kids and live-stream on the PBS Kids YouTube channel. The marathon celebration will conclude on Monday, Feb. 21 with four final Arthur episodes, which will "culminate in a much-anticipated ending that gives a glimpse into what's in store for the future of these beloved characters." In the episodes, Arthur and his friends "solve a mystery, see a silent movie, find out what it's like to be a reporter, learn how to help a grieving friend, go on a family vacation, and get a hint of their futures from a mysterious fortune-telling game."

"For more than 25 years, Arthur and his friends have kept viewers learning and growing through their true-to-life experiences," Sara DeWitt, Senior Vice President and General Manager of PBS Kids, said in a statement. "We can't wait to debut these episodes and introduce new 'Arthur' content that will give fans more ways to engage with their favorite aardvark."

However, while February will mark the end of an era for the long-running children's show, it will not mark the end of the Arthur library. According to PBS, the beloved children's series will expand, the network teasing that "new content from Arthur will continue rolling out in 2022 and beyond, including a podcast, video shorts that tackle timely and compelling topics and digital games. The 25 seasons of Arthur (250+ episodes) will continue to be available on PBS Kids."

Based on the Arthur Adventure book series written and illustrated by Brown, Arthur premiered in October of 1996. The series centers on Arthur, a young aardvark, and the lessons he learns alongside his family and friends Buster, Francine, Muffy, Binky, and Brain. It was confirmed in July that the series would end with its 25th season, a decision that sparked some outrage online.