Binky Rules / Meet Binky

Season 3 Episode 6a & b

I remember all those years ago seeing the name of the episode for the first time and thinking that it was about Binky Barnes. And at least in the first part, it kind of is. It’s classic that as soon as the DJ is about to name the song, Binky hits the radio with his soccer ball (probably not helping his cause of making the travel soccer team), and subsequently gets caught by Mr. Morris. The whole mystery shtick with Buster and Fern really dominates the first episode, pitting the boys against the girls (although their dueling theories of how the graffiti got on the wall were hilarious–rival soccer team or evil twin, take your pick). But the real question is why the radio station thought it was a good idea to do graffiti on the school to drum up interest in the band Binky. Fern was right that it wouldn’t have been smart for someone to graffiti their own name on the school, but I guess Binky Barnes was an obvious suspect, probably because of his association with the Tough Customers. Luckily though, the radio station, led by none other than Doctor Jake of “The Blizzard” fame (who is the DJ and meteorologist, so that station must be pretty understaffed), takes responsibility and gives everyone CDs but leaves them guessing as to what the song is.

When the concert begins approaching is when things start to unravel, but that didn’t stop people from lining up for six hours outside the auditorium to get their tickets (which in hindsight, that time could’ve been spent doing better else). But the fantasies where the kids imagine their parents meeting Binky, whether it be for an interview or for figuring out what they owe in taxes, are hilarious, and Buster perfectly foreshadows what ends up happening by saying that they aren’t “hard news” (which actually works perfectly because that’s a journalism term meaning serious and important news, and I don’t think this fits the bill there). The other fantasies where they imagine themselves luging back in Finland are classic, but as it turns out, nobody does any luging because the band isn’t real. Also, when looking at the lyrics of “Matalii Ja Mustii” by Värttinä, the song whose “Ui, ui, ui” chorus we hear, it would definitely not be suitable for a typical Arthur audience, but I’ll let you do that Google translate search yourself. In the end, the lesson is that celebrities are often not as they seem, and that one shouldn't have too much faith in them (especially when they've never even done an interview?) But nonetheless, a classic episode here.

By Guthrie Edson

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