The Arthur Podcast

Episode: What Scared Sue Ellen

Date: January 29, 2026
Host: Arthur Read (GBH & PBS Kids)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Arthur and his friends delve into stories about what scares them, shining a spotlight on Sue Ellen, who claims she's not afraid of anything. Through a mix of storytelling, real-life adventure, and legendary creatures, the group explores courage, imagination, and how even the bravest among us can have a scare or two.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sue Ellen’s Fearlessness—Or Is It? (00:33–02:00)

• Arthur introduces the theme of the episode: what scares us.
• The group teases Sue Ellen, trying to find something she's scared of:
  • Monster movies? "Nope." (Sue Ellen, 01:21)
  • Mystery meat in the cafeteria? "I bring my lunch from home." (Sue Ellen, 01:25)
  • Public speaking? "I like talking in front of people. I usually have lots to say." (Sue Ellen, 01:37)
• Sue Ellen volunteers to fetch straw alone from the farm after dark, asserting her bravery.

2. Into the Spooky Woods (02:12–04:42)

• Sue Ellen narrates her trek through the "dead woods" at dusk:
  • She encounters unsettling noises and recounts feeling a little anxious.
  • She recalls a scary story from Russia about Baba Yaga, a witch who eats naughty children.
  • Despite her bravado, she admits, “Even though I’m not afraid of Baba Yaga. I’m not. I’m not. I’m not.” (Sue Ellen, 04:38)
• The next day, Sue Ellen avoids the shortcut through the woods, surprising her friends.

3. Friends Notice Sue Ellen’s Change (04:43–06:16)

• Binky and Buster discuss Sue Ellen’s unusual behavior and ponder what scared her.
• Sue Ellen reveals her fear: "That's just it… She might be real. Last night in the woods, I heard a yowl. Just like the noise that Baba Yaga makes. It was terrifying." (Sue Ellen, 05:35)
• The group devises a plan to face the woods together and finish their scarecrow mission.

4. Braving the Dead Woods—With Company (06:20–10:53)

• The group arms themselves with “protection” (goggles, raincoats, space helmet, umbrella) and enters the woods.
• Sue Ellen entertains with another spooky folk tale: the Japanese Kappa, a river god with a taste for cucumbers (07:06).
  • “You don’t want to know… Cucumbers, mostly.” (Sue Ellen, 07:13)
• They discuss banshees—Irish ghosts who wail before disaster (08:20).
  • “If any banshee got in my face, I’d tell them to put a sock in it.” (Binky, 08:27)
• A mysterious noise unnerves them; Binky is ready to flee, but Sue Ellen rallies the group onwards.
  • The friends joke about what reward they'd get for capturing the witch or a mythical monster (09:10).
• The group discovers the source of the noise: it’s not a witch but Perky, a little dog stuck in a tree.
  • “I knew it. It’s a little dog. Look, it’s Perky, the dog I used to babysit.” (Sue Ellen, 10:16)
  • Sue Ellen rescues Perky, cementing her bravery.

5. Resolution: Facing Fears Together (10:53–11:39)

• The group finishes their scarecrow, putting it in Arthur’s yard just in time for Halloween.
  • “That is the scariest scarecrow I ever made. We ever made.” (Binky, 11:13)
• Sue Ellen, disguised as the scarecrow, surprises her friends one last time.
  • “I am alive! And I’m gonna get ya. Roar. Guys, it’s me. It’s just a costume. Come back. Sheesh. Some people are scared of everything.” (Sue Ellen, 11:39)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Really? I’m pretty unscarable.”
  — Sue Ellen (01:11)
• “Nah, I’m good. It’s not that far.”
  — Sue Ellen, walking alone into the woods (01:57)
• “There aren’t any monsters in Elwood City. Unless…”
  — Sue Ellen, beginning to doubt (02:21)
• “If any banshee got in my face, I’d tell them to put a sock in it. You gotta get tough with these ghosts.”
  — Binky (08:27)
• “I knew it. It’s a little dog. Look, it’s Perky, the dog I used to babysit.”
  — Sue Ellen, on discovering Perky (10:16)
• “You’re a hero, Sue Ellen. You rescued a stuck dog.”
  — Arthur (10:45)
• “Guys, it’s me. It’s just a costume. Come back. Sheesh. Some people are scared of everything.”
  — Sue Ellen, after her Halloween scare (11:39)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:33–02:00 — Sue Ellen claims she isn’t afraid of anything
• 02:12–04:42 — Sue Ellen narrates her spooky walk and Baba Yaga story
• 04:43–06:16 — Friends realize Sue Ellen is scared; group plans to investigate
• 06:20–10:53 — The gang enters the woods, shares folk tales, rescues Perky
• 10:53–11:39 — Scarecrow completed; Sue Ellen gives her friends a Halloween fright
• 11:40–12:59 — (Dear DW Q&A segment; can be skipped for main story)

Conclusion

The episode uses a blend of folklore, humor, and real friendship to explore fear and bravery. It gently shows listeners that even those who appear fearless (like Sue Ellen) can have their moments—and that facing the unknown together makes all the difference. The haunted woods held only a lost dog, but, as Arthur’s crowd reminds us, imagination can make even a simple rescue into a grand adventure.