Episode Idea-“Hanging Around This Town.”

Can you explain the second thing? I'm confused XD

Oh my bad! I added a dream sequence the very beginning of the episode. Check out the original summary and you'll see it.

K
So right when they leave to "the trip" Arnold wakes up?

Here's the dream sequence at the beginning of the episode. This should help answer your questions.

The episode opens in a dream sequence. Arnold tip-toes downstairs and hears his parents' voices in the kitchen. They are saying something about "the trip" to Grandpa Phil and the other borders. The words are muttered but their tone sounds urgent. Arnold enters the kitchen to find it empty.


The windows blow open and he hears his mother's voice calling his name. Arnold runs outside and sees a blurry image of his mom and dad crossing the street arm and arm. Arnold chases the image across the street but it evaporates. Their voices carry through the wind and Arnold chases the voices downtown. He sees images of his parents in various places at different ages like Mr. Green's bakery, Mrs. Vitello's flower shop, PS118, the park and Big Bob's Beeper's. They were in Hillwood years ago but Arnold can't remember. When Arnold returns home, Grandpa opens the door and says, "You're a little late, Shortman."

okay XD

sorry, i'm slow today XD

think we preety much covered everything here.

Well, does anyone have an idea of why Miles and Stella decided to work as what they are? Does my wording make sence?

I was thinking about a parallel to Arnold being interested in traveling because of Simmon's geography lesson-back in the day, Miles was in Mr. Wartz's class (yes he was a teacher back then) and Mr. Wartz had a geography unit. Like Arnold, he seemed to be the only one who was interested in the class. As for Stella, remember she was on an expedition in San Lorenzo when Miles fell in love with her. Otherwise, I'd have them both in Mr. Wartz's class.

Oh yeah, I remember reading a comic about that!
I always thought Warzt would tell him to live on his dream and to NOT become a teaching hoping to become a principal in a rotting school
XD
Maybe Stella wanted to help people around the world in need who have little medical attention.

I think this idea would be good for about halfway through the season-- just enough time to build up suspense! As for the flyer, it could just be an empty entry form that says something like, "You could win a trip to [Arnold's hand covers up the country]!" xD

Also, since this episode explores Arnold's similarities with his parents (they both have hearts of explorers and get bored if tied down in one place too long), I think this episode should begin with a season-one-esque Arnold Daydream, possibly one where he's exploring a jungle. Maybe he could even hear one of his parents' voice calling his name, and then wake up to find it's just his alarm clock saying "Hey Arnold... Hey Arnold... Hey Arnold..." XD Bittersweet!

And sorry to be the downer here, but I don't think Arnold would tell Helga she's predictable. He wouldn't tell anyone that; Arnold just doesn't say stuff like that. He might ask why Helga hits Brainy all the time, but Helga would just say "What's it to you?" And Arnold would just be kind of surprised by the question and not say anything. If Helga were to confront him later (which I don't think she'd do, but maybe she would be worried about his behavior and try her "I'm going to be nice this time" thing), he would just say something like, "I don't know; I guess I'm just tired of everything always being the same," sigh, and walk away with a "See you later, Helga." THEN Helga would have her soliloquy.

Helga: [pulling out locket] Oh, my sweet Arnold... is it possible you've become bored with the same routine, as I have? Your eyes, usually sparkling with such love of life, have become dull as the colorless city streets; your sweet smile has gone away and has been replaced by a faraway look that I dare not try to reach! Oh, Arnold, how it pains me to see you this way! [she becomes determined] No. I won't sit here and do nothing while your beautiful soul becomes tainted with the unforgiving atmosphere of our city life! I will find a way to bring back the sweet, kind, vivacious Arnold I know and love! [insert Helga-sigh here.] But how? [pause. Heavy breathing. She turns and faces Brainy.]
Brainy: [wheeze...wheeze]
Helga: [raises a fist, but then rethinks.] I'm gonna switch up the routine a little for once. [she just runs off then.]
Brainy: ...[looks strangely disappointed]...[wheeze]...

If you can't tell, I totally love writing Helga soliloquies. XD I have a poetic soul as well~ <3

Thanks for the feedback Meganium, you've been really helpful. I don't think Arnold would tell anyone they're predictable either and I got to thinking that the other day. I think Helga saying it for him is a great idea!

Also in terms of the daydream, check out the dream I added and let me know what you think. Thanks!

Dream: The episode opens in a dream sequence. Arnold tip-toes downstairs and hears his parents' voices in the kitchen. They are saying something about "the trip" to Grandpa Phil and the other borders. The words are muttered but their tone sounds urgent. Arnold enters the kitchen to find it empty. The windows blow open and he hears his mother's voice calling his name. Arnold runs outside and sees a blurry image of his mom and dad crossing the street arm and arm. Arnold chases the image across the street but it evaporates. Their voices carry through the wind and Arnold chases the voices downtown. He sees images of his parents in various places at different ages like Mr. Green's bakery, Mrs. Vitello's flower shop, PS118, the park and Big Bob's Beeper's. They were in Hillwood years ago but Arnold can't remember. When Arnold returns home, Grandpa opens the door and says, "You're a little late, Shortman."

Then he wakes up to the Hey Arnold clock.

Aw, you're welcome! <3 I'm glad I can be of help! ^_^

The dream sounds really interesting, almost disturbing...XD It's a really good way to show how Arnold wants to break out of routine. However, how would he know, even subconsciously, how to picture the locations at a different time? Unless he totally made them up. XD Maybe we can meld together our ideas? His dream starts like you said, because I love the idea of a mini-flashback being in there. Arnold chases the voices downtown, but the colorful Hillwood of the past suddenly evaporates and changes into a dull, colorless modern Hillwood (this would show that Hillwood bores him as it is now). Arnold wonders where everyone's gone. Then, it switches to a vivid and colorful jungle, and he hears his parents' voices calling his name [this indicates that Arnold's "spirit of adventure" is calling out for him to go somewhere... ], and he wakes up to his alarm clock.

Kind of a mess... XD But dreams often are!

Hm I like that melding our ideas together. I think now the bulk of the dream should be split into-

1. The visions of Arnold and his parents throughout Hillwood at different ages-I imagined Arnold would know this from stories his grandfather might have told him about his father growing up and then bringing Stella to the city.

2. The colorful City fading into the predictable downtown it is today.

and 3. The colorful jungle where Arnold is hearing his parents voices calling him "Hey Arnold, Hey Arnold" and he's running through the jungle past different animals that could be drawn to look like various characters from the show. Then he could see Lorenzo and Lorenzo says, "Hey Arnold! follow me, this way!" Then after chasing Lorenzo for a bit he bumps into La Sombra and the jungle fades into the boring, predictable Hillwood.

1. Ohhh, that makes sense! Maybe he's even seen an old photo album!

2. Yup; good stuff, all symbolic and whatnot. XD

3. Oh, I love the idea of animals looking like the characters! XDXD But I think it should end in the jungle, so he feels like he has to find whoever was calling to him in that place (his parents, in the jungle). It could also be cool to show Arnold kind of just running through unknown territory in the end of it; it would give it a sort of frantic feel. But your idea sounds good too... I like it all coming back to dull Hillwood... gah! I can't decide! I'm attached to my idea, but I like yours too! XD Oh, but I definitely don't think La Sombra should come into play. He doesn't know much about La Sombra after all.

For 3-I'm having a hard time deciding where the dream should end too.

I can't wait to write this script and I am hoping you will join me on the project with your editing skills! (I posted a Recruiting Staff in the ad section)

Sure thing! I would love to be your Editor. <3

As for deciding how the dream should end...let's put it to a vote!

Choices:

1. Dream ends with Arnold chasing Lorenzo and everything fading back to colorless Hillwood...

orrrr...

2. Dream ends with Arnold pursuing his parents' voices in the jungle calling "Hey Arnold... Hey Arnold..."

What do you think, everyone?

Hard to make a choice...as the artist I think about the effect could be made in comic...so I'm favoring the 1st. Ahem...a disturbing panel could be made...

That's truuuuue... colorless scenes would be fun to do...

Still, I'm favoring ending the dream with a "Hey Arnold..." XD I'm so stubborn; I'm awful. XD

I say we write the script with both and once we're done with the first draft, choose which ending fits the best.

Oh, that's a good idea...!

OR, OR!!!

We could have both dreams in there! The episode could take place over two days, after all! He has dream one the first night, and dream two the second night!

Nah I want the episode to take place in the course of a day but since the first dream is a night dream, the other one could be worked in as a daydream!

Either way! But that would mean the second one would have to be the actual dream because it ends with his alarm clock. =/ Or I guess it wouldn't have to be his clock; it could just be someone calling him, like Gerald. "Hey Arnold! Snap out of it, man!" XD So reminiscent of season one... okay! That should work out fine! I'm so glad we can put both dreams into there! Plus, mine was shorter anyway, so it'd be good as a daydream halfway through the episode. ^ ^

The first dream would be him chasing his parents voices and then Lorenzo and then waking up to the alarm clock and the daydream would be Arnold running through the jungle again and hearing his parents voices.

How that daydream would be led into is Arnold is on his long walk, notices predictability everywhere that annoys him and then he starts running to get away from the predictability. When Arnold starts running, the second daydream is cued.

I dunno; if he just suddenly started running that might make him look a little crazy XDXD Maybe he's just sitting in class when he has the daydream? And then at the end, the bell has rung and Gerald's telling him that class is over and stuff like that.

Actually, you're right, that works better. He could have it during Mr. Simmons geography lesson but remember he wouldn't be woken up by Gerald, he would be woken up by Helga and Herald fighting.

Err... Helga and Harold are fighting? XD I'm trying to incorporate the "Hey Arnold! Hey Arnold!" thing. ^ ^;

All right, good call once again. I only mentioned Helga and Harold fighting because that's in the plot summary. Gerald could wake him up at the end of class and as he walks out, Helga and Harold are fighting.