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Alabama church to screen 'Arthur' gay wedding despite public TV ban

Tom Beasley
·Contributor
Mr Ratburn marries his partner, Patrick, in the 'Arthur' episode entitled 'Mr Ratburn and the Special Someone'. (Credit: PBS)
Mr Ratburn marries his partner, Patrick, in the 'Arthur' episode entitled 'Mr Ratburn and the Special Someone'. (Credit: PBS)

A Methodist church in Alabama will host a free screening of an episode of Arthur featuring a same-sex wedding ceremony, which was banned by the state’s public television network.

Alabama Public Television aired a re-run of the popular children’s show on 13 May, while the episode Mr Ratburn and the Special Someone was broadcast nationally.

Now, however, the First United Methodist Church in Birmingham will broadcast the episode to an audience of all ages on 15 June, according to AL.com.

Read more: Mr Ratburn comes out as gay

The episode features the central characters learning that their teacher, Mr Ratburn, is due to get married and suspecting he is due to marry Patty - a stickler for discipline voiced by Jane Lynch.

They eventually attend the wedding and learn that Patty is Mr Ratburn’s sister and that he is actually marrying Patrick - a male character.

Title card for 'Arthur' episode 'Mr Ratburn and the Special Someone', which provoked controversy for its depiction of gay marriage. (Credit: PBS)
Title card for 'Arthur' episode 'Mr Ratburn and the Special Someone', which provoked controversy for its depiction of gay marriage. (Credit: PBS)

Mike Mckenzie, director of programming at APT, said the channel was informed of the show’s content before it aired and added: “parents trust that their children can watch APT without their supervision”.

Arkansas Educational Television Network also refused to air the episode.

Read more: Controversial TV episodes

Rachel Morgan, creative director of Sidewalk Film Festival and Shout LGBTQ Film Festival, joined forces with the Birmingham church to organise the new screening.

She said: “The church frequently communicates to the community that they are an 'open place for all’, and I think this event reflects that statement.”

Guests will even be able to enjoy a slice of wedding cake and a glass of sparkling apple juice.

The episode was previously screened in May at an LGBTQ youth centre in Alabama.

'Arthur' books author and creator Marc Brown attends the Licensing International 2000 in New York City. (Photo by Stan Godlewski/Getty Images)
'Arthur' books author and creator Marc Brown attends the Licensing International 2000 in New York City. (Photo by Stan Godlewski/Getty Images)

More than 200 episodes of Arthur have aired since it first hit screens in 1996, making it second only to The Simpsons as the longest running animated series in the USA.

Read more: Disney+ to launch with The Simpsons

The show has depicted same-sex relationships before, with 2005 episode Sugartime! also pulled from air by several channels due to its depiction of lesbian couples.

Creator Marc Brown told People that he is “really proud” of the new wedding episode.

He added: “I don’t want children or people who are different to feel excluded. That’s not the kind of world we want to live in.”