Longest Monday (Hey Arnold!)

"Longest Monday"
Poor Arnold and Gerald…Well, we hope this doesn't happen every Monday.
Series: Hey Arnold! Part of Season: 2 Episode Number: 4a Air Date: October 12, 1997 Writer: Jonathan Greenberg Director: Derek Drymon Larry Leichliter Previous episode: Harold's Kitty Next episode: Eugene's Pet

Longest Monday is an episode from the Nickelodeon show Hey Arnold!.

Plot

Arnold and his classmates try to avoid getting thrown in dumpsters and trash cans as part of an annual ritual by Wolfgang and the 5th graders.

Bad Monday Qualities

1. This is pretty much a torture episode for Arnold, Gerald and all of their friends, as they are bullied by the 5th graders to being put in trash cans.
2. Wolfgang, Mickey the Weasel and all of the 5th graders are very unlikable in this episode, as they bully the 4th graders and put them in trash cans.
3. This episode is also very mean spirited, due to the bullies chasing the 4th graders non-stop until they get them all, showing them no mercy.
4. The hide out where the 4th graders get help, are cleaned, and are safe is ruined when the 5th graders find it.
5. Mickey the Weasel trick Arnold and Gerald in the end, as he led them right to Wolfgang.
6. Bad ending: Arnold and Gerald not only get out in trash cans by the bullies, but the bullies also made the can roll down the hill and into the wall, which is the worst thing Arnold and Gerald got and that’s even worse than what the other kids got.
7. During the bad ending, Arnold and Gerald are laughed at by 3rd graders when they were getting themselves out, and Gerald tells them to laugh now and he scared them by saying it will be their turn next year. Thankfully though, Gerald immediately regretted saying that after seeing how scared they were.
8. Principal Wartz wasn't in the episode to stop the 5th graders.
9. The only thing this episode encourages is that the crime known as "Hazing" was illegally accepted. But in reality "Hazing" is a crime and is considered against the law.
10. If you are a school bus contractor and saw this happening, please do not confront Wolfgang.

Good Monday Qualities

1. The episode started off good, until we got to the part with the 5th graders.
2. All of the 4th graders are still likable in this episode. Arnold and Gerald for being the longest to last without getting caught, and Park for making a safe house for his friends.
3. Arnold’s plan was good, if only it didn’t fail so quickly.
4. Some funny moments in the episode, like how Stinky ended up hiding in a empty trash can to avoid the bullies, and he’s seen still hiding in the empty trash can at the end of the episode.
5. The safe house was a pretty smart choice from Park, as it kept his friends safe, if only the bullies didn’t find it.
6. During the awful ending, Gerald did regret scaring the 3rd graders, and the 3rd graders also regretted making fun of them after getting scared, so Arnold said they wouldn’t do that to them, much to their relief. So, Arnold and Gerald consider not continuing the bad tradition next year, which would most likely happen since Arnold and his friends are all good deep down and would never bully younger kids, not even Helga.

Reception

Many fans and school bus contractors have considered this to be the worst episode of the series, due to Wolfgang and his crew getting away with committing hazing in the entire episode and getting no consequences for committing it in the end.

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