Mr. Ratburn got married!

Who is Mr. Ratburn, you ask? Or maybe you already know because you watched the PBS cartoon Arthur when you were a kid, or you watch it with your kids, or like me, you just like watching it even though you're an adult. Anyway, Mr. Ratburn is Arthur's elementary school teacher in the show, and he just got married to a man! The episode, called Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone, is really sweet and funny, and while the announcement of his engagement causes some comical turmoil among the students due to a misunderstanding, there's no drama about the fact that Mr. Ratburn is marrying a man, and the kids are all happy that he's found someone nice who cares about him and vice versa.

Real life has been kind of rough lately, so it's nice to get some sweet and happy news, even if it's for a fictional cartoon character. I actually really liked Mr. Ratburn a lot and thought he was a great character even before this. He starts off as the teacher that Arthur and his friends dislike because he's strict and gives a lot of homework, but the show gradually developed him into a fun and three-dimensional character. He's one of those teachers who are strict but really care about their students, and the kids gradually come to appreciate him and the fact that he is a pretty cool and quirky guy as they get to know him better: he's an amateur puppeteer, he loves poetry, he really loves cake, and he used to be in a punk rock band! (I mentioned the latter fact to a friend, who jokingly told me that I know a little too much about this show.)

Anyway, congrats to Mr. Ratburn and his groom! (Oh, and Jane Lynch guest-stars in the episode, too.)