9/10
Rotten Kid
17 July 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Warning do not read unless seen episode.

This is another honorable mention, this episode might be a bit on the preachy side, but I don't mind as this is one that's actually done right.

This one is another Opie episode and a good one. Opie, he meets up with a new kid Arnold whom happens to be upper class. You don't like this kid as you can easily see he's spoiled rotten to the core. Has classism as he is just showing of his new bike just to flaunt and insult Opie and any other ordinary kid not in the same class as him. It's his way of saying "I have it and you don't" I always hate that, it's a cruel tease as it's practically another way of saying, "I have this but no one else can".

But we see Arnold is a bad influence on Opie; Opie sadly takes it all in which is understandable, Opie was against some powerful temptation from the shine of that new bike, the attractiveness of the upper class lifestyle those things are hard to resist. We see Opie try out some of those methods Arnold adviced but Andy doesn't fall for it. It's kind of funny as Opie is constantly employing it but his efforts of course bear no fruit.

We see in one scene how truly rotten Arnold is, as he has this notion that he things the whole world revolves around him, that he's above the law and can do whatever he wants; but in the words of Sly Stallone/Lincoln Hawk, "Life don't go one way for nobody."

He gets stopped by Barney rightfully so for riding on the sidewalk, when we all know you never should with a bike. Despite the warning Arnold's on in again, but a big mistake on his part as he rides straight into Andy. Seeing that I am thinking "your going to get it now boy" and it's just satisfying seeing Andy and Barney laying the law down on him.

It then comes down to the trial scene which is good. The dad constantly pleads for Andy to unimpound the bike and of course Arnold is putting on the tantrum act. But Andy denies the request as well as doesn't fall for Arnold's tantrum act (yeah Andy's practically immune to it). Both rightfully so because Andy and Barney were both doing their jobs, Arnold broke the law as clear as day and didn't give a toss about it, which is why needs to pay the consequences.

Really like what Andy says to the dad and I feel is important to all parents, if we don't start setting boundaries for our kids they'll never get very far in life, let alone survive and laws are their for good reason to give civilians a chance at survival. We then see near the end of the trial Arnold says something which was deeply offensive, at that very moment you see and know Arnold is a bum. Despite all the nice things he's got, he's spiritually poor as he doesn't have the things he truly needs in life.

This episode shows the importance of good parenting and providing a kid more what he/she needs and not just what he/she wants. How there are some things in life more valuable than a shiny new bike, the best things in life are the ones you work and fight hard for, but also reminds us why we like Opie and that he truly is a good kid.

Rating: 3 and a half stars
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