diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/_pylab_helpers.py b/lib/matplotlib/_pylab_helpers.py
index b851f06981d7..c5ea8cc6bb60 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/_pylab_helpers.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/_pylab_helpers.py
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ def get_num_fig_managers(cls):
         """
         Return the number of figures being managed.
         """
-        return len(cls.figs.values())
+        return len(cls.figs)
 
     @classmethod
     def get_active(cls):
@@ -146,7 +146,6 @@ def draw_all(cls, force=False):
         state machine.
         """
         for f_mgr in cls.get_all_fig_managers():
-            # TODO add logic to check if figure is stale
             if force or f_mgr.canvas.figure.stale:
                 f_mgr.canvas.draw_idle()
 
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk.py
index 1a6ee313f546..d2007ff7900e 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk.py
@@ -586,6 +586,7 @@ def destroy(*args):
         self.window.connect("delete_event", destroy)
         if matplotlib.is_interactive():
             self.window.show()
+            self.canvas.draw_idle()
 
         def notify_axes_change(fig):
             'this will be called whenever the current axes is changed'
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3.py
index 32d15fb4fbcc..113c34f72e88 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3.py
@@ -451,6 +451,7 @@ def destroy(*args):
         self.window.connect("delete_event", destroy)
         if matplotlib.is_interactive():
             self.window.show()
+            self.canvas.draw_idle()
 
         def notify_axes_change(fig):
             'this will be called whenever the current axes is changed'
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_macosx.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_macosx.py
index ef4572f0958e..57fc57440f83 100755
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_macosx.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_macosx.py
@@ -386,6 +386,7 @@ def notify_axes_change(fig):
 
         if matplotlib.is_interactive():
             self.show()
+            self.canvas.draw_idle()
 
     def close(self):
         Gcf.destroy(self.num)
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_nbagg.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_nbagg.py
index eada1c1de553..521efa20a989 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_nbagg.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_nbagg.py
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 # that changes made maintain expected behaviour.
 
 from base64 import b64encode
-from contextlib import contextmanager
 import json
 import io
 import os
@@ -18,7 +17,7 @@
 
 from matplotlib import rcParams
 from matplotlib.figure import Figure
-from matplotlib.backends import backend_agg
+from matplotlib import is_interactive
 from matplotlib.backends.backend_webagg_core import (FigureManagerWebAgg,
                                                      FigureCanvasWebAggCore,
                                                      NavigationToolbar2WebAgg)
@@ -29,7 +28,6 @@
 class Show(ShowBase):
     def __call__(self, block=None):
         from matplotlib._pylab_helpers import Gcf
-        from matplotlib import is_interactive
 
         managers = Gcf.get_all_fig_managers()
         if not managers:
@@ -54,7 +52,6 @@ def __call__(self, block=None):
 
 
 def draw_if_interactive():
-    from matplotlib import is_interactive
     import matplotlib._pylab_helpers as pylab_helpers
 
     if is_interactive():
@@ -227,6 +224,9 @@ def new_figure_manager_given_figure(num, figure):
     if rcParams['nbagg.transparent']:
         figure.patch.set_alpha(0)
     manager = FigureManagerNbAgg(canvas, num)
+    if is_interactive():
+        manager.show()
+        figure.canvas.draw_idle()
     return manager
 
 
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt5.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt5.py
index e3e0624552fc..24dc630bea73 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt5.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt5.py
@@ -500,6 +500,7 @@ def __init__(self, canvas, num):
 
         if matplotlib.is_interactive():
             self.window.show()
+            self.canvas.draw_idle()
 
         def notify_axes_change(fig):
             # This will be called whenever the current axes is changed
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_tkagg.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_tkagg.py
index 8ffc8a85318e..66295e7ff16d 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_tkagg.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_tkagg.py
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ def new_figure_manager_given_figure(num, figure):
     figManager = FigureManagerTkAgg(canvas, num, window)
     if matplotlib.is_interactive():
         figManager.show()
+        canvas.draw_idle()
     return figManager
 
 
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py
index 1c2a578edcd3..d4182e76b543 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py
@@ -1236,6 +1236,7 @@ def new_figure_manager_given_figure(num, figure):
     figmgr = frame.get_figure_manager()
     if matplotlib.is_interactive():
         figmgr.frame.Show()
+        figure.canvas.draw_idle()
 
     return figmgr
 
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wxagg.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wxagg.py
index 8acd2b9e4cd5..36d10a8a41e6 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wxagg.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wxagg.py
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ def new_figure_manager_given_figure(num, figure):
     figmgr = frame.get_figure_manager()
     if matplotlib.is_interactive():
         figmgr.frame.Show()
+        figure.canvas.draw_idle()
     return figmgr
 
 
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py b/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py
index 2de9711df408..0107258febdb 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py
@@ -555,6 +555,7 @@ def gcf():
     else:
         return figure()
 
+
 def fignum_exists(num):
     return _pylab_helpers.Gcf.has_fignum(num) or num in get_figlabels()
 
@@ -1138,20 +1139,20 @@ def subplots(nrows=1, ncols=1, sharex=False, sharey=False, squeeze=True,
             sharey = "none"
     share_values = ["all", "row", "col", "none"]
     if sharex not in share_values:
-        # This check was added because it is very easy to type subplots(1, 2, 1)
-        # when subplot(1, 2, 1) was intended. In most cases, no error will
-        # ever occur, but mysterious behavior will result because what was
-        # intended to be the subplot index is instead treated as a bool for
-        # sharex.
+        # This check was added because it is very easy to type
+        # `subplots(1, 2, 1)` when `subplot(1, 2, 1)` was intended.
+        # In most cases, no error will ever occur, but mysterious behavior will
+        # result because what was intended to be the subplot index is instead
+        # treated as a bool for sharex.
         if isinstance(sharex, int):
             warnings.warn("sharex argument to subplots() was an integer."
                           " Did you intend to use subplot() (without 's')?")
 
-        raise ValueError("sharex [%s] must be one of %s" % \
-                (sharex, share_values))
+        raise ValueError("sharex [%s] must be one of %s" %
+                         (sharex, share_values))
     if sharey not in share_values:
-        raise ValueError("sharey [%s] must be one of %s" % \
-                (sharey, share_values))
+        raise ValueError("sharey [%s] must be one of %s" %
+                         (sharey, share_values))
     if subplot_kw is None:
         subplot_kw = {}
     if gridspec_kw is None:
@@ -1167,10 +1168,6 @@ def subplots(nrows=1, ncols=1, sharex=False, sharey=False, squeeze=True,
 
     # Create first subplot separately, so we can share it if requested
     ax0 = fig.add_subplot(gs[0, 0], **subplot_kw)
-    #if sharex:
-    #    subplot_kw['sharex'] = ax0
-    #if sharey:
-    #    subplot_kw['sharey'] = ax0
     axarr[0] = ax0
 
     r, c = np.mgrid[:nrows, :ncols]
@@ -1203,7 +1200,6 @@ def subplots(nrows=1, ncols=1, sharex=False, sharey=False, squeeze=True,
 
     # turn off redundant tick labeling
     if sharex in ["col", "all"] and nrows > 1:
-    #if sharex and nrows>1:
         # turn off all but the bottom row
         for ax in axarr[:-1, :].flat:
             for label in ax.get_xticklabels():
@@ -1211,7 +1207,6 @@ def subplots(nrows=1, ncols=1, sharex=False, sharey=False, squeeze=True,
             ax.xaxis.offsetText.set_visible(False)
 
     if sharey in ["row", "all"] and ncols > 1:
-    #if sharey and ncols>1:
         # turn off all but the first column
         for ax in axarr[:, 1:].flat:
             for label in ax.get_yticklabels():
@@ -1222,8 +1217,8 @@ def subplots(nrows=1, ncols=1, sharex=False, sharey=False, squeeze=True,
         # Reshape the array to have the final desired dimension (nrow,ncol),
         # though discarding unneeded dimensions that equal 1.  If we only have
         # one subplot, just return it instead of a 1-element array.
-        if nplots==1:
-            ret = fig, axarr[0,0]
+        if nplots == 1:
+            ret = fig, axarr[0, 0]
         else:
             ret = fig, axarr.squeeze()
     else:
@@ -1257,10 +1252,12 @@ def subplot2grid(shape, loc, rowspan=1, colspan=1, **kwargs):
     bbox = a.bbox
     byebye = []
     for other in fig.axes:
-        if other==a: continue
+        if other == a:
+            continue
         if bbox.fully_overlaps(other.bbox):
             byebye.append(other)
-    for ax in byebye: delaxes(ax)
+    for ax in byebye:
+        delaxes(ax)
 
     return a