Old School DVD set ideas

[minor muppetz]

Here is another idea:

Television Parodies

• Sesame Street News: Six Dollar Man
• Monsterpiece Theater: ABCD Blue
• Miami Mice: The Count needs to go to a space station
• What's My Part?: Foot
• The Add'ems Family
• Meal or no Meal
• Trianglebob Trianglepants
• Monsterpiece Theater: Upstairs, Downstairs
• Six Feet Under
• Desperate Houseplants
• Squeal of Fortune
• The Triangle is Right
• 24
• Joe Hundred Guy
• Monsterpiece Theater: Twin Beaks

 

[minor muppetz]

Another great idea would be for sets featuring the "personal favorites" of the cast, crew, and performers. Maybe a disc of Frank Oz's favorite Sesame Street moments, and Caroll Spinney's favorites, and Jerry Nelson's favorites, and so on. I don't know if Frank Oz has ever commented on what his favorite moments were (though I wonder if he would want to be invovled in such a DVD release).

Maybe there could also be a special Grover boxed set, perhaps with disc one featuring every Grover sketch from the first two or three seasons, disc two featuring Grover the waiter segments, and disc three featuring Super Grover segments. If there is a disc four, it could include either sketches where Grover works outside of Charlie's Resturaunt (maybe call it Grover on the Job), or a Global Grover disc, or a disc of all of Grover's appearances in Monsterpeice Theater, or maybe a Marshall Grover collection.

 

[minor muppetz]

But this is what I'd like to see in such a rarities colection:

• Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
• Professor Hastings talks about the importance of excersize
• Roosevelt Franklin spells his name
• Buddy and Jim (some sketches that weren't shown on Noggin)
• I Want a Monster to be my Friend
• One Song (Song of One)
• There's a Hole in the Bucket
• Ernie sees Mr. Snuffleupagus, but Bert thinks' Ernie is just imagining
• Larry and Phyllis sketches that weren't shown on Noggin)
• Monsterpiece Theater: Me, Claudias
• Monsterpeice Theater: Upstairs, Downstairs
• Ernie makes a friend (rare first season sketch, mentioned in CTW archive material, but full plot not really known to any of us)
• Ernie draws a "tree" instead of a "three"
• Ernie and the candy salesman (I saw this mentioned in CTW Archive material, and assume that it features Lefty)
• the original Near and Far
• The Headball
• G is for Grover
• Nobody
• I'm Square
• Wally and Ralph sketches
• The Leslie Mostly Show
• The Anything-in-the-Whole-Wide-World Prize Game
• The Mr. and Mrs. Game
• Ernie pours milk on the ceilling
• Bert imagines that he's flying a plane
• Don Music writes The Alphabet Song
• Four (if it was shot as a segment)
• With Every Beat of My Heart (ditto)
• Mad

I was looking over this list, and since posting this, I see that three of those segments were reelased on the 40th anniversary DVD, and four have been uploaded to sesamestreet.org. I hope Sesame Workshop sees this and makes more available.

And I'd also like to add Jim Henson's "E" claymation from the first season (I've also read there was a "Z" claymation, which I assume was from Henson as well) and the Jim Henson/Maurice Sendak collaboration known as Seven Monsters.

 

[ISNorden]

I must admit one thing. Having all the variations on a theme segments like Pinball Number Count and Jazzy Spies is a double edged sword. One way, you have only one- three of each, and they're incomplete, or we have them all, and it gets repetitive seeing them all at once. I would vote, clearly for the latter... but when you have almost 40 years worth of original footage to choose from, I'd love to see a lot more variety.

A numbers set is a great idea. So isn't a letters set. But then the numbers would have a lot of similar segments as such. I think with the 1980's/90's counting to 20 segments (the ones that featured the african masks or the Animals shaped like numbers) should just have the 20 segment on them.

A letters set would be pretty cool too. We'd really see a lot of variety with that one.

Some of the "teen" numbers got their own segments (mostly songs) in the late 80s/early 90s. We've already brought up "Just Take a Look at 15", but these come to mind as candidates for the "Old School Numbers (11-19)" disc in my hypothetical set--

• "Lucky 13" (sung by a cowboy mouse riding an armadillo; he brags about collecting various good-luck charms in sets of 13)
• "Sing a Song of 14" (a nursery-rhyme parody set to music, with "14 quacking ducklings baked in a pot")
• "16 Samba" (performed by a Latino-style band of AMs with a male lead singer; more memorable and "Muppety" than the alternative, "Number 16 Blues")
• "18 Sandwiches" (a parody of Alice Cooper's "Eighteen", sung by a cartoon girl trying to decide between menu items)
• A parody of Prince's "1999" with the lead vocalist determined to "party" with his odd pets (all in groups of 19) despite people's objections.

There were also some 1980s animations that could work, with a suitable number of objects (13 hamburgers, 16 TV sets, 17 brass instruments, 19 kernels of popcorn) forming the digits of the number.

 

[minor muppetz]

Another idea I've had, for half a year now, has been a series of single-disc releases called "Sesame Street: The Random Classics", featuring a random selection of inserts from the first 20 seasons, with only a handful of individual moments that many fans would remember.

Ideas for a few volumes:

Volume 1

• Bert and Ernie: Newspaper Expedition
• Grover: Walk (Part 1)
• Jazz #3
• Grover: Walk (Part 2)
• Teeny Little Super Guy: Sleep
• Geometry of Circles
• Big Bird and Snuffy: Counting Legs
• Don Music: Old MacDonald
• F-Fly
• I'm Going to Get My Hair Cut
• Super Grover: Barber Shop
• Herry's Exercise Class
• Doctor Flies to Alaskan Villiage
• Poverty T
• The Leslie Mostly Show: The Count
• Biff and Sully Get Angry
• Pinball Number Count #5
• Mad Painter #11
• Ernie and the Box Salesman
• Kermit and Grover: Toothbrush Salesman
• Henson Computer #4
• Roosevelt Franklin: Black History
• Billy Jo Jive: Bad News Barton
• Sherlock Hemlock: Missing Cookies Mystery
• Detective Series: Hippo on Trampoline
• Snuffy Jumps on Big Bird's Trampoline
• Mumford's Disapearing Trick
• School Pageant: Butterfly
• This is Your Story: Forgetful Jones
• Henson #8
• Harvey Kneeslapper: Do you want one?
• Monsterpiece Theater: Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves
• Grover's Restaurant: First, Next, Last
• Herry's "No" Joke
• Typewriter: R-rope
• Henson Clay Q
• Miami Mice: The Count's Ride
• Two-Headed Monster: fall
• Danny DeVito: Bus Stop
• Forgetful Jones in the Dark
• Three on Lady's Lap
• Twiddlebugs: Chopping Flowers
• Peligro
• Prairie Dawn: Monster Addition
• Bellhop #20
• Don't Sing This Song

Volume 2

• Super Grover: Boxes
• Ringmaster #2
• Pinball Number Count #3
• Harvey Kneeslapper: Sticky Four
• Swng Up High
• The Magic Apple
• Typewriter: I-ink
• 1-2-3-4-5!
• Five Disco Song (was that called "Gimmie Five"? I'm referring to the song with Luis, Bob, Gordon, and David)
• Roosevelt Franklin: Traffic
• Billy Jo Jive: Haunted House
• Prairie Dawn: Haunted House
• Kermit News: Elmo's Game Idea
• Big Bird's Home Movies
• Harvey Kneeslapper's Bucket Prank
• There's a Big Heap of Trash at the End of the Rainbow
• Bert and Ernie: Paws
• Henson #5
• Lulu's Back in Town
• The Trading Game
• Jazz #9
• Buddy and Jim: Ironing Board
• Put it in the Trash Can
• Monsterpiece Theater: Chariots of Fur
• Bert Almost Shops for Dinner
• It's Alive
• Simon Soundman and the Explorer
• Forgetful Jones: Mirrors
• One of These Things: Spies
• Harvey Kneeslapper: AWAY FROM
• Olivia reads "The Two-Headed Monster" Story
• Professor Hastings: Y Lecture
• Still We Like Each Other

 

[minor muppetz]

A few ideas for additional "Random Classics" volumes...

Volume 3

• Kermit and Oscar: Bus Stop
• Typewriter: O-Owl
• Doc Meets Mean Manny
• Henson #9
• Monsterpiece Theater: Upstairs, Downstairs
• Pinball Number Count #11
• Buddy and Jim: Light Bulb
• News: The Talking Stick
• Bert and Ernie: Peanut Butter and Bread
• Roosevelt Franklin: POISON
• Mad Painter #7
• Jazz #8
• Bert and Ernie: Sandbox Game
• Henson E Claymation
• That's About the Size of It
• Grover's Restaurant: The Count's Hot Dogs
• This is my J
• Elmo Scares Bert's Pigeons
• Henson Computer #10
• The People in Your Neighborhood: Librarian and Plumber
• The How Many Game
• Forgetful Jones and Mother at Train Station
• Larry and Phyllis: Stamps and Envelopes
• Miami Mice: Kermit's Interview
• Roosevelt Franklin Counts
• Ernie and Cookie Monster: Taking Turns Eating Some Cookies
• Windy
• Detective Grover
• Danger
• Teeny Little Super Guy: Danger
• Monsters Near and Far Song
• Cast Surprise Song
• Seven Monsters
• Kermit Talks About Walls
• David: Animal Charades
• Harvey Kneeslapper: Dion Joke
• Bellhop #10
• My Rock
• Two-Headed Monster: Cheese
• Bert and Ernie: Through the Hoop
• Sand Animation: N
• Head Ball: Smart Tina
• Super Grover: Bus Stop

Volume 4

• Spring is Here
• Kermit News: Sleeping Beauty Falls Asleep
• The School Game
• Mad Painter #6
• Pinball Number Count #6
• Ernie and the Candy Salesman
• Raisen Army
• Sand Animation: Q
• Bridge Keeper: Triangle
• Harvey Kneeslapper and the Mailman
• If I Had a Kid Like You
• The Leslie Mostly Show: The Amazing Mumford
• Grover's Restaurant: Bacon and Eggs
• Monsterpeice Theater: Gone witht he Wind
• Pageant: Foods We Eat
• Kermit and Joey: Up and Down
• That's What Counts
• Two-Headed Monster: Mom
• Bus Stop Tour
• Tony Danza: Angry Over a Note
• Forgetful Jones: Bath Time
• Bert and Ernie: After a Bath
• Swimming Like Sea Lions
• Typewriter: Y-yo-yo
• Kermit and Jennifer: Knees
• Roosevelt Franklin: Here and There
• Alphabet Chat: R
• We Coulda
• Farley's Mind
• I Like Alaska
• Kermit and Grover: Yes
• Billy Jo Jive: Meatbone
• Same Sound Brown
• Six Snails
• I'm a Big Girl Now
• The People in Your Neighborhood: Life Guard and Carpenter
• The American Revolution: Quill
• Geometry of Circles
• D-U-C-K-I-E

Volume 5

• If I Was a Cloud in the Sky
• Hill Street Twos
• Pinball Number Count #6
• Telephone Opera
• Name That Sound: Grover
• Elephant Trunks
• The People in Your Neighborhood: Dentist and Bus Driver (original)
• Ernie and the Snowman Salesman
• Kermit News: Mumford's Big and Small Trick
• Dr. Nobel Price's Soup Experiment
• David Disco Skates
• Grover's Elevador: In and Out
• I Love a March
• If I Were
• Monsterpiece Theater: Guys and Dolls
• Geometry of Circles
• Billy Jo Jive: Wrong-Way Willie
• Kermit and Elmo: Loud and Quiet
• What Comes After Three?
• Cheerleaders: Four
• Henson #4
• Roosevelt Franklin: Hurt Feelings
• Forgetful Jones: Outside
• Twiddlebugs: Keeping Warm
• Hi Friend
• Kermit and John-John: Animal Sounds
• One of These Things: Musical Banana
• Danny DeVito Laughs with Oscar
• Biff Hangs Paintings
• Teeny Little Super Guy: Redcap
• Ernie and Cookie Monster: One Cookie Left
• Buddy and Jim: Painting a Room
• Sherlock Hemlock: V
• Deena and Pearl: Underwater
• Professor Hastings: Big and Little
• I'm Pretty
• Pageant: Teeth

I think that would make a nice collection. Showcase a lot of underrated goodness. I do feel a little bit bad about all the Monsterpiece Theater choices. I was limiting the list to pre-season 21, and in my opinion there's hardly a 1980s Monsterpiece Theater sketch that's not a true classic.

 

[minor muppetz]

Just the other day, I was thinking of a great idea: "Sesame Street Treasure Chest". The packaging would resemble a treasure chest, and would include three discs (thoguh I don't expect Warner Home Video to release a three-disc Sesame Street set anytime soon). It could focus on seasons 1-30. Disc 1 could include three full episodes, disc 2 could include inserts only (and maybe also a random selection of street stories), and disc 3 could include "bonus content", like the "This Way to Sesame Street" preview special, one of the test pilots, unaiered sketches, outtakes, newly-created featurettes, and maybe something else (like Out to Lunch).

I'm not a big fan of the idea of "burn-on-demand" DVD services, but an idea that could be interesting is what I would call "Sesame Street Buffet", in which fans can select a certain number of clips that can be burnted into an on-demand release, in whatever order desired (of course what I think would be better for a title like "Sesame Street Buffet", if there was actually technology that could do this, would be for a certain number of clips to be included, and before viewing the viewer could pick the order they'd like to watch the clips in, any desired order at all, and some could be ommitted if the viewer didn't feel like watching a certain clip).

 

[Drtooth]

I'm not a big fan of the idea of "burn-on-demand" DVD services, but an idea that could be interesting is what I would call "Sesame Street Buffet", in which fans can select a certain number of clips that can be burnted into an on-demand release, in whatever order desired (of course what I think would be better for a title like "Sesame Street Buffet", if there was actually technology that could do this, would be for a certain number of clips to be included, and before viewing the viewer could pick the order they'd like to watch the clips in, any desired order at all, and some could be ommitted if the viewer didn't feel like watching a certain clip).

I would LOVE for SW to do that exact thing with specific episodes. Could you imagine? You get your choice of 2 or 3 episodes from the start to the current season of the series and you pay X amount of money for them. That would REALLY help Muppet wikia out if that were possible. I wonder if they still have to worry about music rights, though.

 

[minor muppetz]

I was thinking, wouldn't it be cool if there was a DVD focusing on celebrities who made multiple appearances on the show? Maybe grouping the sketches by celebrities, with most or all of their featured appearances (not cameos in celebrity montages) on the show. Not sure about whether I'd put their appearances in street stories (I know Madeline Kahn was in two street stories, for example). If I was in charge I also wouldn't put in celebrities whose only appearances outside of one isnert is a "Word of the Day" explanation sketch.

But I would include all or most appearances by James Earl Jones, Pat Paulsen, Bill Cosby, Lena Horne, Johnny Cash, Madeline Kahn, Judy Collins, James Taylor, Ray Charles, Mel Gibson, Robin Williams, and Whoopi Goldberg. I realize there are other celebrities who made multiple appearances on the show, but think that would be a good selection of celebrities. Don't know what a good title would be ("Celebrities Who Visited Sesame Street Many Times"?). Not sure if we would need every appearance by all those celebrities (with the exceptions fo Pat Paulsen, Mel Gibson, and Robin Williams, all of them have appeared on Sesame Street DVDs in the past, some guests like Judy Collins may have made too many guest appearances, and it could be hard to clear Ray Charles' "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning" or James Taylor's "Up on the Rooftop").

For bonus features, it would be cool to have a special feature about these guest stars appearances, and maybe new interviews with some of them (I think James Taylor and Judy Collins would do interviews, and maybe also Whoopi Goldberg). But maybe it could also have a "before they were stars" feature, including segments with Raul Julia (Rafael), Alan Arkin (Larry of "Larry and Phyllis"), Paul Benedict (The Mad Painter), Charollete Rae (Molly), Savion Glover, and maybe also some stars who appeared on the show as kids (like that kid from Everybody Hates Chris), plus bonus segments with Buffy St. Marie and Ruth Buzzi. And maybe also a selection of bonus Kermit the Frog segments (since Kermit is often referred to as "Sesame Street's number 1 guest star").

 

[minor muppetz]

I wonder if it would be a good idea for Sesame Workshop to release a boxed set of the full episodes where street scenes were sampled in the 40th anniversary DVD. I'm not talking about the disc 2 street stories (because pretty much all of those street stories have been released on DVD... Was "Slimey to the Moon" an insert or just shown once?).

I would leave out the Hawaii clips (as those should be grouped together in one set, either with all the full episodes or edited together like "Friends to the Rescue"). But then that would be at least 7 episodes: Antonio's birthday (where "Bienvindidos Song" comes from), Telly's debut, the bird watchers episode, Mr. Hooper's death, Snuffy gets seen, Luis and Maria get married, and Gabi is born. It's hard to tell if "The Hello Hello Hello Song", "Bring Your Own Can Night" and "Elmo's Make-Believe Trip" were repeated inserts or just shown in one episode (or maybe two, if the street scenes were reused and renumbered later on). "Hello Hello Hello" and "Elmo's Make-Believe Trip" are both open-ended and very well could have been repeated (though it would be weird for "Hello Hello Hello" to be shown in an episode in a spot later than the beginning, since the clip starts with the end of the theme music and the characters reference the show starting). "Bring Your Own Can Night" seems like it could have been an insert as well, and is pretty much open-ended, but at the same time, there are things about the scene that seem confusing as a stand-alone sketch (like Oscar apparently being responsible for the adults, needing to hide them in the can, the cast initially protesting against going to the Cha-Cha Palace but then moaning when they hear they can't get in, etc.).

Still, I don't expect Warner Home Video to release more than a two-disc Sesame Street set, so that might be too many episodes for one box set.