What would happen if Sesame Workshop retired Elmo?

[CensoredAlso]

I don't know what gives you that idea.

Things I've read about and heard from experts in the field, like from lectures etc.

Most of TV is what it is because people are enjoying it.

It's not always that simple. Just because something's on the air doesn't mean it's getting great ratings. And just because something's taken off the air doesn't mean it wasn't popular.

 

[frogboy4]

Television is rapidly becoming an on-demand medium. Most things are either Tivo-ed, Hulu-ed, ituned or otherwise seen on platforms and formats that aren't considered traditional television viewing timeslots. Ultimately this will probably make many programs shorter. They'll be created, packaged and advertised quite differently. Traditional television is on life support.

While educators were always at the heart of Sesame's pitch from the beginning it's been Jim Henson's Muppets that skirted the lines and in some cases disregarded strict guidelines. That's not the case today. Sesame Street is such a careful place. Frank Oz has remarked about that and I don’t believe that would have happened under Jim’s watch. The show he created doesn’t just have a different template; it’s been gutted in some crucial areas.

 

[mikebennidict]

And let's not also forget SS was not responsiable for creating SS even though he or Diseney today may have control over the muppet aspect of the series.

 

[frogboy4]

And let's not also forget SS was not responsiable for creating SS even though he or Diseney today may have control over the muppet aspect of the series.

Jim Henson and his Muppets define Sesame Street even though the show idea was in place before he took the stage. SS without the Muppets is the Electric Company. While that was a quality program, it doesn't have a continuous 40 year history of new shows.

(Disney now owns the Muppet Show and Babies characters. Sesame Workshop owns the Sesame Street cast except for Kermit.)

 

[Drtooth]

I'm gonna say this. I actually like Elmo... though, frankly 80's-early 90's monstery Elmo when he would talk loud, selfishly, and like an actual 3 year old. But I agree 100% here.

Let's face it. Barney the Dinosaur literally ruined kid's television. He smashed on the scene with his squeaky clean conservative suburban schoolhouse, and his forced songs with forced lyrics forced into public domain songs so they wouldn't have to write any themselves..... and most of all, the concept of one big fat character and a couple pointless assistants dancing around him, like he's some sort of freaky cult leader. And I think SS had to take that into the show to stay competitive... EVEN THOUGH he was on the same network. Then came Nick Jr. and Blues Clues... and viola! the perfect PC, squeaky clean, Elmo-centric Sesame Street that 3 year olds LOVE.

Now, don't get me wrong. I understand the appeal of a 3 year old character when your target audience keeps regressing in age. Big Bird used to be the star of the show, but in a modest, share the spotlight sort of way. I know Kermit was on Sesame Street... but he was the Kermit the Frog of Sesame Street (in the sense of what Kermit was on the Muppet Show). He worked with EVERY character, and worked well. Elmo can't. Sure, Elmo's great with Zoe, he's fine with Oscar... even Telly, Baby Bear, Rosita and Abby (and by definition, Big Bird)...but, it's like the more popular he got, the more distant he was from the actual characters in the show.

The sad thing is... and this just gets me... they actually want to CHANGE everything back the way it is, but they can't. They dug themselves too deep. They got rid of Global Grover, Journey to Ernie, Time to Play, Monster Clubhouse, Hero Guy, and all that without complaint. They aired one test show without Elmo's World and they got nothing but whiny kids wondering where Elmo was. Hense, why I always compare the audience to Rainman.

But you also gotta remember if not the PC crowd or phychologists the SW has always got their imput from educators.

A very good point. The problem was, they weren't the anal retentive, read too far into things, make a name for themselves so they can sell books types that totally choke up true child psychology today. I'm surprised they didn't have to permanently dye Elmo blue, since red is too distracting. The same types that feel that Cookie Monster is making kids fat (not laziness and poor parenting), and Oscar's grouchiness might somehow make some kid somewhere unhappy. They keep giving SW conflicting reports about everything, and the show has no choice to incorporate them. Again, this is why the show is like this. Pseudo-cologists throwing their 2 cents in... and basically their 2 cents is "Conform to nick Jr." look what they did to Mickey Mouse.

Much as I hate the Elmo-fication of SS, I can't even blame the character. And if they were to retire him now, they'd just give us Abby all the time until it came out of our ears.

 

[CBPuppets]

so what exactly are you saying here.

 

[APRena]

Elmo got so... un-Elmoish, and to this day it still makes me sad.

I was around Elmo's age when he started to "grow up" in a sense, in the early 90s. He got quieter, so unlike me I got mad at him. Elmo couldn't be mature if I wasn't! And then they started Elmo's World, and that was okay, I remember it only being like 10 or 15 minutes.

But then came Elmopalooza and the 20 minute Elmo's World's and by then everything was terrible. Elmo's superstardom meant less Big Bird, almost NO Grover, nothing good came of it. And now it seems like Elmo is the only thing that holds kids' attention. So maybe the downfall of Elmo would teach them to love the REST of SS, like it was meant to be.

 

[Drtooth]

But then came Elmopalooza and the 20 minute Elmo's World's and by then everything was terrible. Elmo's superstardom meant less Big Bird, almost NO Grover, nothing good came of it. And now it seems like Elmo is the only thing that holds kids' attention. So maybe the downfall of Elmo would teach them to love the REST of SS, like it was meant to be.

Ehhhmmm... well, Grover had actually been featured more in recent years... but that one was because of Frank Oz's lessening involvement in the show and increased attention to his movie career... Ever since Eric took on the role, we've been seeing a LOT more of him. But other than that... yeah.

 

[muppets2]

they should just let other charcthers have more segments so then elmo wont be that much in the spotlight as much as he is now

 

[muppet baby]

i have to say this that , i like elmo and yes though at times he does still the spot light and that does get a bit over bearing but he is a cute little guy and he is a big part of SS .

I had a class mate when i was in high school who loved him we where in 7th grade and all during the time up until we all graguated from high school she had a elmo watch and a elmo back pack LOL . She even took her elmo doll on over night class trips we took i thought that was just the coolest .

I thought that was so cool and all during that time i watched ss when ever i had the time , school was so hecktic for me that it was not that much unforcanatlly . i watch ss on a regulear basis now so cool .