Three questions about modern Sesame Street

[Censored]

What do you like and dislike about modern Sesame Street?

What would you do to make the show better?

Where do you predict the show will be ten years from now?

 

[mikebennidict]

let's just drop this topic and talk about the old times.

 

[AmazingMumford]

What do you like and dislike about modern Sesame Street?

I like the fact that Grover, Ernie, Bert and Cookie Monster are back on the street scenes, and are sometimes involved in the street story. There was a period of I'd say about 22 years 1980-2002 when those charachters were NEVER in a street scene or a street story, and only seen in taped inserts and RARELY seen with the Humans or with Big Bird or Oscar. It's good to see them back.


What would you do to make the show better?

Well, what I would do to make the show better is only have Elmo's World once a week, Have them air some old Muppet Clips and old Animations during the letter and number of the day sketches, that would be a perfect time to squeeze some classic stuff in. They did this during Season 33 when the format first changed, but they must have thought that it wasn't a good idea.
Also they could have a spot on the show when we see Grover looking through an old photo album, and he could recall some of his favorite moments on Sesame Street and they could show one classic clip a day, it could be called something like Grover's Memories or something like that.


Where do you predict the show will be ten years from now?

Seriously, I think the show will be MUCH different than it is now, or ever has been. Let's see Sonia Manzanno and Emilio Delgado will be in their 60's, they'll probably still have the Mail it Shop, Matt Vogel will be performing Big Bird full time, Oscar's voice will be replaced so now we will see Big Bird and Oscar together a lot more. Bob might not be alive anymore, Susan and Gordon will be very old, and I think Miles and Gabi will be the focus of the episodes as far as the humans go, and they might even get married and have a baby.

 

[Erine81981]

It will change alot. I like your summery AmazingMumford. It seems that something like that will happen.

Ernie and Bert will finally get alot of screen time.

Grover, Herry and Cookie will be in alot more sceens

Elmo and Zoe will start being background characters. (I hope)

There will be like "Sesame Street going to Walt Disney World" Or something.

Maybe Kermit will be a guest on one epsiode.

 

[GelflingWaldo]

What would you do to make the show better?

I really am not that displeased with the moderen Sesame Street. I still love the show, and for the same reasons I did back when I first saw it. But there are three things that I am not happy about and would change if I could.

1) Elmo's World - Elmo's World is a nice little show, I have nothing against Elmo or Elmo's world except this. It focuses on one character - Elmo - in one place - Elmo's World (some part of an alternet demention not even on Sesame Street). It is long too and eats up a lot of Sesame Street time. I think Elom's World should break off and become it's own 1/2 hour show, focused for young toddlers (a slightly younger audiance than Sesame Street). Allow Sesame Street to get 15 mins back, and allow the focus of Sesame Street to be broader and less Elmo's World focused.

2) Focused Cast - It seems that the cast of characters on Sesame Street has become focused on 10-20 characters (Big Bird, Oscar, Elmo, Grover, Telly, Count, Cookie, Zoe, Rosita, Snuffy, Bert, Ernie, ect.) I remember as a kid knowing names and faces of over 50 characters and they would show up all the time. About 15 years ago I got a little magazine-like pamphlet (It was for the 20th annivarsary), it was like a Sesame Year Book (just simple pictures of characters with names under them). It was like 8 pages with 15 characters per page (that's almost 150 characters). And I knew and remembered them all! I feel that kids today are not exposed to as huge of a library of characters on a regular basis, as I remembers the show use to have tons of characters always poping in and out (from Sherlock Hemlock, Guy Smiley, Plasido Flamingo Biff, Sully, Forgetfull Jones, Simion Soundman, ect.) There are still lots of muppets that show up but it seems like the show is focused more on a smaller set of characters and there aren't as many secondary or background characters. They still show up from time to time, but not as often or as many as I remember. I'm not saying the current set of characters is bad, or I want to see the old characters from my youth back. But having a bigger and even more diverse set of regular characters seems nice (even if they are new characters). I remember in pre-school that out of the 32 kids in my class, none of us had the same favorite Sesame Street character; now it seems kids' #1 favorites are either Elmo, Zoe, Big Bird, Oscar, Ernie, or Cookie (with some exceptions).

3) Less new songs - The show seems to not have less new songs as before. And when they do have a "new song" on the show it is usally a remake or cover of an old sesame song. Even the Elmo's World's theme was taken from an exisiting Sesame song. I would like to hear new songs that will become future staples of a Sesame soundtrack.


That's all I really have against the current Sesame Street. Nothing big, nothing that if it didn't change I would be upset over, but things that if they did change I would be happy to see. Over all I like the modern Sesame Street. And in 10 years I hope to see it still on the air, and still teaching and entertaining people all over the world.

 

[Erine81981]

AWSOME!!!! I loved what you said GelflingWaldo. Thats what I would love to see happen in the future.

 

[Drtooth]

I'd agree on GeflingWaldo's stance exactly.
Things I dislike:

Firstly, as much as I like the character of Elmo, I dislike the idea of Elmo's world being an element of the show. Since it is clearly geared to even younger groups, it would have worked better as a second, supplimentary show. That's the only thing I really think needs to be changed.

I dislike them not using certain skits. Some Muppet stuff from the late, late 70's, 80's and in some cases, early 90's skits. I think some of them would work fine, without complaint. And I would like to see some certain animated kits used more often. Not the generic series of counting ones (Number Pinball, stuff like that) but rather the indie animator stuff, like Bud Lucky's number songs, Mo Williams's cartoons (not just the Suzie Kabloozie, "Let's see what the judge thinks" one... the full cartoons), Noodle's and Ned, more Sally Crukshank stuff, though some of it is still used, and all the clasic animators that contributed over the years.

But I agree there's been more focus on main characters, mainly because people passed, people left the show, and newer characters don't stay on the show too long. Remember Lulu? Gone. Elizabeth, and Murray Sparkles, gone. Not that I necessarily like these characters. My point is the newer characters just aren't as good as the older ones, mainly because they don't have any personality. Using old skits would bring back reference to old characters, like Guy Smiley and Don Music... but unless they can either make more perminant characters stick, or find people suitable to continue the roles (like they did with Gladys last year) we're stuck in that sort of focus.

 

[Erine81981]

I also agree w/ you too Dr.tooth.

 

[Drtooth]

I can't see why they can't make an Elmo's world show, thus sepperating it from SS giving the 10-15 minutes back. I mean, if money was the issue, they could just used what they have for a season, then add more episodes beyond that.

I think PBS should be to blaime. I mean... Jay Jay the Airplane, Teletubbies, Boohbah? What the heck is this stuff? Zero quality, quantity money making kid's shows.... can't they just retire them? No one even likes them any more, anyway!

 

[redBoobergurl]

I agree with you Drtooth. I cannot stand Elmo's World and I actually like Elmo! I think Elmo's World serves a purpose for younger kids, but should be put into a half hour format away from Sesame Street. I think 2-4 year olds really relate to Elmo and would probably love a whole half hour show devoted to him. However, I've seen 5 year olds get up from the t.v. when Elmo's World comes on after spending the rest of Sesame Street transfixed to the t.v. Anyway, I agree about the quality of programming on PBS as well. What happened to shows like Reading Rainbow, Square One and 3-2-1 Contact. I think Rainbow is still on the air, but here in Minnesota we get it at like 6:00 in the morning when some kids aren't even out of bed yet! What is the point of Boobah anyway?