Warner Home Video now distributing Sesame Workshop DVDs

[minor muppetz]

The next video is Singing with the Stars 2, coming February 7.

So far, all of the announced songs seem to be from the HD-era. I noticed one of the songs is "Believe in Yourself", the version with Michael Buble. After seeing recent posts about how HBO has been removing/replacing a lot of Joe Raposo tunes (though not the theme song) from its reruns, I wondered if this would affect video releases of his work (though Old School Vol. 3, which had the theme song removed, did have plenty of Raposo-written songs, and his songs have been appearing on many videos since). This is a good sign that whatever is keeping his songs off the reruns seems to only affect HBO.

One of the bonus features is an Abby's Flying Fairy School segment. I would have included an Elmo the Musical segment as a bonus feature.

And I just now realized that for the first time since the segments ended, the first new Sesame Street DVD of the new year will NOT be another Elmo's World release. Could this be a sign that they are done with Elmo's World releases? Of course, there could be a store exclusive release, those tend to not be announced in advance.

 

[minor muppetz]

Coming April 4 is Elmo and Cookie Monster Supersized Fun, spotlighting both Cookie Monster and Elmo. This sounds like an exciting release (even if it doesn't have any classic clips, and there's no indication that it will).

A few years ago, Toughpigs did an article about how Cookie Monster is clearly #2 in popularity behind Elmo, and this video seems to reflect/cash in on that.

 

[minor muppetz]

In thinking about the upcoming Elmo and Cookie Monster realize, I must ask, are there any segments starring both Elmo and Cookie Monster? They are the two most merchandised characters, but I can't really think of any segments where the two appear as a duo. I do know of some group numbers that feature them both, though they aren't really a duo/leaders of the group (but considering The Best of Elmo 2 and 3 feature segments where Elmo is really just part of the gang, I wouldn't put it past them to include some of those scenes where both are just part of a group, like What I Am and Sing the Sesame Street Alphabet).

I do know a few interactions between them, but not inserts. There's probably some street stories that heavily feature them (especially considering they are two of the seven characters given main character focus this past season). It would be something if this release had Monsterpiece Theater: Hamlet, the one Monsterpiece Theater segment where Elmo is the star (or maybe one of the two where Elmo just has a minor role). All confirmed segments are ones in widescreen, but that doesn't mean it won't have fullframe segments.

And right now I'm remembering A Monster Ate My Red Two, where they are pretty much equal. I won't be surprised if that's included. I also just now remember that both characters are heavily featured on The Furchester Hotel - wouldn't it be great if an episode or two of that show made it to the DVD bonus features?

Interestingly, I recently thought it'd be cool to have a collection of "Elmo and...." releases, featuring a mix of Elmo segments and segments starring another character ("Elmo and Cookie Monster", "Elmo and Grover", etc.), especially the characters who are currently among the "main seven" (Elmo is one of them, the others are Cookie, Grover, Abby, Big Bird, Oscar, and Rosita). If Warner Home Video/Sesame Workshop is primarily just interested in Elmo releases, then it'd at least be a good compromise in new character spotlight videos (of course, Elmo and Cookie Monster are the only characters who have gotten multiple spotlight videos so far). I might have a new wishlist to put somewhere soon...

 

[minor muppetz]

Well, I got the Singing with the Stars 2 DVD today. I had actually forgotten that it was being released today but then saw it at the store and decided to pick it up.

It is a good release. There's a lot of songs that I don't remember knowing about, I guess I've paid less attention to what's been introduced in the past few years. But a lot of it is amazing.

It's interesting, one of the songs included is "Set Your Piggies Free", which I thought came before the show switched to HD, but the segment is shown in HD. It got me wondering if the video just formatted it in HD (I have been wondering for a while if they'd start doing that with fullframe segments on new DVD compilations), but then I saw that the video does include one fullframe segment, with Jamie Fox singing the alphabet, in its original fullframe form, so it looks like fullframe segments will continue to be in their original form on these releases.

Interestingly, this video not only lacks new linking footage (which I didn't expect to see), but it also lacks a title card or sequence. It opens with the Sesame Workshop logo, then transitions right into the first segment.

 

[minor muppetz]

Muppet Wiki now lists the bonus features for Elmo and Cookie Monster Supersize Fun, and one of them is the episode where they try to lift Snuffy for a ballet.... Which is an odd choice for a video focusing on Elmo and Cookie Monster. I know Elmo is in it, but he's not really the star. I'd expect something starring Elmo or Cookie, or even both characters (though I can barely think of any episodes starring both). The "Cookie's World" episode from season 36 would have been a better choice (of course we don't know that that's not included among the main program).

Of course I think the DVD is including the full hour-long episode and not just the street story. I looked at the Muppet Wiki guide for that episode.... And it looks like Cookie Monster doesn't appear at all. No Cookie's Crumby Pictures or Smart Cookies, no non-recurring Cookie Monster segments, I don't think it even includes anything where Cookie is just a secondary character. Of course we also don't know yet if any segments will be replaced.

 

[minor muppetz]

Muppet Wiki now lists many of the segments that will be in Elmo and Cookie Monster Supersized Fun, not sure how complete it is (though the YouTube description for the promo says that it'll have 14 "stories", not sure if that means street stories or total segments, though the wiki does list 14 total stories/segments for this release). It looks like it'll mostly be street stories and Cookie's Crumby Pictures, with a few Elmo the Musical segments as well.

The description lists one additional segment, promoted as new, not sure what the length will be there. While I like Cookie's Crumby Pictures (and it looks like this'll be the closest thing we'll get to a Cookie's Crumby Pictures DVD... and yet no mention of including Star S'mores????), I wish this would have more variety in terms of segments (whether classic or not). Judging by this being comprised mostly of recent street stories and the recent Elmo's Favorite Stories also being mostly stories and no inserts, it seems like this might be a new trend with Sesame Street DVDs. It would have been great if they'd include a Smart Cookies segment or two in addition to Cookie's Crumby Pictures (would it be too soon to wish for one of the newest Elmo's World segments on this?). Heck, most of the recent (non-recurring) Cookie Monster segments from the past few years have been among the best of recent Sesame Street.

Still, with the concept of spotlighting Elmo and another character, with the majority of content being street stories, I feel this would have been better if it were another character, like if the release was "Elmo and Big Bird", or "Elmo and Oscar", or "Elmo and Abby Cadabby", or "Elmo and Telly". Those characters are featured in street stories a lot more than inserts (well, I think it's pretty much even with Abby).

I'm still excited about this release.

 

[minor muppetz]

The next Sesame Street release is called Elmo Loves Animals, and will feature animal-themed street stories like Grover's safari (that's one I really want to see). Interestingly, one of the bonus features will be a Sesame Studios short, marking the first time one of those is a bonus on a Sesame Street DVD.

Interestingly, according to the Muppet Wiki edit history, that page had been added a few weeks ago (actually, on March 26, the day after my previous post in this thread), I don't know how the news passed my radar for so long.

 

[minor muppetz]

I purchased Elmo and Cookie Monster Supersized Fun today. It is great.

At first, when I saw the listing of what Cookie's Crumby Pictures segments would be included, my main thought was, "Star S'mores should be included, that's one of the best CCP segments!" It's not included, but it hit me that the four that are included are also the first four segments that aired (though I think the order they appear in is slightly different from broadcast order). That makes sense.

Good news about the full-length bonus episode that appears on this disc: The opening theme song is included! I guess there's no longer an issue with including the theme song on DVD.

 

[Oscarfan]

Is there that "Snack Attack" thing that was mentioned in the early product listings about it?

 

[antsamthompson9]

I purchased Elmo and Cookie Monster Supersized Fun today. It is great.

At first, when I saw the listing of what Cookie's Crumby Pictures segments would be included, my main thought was, "Star S'mores should be included, that's one of the best CCP segments!" It's not included, but it hit me that the four that are included are also the first four segments that aired (though I think the order they appear in is slightly different from broadcast order). That makes sense.

Good news about the full-length bonus episode that appears on this disc: The opening theme song is included! I guess there's no longer an issue with including the theme song on DVD.

Please tell me, is Tomato the Musical 11 minutes long? I would hate to know that they edit ETM down for DVDs too.