Your Thoughts: HBO Max streaming service officially launches

[LittleJerry92]

I mean, we practically got both green Grover and orange Oscar plenty of times, so.....

 

[minor muppetz]

I mean, we practically got both green Grover and orange Oscar plenty of times, so.....

And Brian Meehl’s Telly, and “Television Monster”, and “Mr. Snuffleupagus, your imaginary friend”, and the street’s former looks...

 

[sesamemuppetfan]

As far as green Grover goes, he appeared in a skit included in 593 and I was bracing myself for it to be cut- not only for the Grover factor but also because of Big V's appearance at the end...but lo and behold!

Perhaps the most baffling edit from these recent shows is cutting scene 6 of episode 593: Cookie Monster is trying to make peanut butter by spreading butter on a peanut... David points out that peanut butter is not made that way, and it segues into an insert from season 2 about how peanut butter is made...

OK, those two segments are cut... BUT, they show Cookie's reaction to that scene (out of context), and he proceeds to eat the stick of butter and his pile of peanuts..

Just seems odd to not just cut it all altogether... But that's just my humble opinion

I was caught by surprise with this edit too. Similarly, in episode 957, they cut off the beginning of the skit where Maria has Ernie and Bert imagine what would happen if they went their own separate ways; it immediately starts during the first scene of Ernie's imaginary sequence. How much do you want to bet that lots of people were wondering what the fight was all about and how come we're seeing Ernie and Bert in these imaginary scenarios?

Bill Cosby and John John will no longer appear on DVD releases, there’s no doubt about it that.

As far as Bill Cosby goes, it's definitely a pity because I'm sure that will also mean no more DVD releases of the original Electric Company (in addition to the SS fanbase being larger), at least in terms of episodes from the first 2 seasons and Friday episodes from the rest of the series in general.

 

[LittleJerry92]

Here are my honest thoughts when it comes to edits:

If it’s a situation where there just isn’t an agreement with an estate (animator, celeb, music), or if something is removed because there is a controversial history behind it, I’m just like “well, that sucks, but I understand their reasons.”

If it’s a situation like cutting a segment just because a character says or does something slightly questionable then it’s just like “ Come on!”

Frankly again, this is why I prefer just going to fan recordings if I really want to see a full episode with all segments intact. Otherwise these episodes for me are just roll the dice with gratefulness if a segment or street scene I’ve always wanted to see is included, or disappointment if something is removed or altered because the company is worried about facing backlash by overprotective soccer moms that probably don’t even let their kids watch anything past G movies.

 

[minor muppetz]

Does HBO Max cut the part of Christmas Eve on Sesame Street where Ernie throws a snowball past Bert? I think there's also a part where Oscar throws a snowball at Maria, is that cut as well?

Of course Muppet Wiki only notes the removal of "Feliz Navidad", clearly for music rights, I guess the wiki would note anything else that's been cut from the special and not just that.

 

[datman24]

I mean, we practically got both green Grover and orange Oscar plenty of times, so.....

Well, those characters at least have universal appeal outside of its target audience. Elmo, on the other hand, has little of that. Much of Elmo's appearances is geared solely to the little ones, which is why they are unlikely to share any clips of the character from the pre-Kevin Clash years. And to be fair, however, Oscar's explanation as to why he went from orange to green is technically canon.

 

[LittleJerry92]

I get Elmo’s the very big popular one on the series with the appropriate age range group, but frankly it just feels like a big, unecesarry double standard (and kinda makes the workshop look like absolute fools in honesty) to just have this mentality that feels like “Yeah, sure, let’s just let the kids know these characters looked or sounded different back in the day. The parents will be with them. But this furry little red guy on the other hand? NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE, that never existed! LALALALALALALALALALA! *fingers in ears*” okay, bit over exaggerated on that part, but that’s kind of how they also make themselves look with this mentality.

Plus, in fairness, I’m sure they’re also well aware that older audiences have been curious to see footage of Elmo with a different voice; they’re no doubt aware of fan uploads or articles on the muppet wiki, a place where many older fans I’m sure explore the wiki frequently, explaining his different performers, especially since one of the admins is good friends with the staff at the workshop.

 

[minor muppetz]

Even if “only kids will care about Elmo”, if the parents/adults happen to be more interested in older episodes than the kids and Elmo happens to be in those, then there’s not really any harm to the adults seeing early Elmo (and they wouldn’t have to deal with what’s usually annoying them about Elmo).

 

[datman24]

Yeah, but let's be real here, the only people who care that much about seeing pre-Kevin Clash Elmo are hardcare Muppet fans like us.

 

[LittleJerry92]

Right, that’s why I brought up that I’m sure the workshop is well aware older audiences would love to see more pre-Kevin Elmo footage, but I think it’s unfair that they only seem to cater into the children alone when it comes to releasing older clips, even for historic purposes.