Sesame Street Old School DVD's: Not For Kids

[CensoredAlso]

Since this has been getting some interesting feedback. Let's talk about what parts of the show no longer exist in the modern SS. Some obvious ones:

* No Mr. Hooper
* Snuffleupagus only seen by Big Bird
* Gordon...with hair.

In my opinion, I'm glad they eventually made Snuffy "visible" to everyone else. I find it very upsetting when the grown ups keep teasing and ignoring him about it. It's one thing when a child makes up fun stories. It's another when a child is telling the truth and the parental figures refuse to believe him/her.

Now, I don't know if their fears weren't really founded. The idea that kids will think their parents won't believe them about child abuse just because the SS adults don't believe Big Bird. Kids do have lives outside of TV and they know if their parents will or will not listen to them. But I still say Sesame Street did a good thing by encouraging honesty and believing a child. (Of course later on the '80s it was coming out that some child abuse cases were being fabricated. The world is a complicated place!)

 

[mikebennidict]

What I think is interesting is that they continue to show old episodes of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood (may Fred Rogers RIP), at least they do on my PBS affiliate but not old SS. Just a thought.

True though they don't show episodes made prior to 1979.

 

[Drtooth]

In my opinion, I'm glad they eventually made Snuffy "visible" to everyone else. I find it very upsetting when the grown ups keep teasing and ignoring him about it. It's one thing when a child makes up fun stories. It's another when a child is telling the truth and the parental figures refuse to believe him/her.

Now, I don't know if their fears weren't really founded. The idea that kids will think their parents won't believe them about child abuse just because the SS adults don't believe Big Bird. Kids do have lives outside of TV and they know if their parents will or will not listen to them. But I still say Sesame Street did a good thing by encouraging honesty and believing a child. (Of course later on the '80s it was coming out that some child abuse cases were being fabricated. The world is a complicated place!)

That, and comedically, you can only do so many jokes about how the adults just missed him. Though, call me crazy, Didn't Snuffy come out and play with some of the kids in one of the episodes in Old School volume 1?

I also don't like the idea that the adults didn't see him. From what I read, a lot of it was gut wrenching. The part where Snuffy and Big Bird cry (and the performers inside the puppetsuits were as well) is one excellent example. I mean, Big Bird is a sweet, loveable little kid of a character. This sort of thing works on the principle of Wile E Coyote and Dastardly and Muttley cartoons. Except, you don't root for the villain because the hero is annoying... you root for Big Bird to get his vindication. And after a while, you can just feel the character's pain. it's not enjoyable, but depressing.

True though they don't show episodes made prior to 1979.

You know, I never really caught the Mr. Rogers reruns back when they reran it. I can't even remember what year they brought it back. They bumped it down to one day a week, and pretty much all but got rid of it until Fred's passing. then they felt they had to bring it back, but only for a year. I saw pretty current ones when I got around to seeing it. I think they had the one where he was on the PBS Mr. Roger's website. though I could have seen a couple older ones.


On that subject, EW or not, I'm sure that you could show kids some episodes of SS from the 80's, early 90's, and they won't be too jarred. But that's just personal belief.

 

[CensoredAlso]

On that subject, EW or not, I'm sure that you could show kids some episodes of SS from the 80's, early 90's, and they won't be too jarred. But that's just personal belief.

Yeah the '80s and '90s would blend pretty well. Some of the '70s would stand out a lot. Though again, if I was a kid, I wouldn't have a heart attack just because someone was wearing bell bottoms or just because Oscar was a different color (he obviously changed colors once, and the kids didn't stop watching).

 

[mikebennidict]

That, and comedically, you can only do so many jokes about how the adults just missed him. Though, call me crazy, Didn't Snuffy come out and play with some of the kids in one of the episodes in Old School volume 1?

I also don't like the idea that the adults didn't see him. From what I read, a lot of it was gut wrenching. The part where Snuffy and Big Bird cry (and the performers inside the puppetsuits were as well) is one excellent example. I mean, Big Bird is a sweet, loveable little kid of a character. This sort of thing works on the principle of Wile E Coyote and Dastardly and Muttley cartoons. Except, you don't root for the villain because the hero is annoying... you root for Big Bird to get his vindication. And after a while, you can just feel the character's pain. it's not enjoyable, but depressing.




You know, I never really caught the Mr. Rogers reruns back when they reran it. I can't even remember what year they brought it back. They bumped it down to one day a week, and pretty much all but got rid of it until Fred's passing. then they felt they had to bring it back, but only for a year. I saw pretty current ones when I got around to seeing it. I think they had the one where he was on the PBS Mr. Roger's website. though I could have seen a couple older ones.





On that subject, EW or not, I'm sure that you could show kids some episodes of SS from the 80's, early 90's, and they won't be too jarred. But that's just personal belief.

What do you mean when Mr. Rogers was brought back.


It never left the air.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Well it depends on where you are. Mr. Roger has been off my PBS station for a couple years and still isn't on.

 

[Drtooth]

Yeah. And Reading Rainbow was delegated to 6 Am on Sunday mornings in my area. Then... well... gone. I said it before. PBS is making strides with better programming like Curious George and Word Girl (I feel the best thing Squigglevision/Soup to Nuts has done...I wish I got an internship at that studio, since it's somewhere in MA), but it still has clunkers like Barney, Teletubbies, and a new show, Super Why, which really isn't beneficial by any means. Talk about down talking to kids. it makes EW look like the Algonquin round table.

 

[MrsPepper]

I'm sure some of the segments made back then are great and would still fly today, especially the stuff with the puppets. But I've watched the whole volume 1 DVD and I wouldn't think it has much place on modern tv. SS was sort of designed as an experiment to help kids learn. Over time they learned what was effective and what wasn't (like how in the first episode a bunch of skits appear more than once in the same ep.). Plus alot of the videos with the kids are dated (or no longer seen as a good idea, like the skit of the kids playing in a construction yard on the Old School vol 1 set), and some of the instructional ones like how bread is made, factories, etc. use old technology, so it makes more sense to use modern ones.

Showing old Mr Rogers episodes is a bit different. When I was young I wondered why he looked a bit different sometimes (older vs newer episodes) but his show consists of stories and the Land of Make Believe. That isn't something that's going to change over time quite like SS.

 

[Drtooth]

I'm sure some of the segments made back then are great and would still fly today, especially the stuff with the puppets. But I've watched the whole volume 1 DVD and I wouldn't think it has much place on modern tv. SS was sort of designed as an experiment to help kids learn. Over time they learned what was effective and what wasn't (like how in the first episode a bunch of skits appear more than once in the same ep.). Plus alot of the videos with the kids are dated (or no longer seen as a good idea, like the skit of the kids playing in a construction yard on the Old School vol 1 set), and some of the instructional ones like how bread is made, factories, etc. use old technology, so it makes more sense to use modern ones.

There's the balance. I feel a lot of stuff could work, but I do feel quite a bit of the older skits just won't work. I mean, yeah. Playing in construction sites, films of old technology in factories. But a lot of the smaller segments could still work. I mean, I don't expect to see large nose pink and orange sweater Ernie and hook nosed ultra grouchy thin head bert to make an appearance currently. I mean, they did use Pinball Number Count twice in Season 32.

I mean, the closest things that they have to the current SS would be something like 80's and 90's full episodes. But as for skits and filler, there's a great deal of stuff, mid 70's-late 90's that wouldn't cause any problems whatsoever.

I mean, I don't see something like Jazz numbers making it. pinball Number count, sure. But something about Jazz numbers just wouldn't work, be it the imagery or the music. It would frighten kids like crazy, IMO.

But there is no reason why quite a few letter, number and Muppet (especially) segments couldn't work. We've seen quite a few classic Ernie/Bert skits form, even the late 70's (as I said before). We've seen Cavemen Days used at least once. I could kind of see the point of older characters not on the show may being a little jarring. But I would stifel to say "confusing." If anything, these skits could serve as introductions to the characters.

 

[mikebennidict]

There's the balance. I feel a lot of stuff could work, but I do feel quite a bit of the older skits just won't work. I mean, yeah. Playing in construction sites, films of old technology in factories. But a lot of the smaller segments could still work. I mean, I don't expect to see large nose pink and orange sweater Ernie and hook nosed ultra grouchy thin head bert to make an appearance currently. I mean, they did use Pinball Number Count twice in Season 32.

I mean, the closest things that they have to the current SS would be something like 80's and 90's full episodes. But as for skits and filler, there's a great deal of stuff, mid 70's-late 90's that wouldn't cause any problems whatsoever.

I mean, I don't see something like Jazz numbers making it. pinball Number count, sure. But something about Jazz numbers just wouldn't work, be it the imagery or the music. It would frighten kids like crazy, IMO.




But there is no reason why quite a few letter, number and Muppet (especially) segments couldn't work. We've seen quite a few classic Ernie/Bert skits form, even the late 70's (as I said before). We've seen Cavemen Days used at least once. I could kind of see the point of older characters not on the show may being a little jarring. But I would stifel to say "confusing." If anything, these skits could serve as introductions to the characters.

Now come on those old number skits aren't goonna frighten kids.


Think you're over-reacting.