Another Article Discussing "Old School" DVD's

[SSLFan]

http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Style/212950

 

[CensoredAlso]

"Parents can be forgiven if they believe that the Sesame Street of their day was much better than the Sesame Street their kids watch today...They can be forgiven because it is true."

"Old Sesame Street wasn’t afraid to show genuine anger…Yet the current Sesame Street can come across as stiff and polite when compared to the shows from the 1970s."

"What is amazing is how the Old School episodes hold up as great television even 30 years later."

Wow, good for you, Mr. Trieschmann!

The more I research, the more I decide I will not show my kids the current show, neither for entertainment nor educational purposes. I honestly do not believe it will equip my children with what they will need.

Heh, the other day my friends were shocked when I told them I was watching my Sesame Street Old School DVD. They asked, "WHY? Aren't they just teaching you how to read or something? Aren't you too old for this?"

Well I find this very ironic! The SW tells me the Old School set is not meant for today's kids. And then I have my friends telling me the Old School set isn't meant for today's adults! So, who is exactly IS this set meant for? Lol

In the end, it's best to think and choose for yourself.

 

[D'Snowth]

The more I research, the more I decide I will not show my kids the current show, neither for entertainment or educational purposes.

Whoa, that's heavy...

 

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Well, I appreciate the show for all it did for me and for many other generations. But it's like a child and parent relationship. At some point, you have to tell your parent, "Thank you for teaching me and allowing me to look up to you. But I am an adult now, and I believe in some cases you are wrong. And I have to think for myself."

And not let a TV show tell me what my kids are "supposed" to watch. Educational TV was intended to assist parents, not take over from them.

 

[Drtooth]

And not let a TV show tell me what my kids are "supposed" to watch. Educational TV was intended to assist parents, not take over from them.

No. It's not a TV show telling you what you're kids are supposed to watch. it's a bunch of namby pamby Child Psychologists telling a tv show to tell you what to watch!

I know I always beat this to death, but turn on Nick Jr. or PBs, and you'll see what I mean. I can't blame SS for becoming that, I just blame them for not putting up a bigger fight. I mean, do kids need that constant validation? I mean, Mr. Rogers quietly saying, "you know what neighbor? I think you're something Special." is much better than hearing "Can you find the letter E [which is clearly in plain view, but you have to give the kid 10 seconds to shout out an answer before a prerecorded voice tells them where it is]? You did? great job. You're terrific!"

Funny thing is, it reminds me of kindergarten teachers that say that a student is great to his/her face, and then goes over to the parents and says "Little Jimmy doesn't know the correct way to play with tinkertoys. Clearly this means he has anitsocial behavior, and will grow up to be a serial killer." It's lying to make a kid feel good.

I mean, I see shows like Curious George (which does run the gammit of being a show based on a movie) and Arthur (as well as a couple others), and they're not afraid to actually treat the audience of children with respect. In fact, I give C.G. more points for using such a great line of voice actors like Jeff Glen Bennet, Franl Welker, and Jim Cummings... rather than the usual "cheap" route of using local voice actors that have no range of characters (effectively saying "kids don't care how a series sounds").

SS, as I've said, can do bold things. The military videos (which I have mixed feelings about), the international co-productions in dangerous parts of the world. I just think they're too afraid to offend a special interrest group of Soccermoms and Child Psychologyst quacks to actually do anything. not to mention the reaction they got when they tried to take Elmo's world away. That probably scarred them for life. not the children, mind you, Sesame Workshop.

It feels almost, deep down, they want to change everything back (as was evident in this season), but now they can't. They created a Frankenstine, and now Frankenstine has them subdued in the basement, too afraid to move.

I'm glad these recent crop of articles are saying what everyone here is. Clearly, the Psychologists they deal with now work within happy, one mom, one dad, and 2.4 children upper middle class homes, who are desperately trying to have Oprah read their poorly constructed books, so she can pretend they're experts, and give them their own series.

 

[CensoredAlso]

No. It's not a TV show telling you what you're kids are supposed to watch. it's a bunch of namby pamby Child Psychologists telling a tv show to tell you what to watch!

I know I always beat this to death, but turn on Nick Jr. or PBs, and you'll see what I mean. I can't blame SS for becoming that, I just blame them for not putting up a bigger fight.

I understand what you're saying, and I don't pretend to know what is really going on in the company. But I don't believe in placing all blame on the child experts and then saying SW is just a victim of psychologists and competition. Maybe I'm naive, but this show is supposed to be about education. The minute it puts ratings or other things ahead of that, there is a problem. I do blame them for becoming that. If I didn't, it would be the same as coddling a child, rather than teaching him/her responsibility.

I do think they are honestly trying, I do think they care. But they have painted themselves into a corner.

 

[Drtooth]

I do think they are honestly trying, I do think they care. But they have painted themselves into a corner.

Exactly the point. they've done so many things to the show that the youngest viewers like, while trying to keep people actually watching, and now that it isn't working, they can't fix it like they secretly want to. The Elmo's World thing confirmed my suspicions. They actually want to get rid of it now, and they actually can't.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I guess we'll just have to wait and see, because we obviously don't really know what they are thinking, hehe. I'm just saying personal responsibility in this matter is important.

I don't know, I guess I'm a purist and it doesn't matter to me as much if the modern material isn't as good. I just wish the classic material was treated better.

It's sort of like hoping there will be a next Beatles. Some fans are just happy we had the Beatles at all and don't think anyone could ever take their place. But nothing is ever cut in stone and it's not good to be close minded.

 

[Drtooth]

It's sort of like hoping there will be a next Beatles. Some fans are just happy we had the Beatles at all and don't think anyone could ever take their place. But nothing is ever cut in stone and it's not good to be close minded.

And the only thing that even comes close are the Beatles imitators. Just adding that.

I blame all sides for this, BTW.. the parental groups, the psychologists, the kids, and the company itself. I can acept that current SS will never be as good as the old stuff (much like I can accept the same out of SNL and the Simpsons). And I think this season was a step in the right direction, as far as demolishing some of the structure and trying to tone out Elmo's World. But it seems there's something missing due to too many things in our society to number.

But then again, there has been a very disturbing happinstance about the Dora cartoon. I feel it best not to repeat it, but a life was lost due to imitating a stunt. maybe this will have kids flock to the psuedo-realistic Sesame Street instead. Maybe change will come out of that.

 

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But then again, there has been a very disturbing happinstance about the Dora cartoon. I feel it best not to repeat it, but a life was lost due to imitating a stunt. maybe this will have kids flock to the psuedo-realistic Sesame Street instead. Maybe change will come out of that.

Oh wow, I hadn't realized. I think I found the story you were referring to. It's possible the child was imitating something she saw on Dora, but at the same time I find it hard to believe the cartoon would be that irresponsible to show something like that. Then again, anything is possible.

Well, not that I wouldn't be happy if kids turned back to Sesame Street hehe. (though I prefer if they did so with the classic DVDs etc). But I'm not sure I'd want a horrible incident like that being the reason SS becomes more popular. Though, not to be unfeeling, but these kinds of incidents are generally very rare (thank God). It just goes to show you can't leave young children alone for a minute.

I have to say, I guess it's a good thing that the SS creators have been so careful over the years about the content of their show and what they appear to be teaching. Of course, that's always been true of the show. You just can't get carried away and worry about characters being "too grouchy." Too much of anything, even worrying about children, is generally not a good thing.