Rewind Reviews: A Special Sesame Street Christmas

[Drtooth]

It did, at least in my market. Once. Saturday Morning during a pledge drive, back when they still had kid's pledge drives (seems the PBS broadcast of the Theatrically released Curious George movie, and its DTV sequel could very well be the start of doing that again... but I doubt it).

I distinctly remember missing Jackie Chan Adventures and something else for it. it was that long ago.

 

[mr3urious]

Very nice review. ASSSC is definitely the lowest of the SS X-mas specials, with its stronger focus on celebrities who have apparently been living on the street for a long time, as well as its clichéd Christmas Carol plot. Though it was pretty entertaining seeing Oscar jamming to "Yakety Yak" on an old guitar and generally being his usual grouchy self. Seems like Carroll Spinney was the only actor who wasn't phoning his performance in.

Also, I'm surprised you didn't freak out over Barkley being five freaking feet tall! If Bob Banner was trying to save money producing this mess, why didn't he use the existing Muppet rather than blow even more cash to make a whole new one?

 

[Canadian Fan]

'A Special Sesame Street Christmas' was definitely the worst of the Sesame Street specials I've seen. 'Christmas Eve On Sesame Street' was the best one mainly because of more of the Sesame Street actors and muppets in it.

 

[Drtooth]

'A Special Sesame Street Christmas' was definitely the worst of the Sesame Street specials I've seen. 'Christmas Eve On Sesame Street' was the best one mainly because of more of the Sesame Street actors and muppets in it.

That's a very unfair comparison for one reason.

ASSC is basically a 1970's variety show TV special, while CEOS is so timeless, you don't even notice the fact that Hooper and David died decades ago. ASSC has to rely on random guests singing NOT Christmas Music (except for Michael Jackson... the ONE person you want to sing), while CEOS basically does an episode without letter and number cutaways (kid interview cutaways, but nothing educational), making an organic Sesame Street special that flows beautifully.


If anything I'd compare ASSC to Elmo's Christmas Countdown... and ECC wins for 2 reasons... you get most of the recurring Sesame Street Characters AND they sing music that actually has something to do with Christmas. Kind of an eye sore, though... but still, at least somewhat more entertaining.

 

[Barry Lee]

This is a great review!

 

[Canadian Fan]

I haven't seen Elmo's Christmas Countdown (looked for it on YouTube). Elmo Saves Christmas was cute though (saw it on YouTube and they sang 'Keep Christmas With You'). I was just comparing the Christmas specials from 1978 since they were produced around the same time (the year before I was born). ASSSC didn't have a lot of Christmas songs in it - CEOSS had a more Christmas feel (loved 'True Blue Miracle' and 'I Hate Christmas').

 

[D'Snowth]

Elmo's Christmas Countdown, IMO, isn't all that spectacular... it's funny seeing an elf/Muppet caricature of Ben Stiller as a victim of circumstance in the special, but the special as a whole feels more like a Christmas version of Elmopalooza: like music video showcases and such. Kevin James as a hipster Santa was pretty funny as well.

 

[CensoredAlso]

If anything I'd compare ASSC to Elmo's Christmas Countdown... and ECC wins for 2 reasons... you get most of the recurring Sesame Street Characters AND they sing music that actually has something to do with Christmas. Kind of an eye sore, though... but still, at least somewhat more entertaining.

I know I'm bias (not being the biggest Elmo fan), but I'd still watch A Sesame Street Christmas Special above Elmo's Christmas Countdown. It's not about how many characters you have, it's the quality of the writing and performances and both Big Bird and Oscar come across very well (though obviously better in Christmas Eve on Sesame Street, lol). Plus it has some moments that are very true to life like the annoying snow plow. Elmo's Sesame Street stuff just never feel all that true to life. More like a Barney fantasy.

 

[Drtooth]

I don't think there was that much quality in either, though Special at least has some decent Oscar moments. But I have something against a bare Sesame Street devoid of most of the main characters... or worse... devoid of more than 2 Muppets! Even in the show, I'm constantly depressed when there's like 3 people there and no one's running around in the back or poking out of a window. With Elmo's Countdown, you get more of the characters that Sesame Street is famous for. I agree with the Toughpigs article. If they didn't need to focus on as many celebrities and as many song rights to Broadway musical numbers, we could have had Ernie and Bert or something. I know Oscar and Big Bird are amazing treasures that are synonymous with Sesame Street, but Ernie and Bert predate both of them. Could have at least had them wave in a window. Plus, I think for what you get, a celebrity filled song fest, Elmo's Countdown manages to do a slightly better job, at the very least, for managing to put actual Christmas songs in it.

Still, I find them both crap to the far superior Christmas Eve on Sesame Street and even Elmo saves Christmas (perhaps one of the last times Kermit was on Sesame Street. so there's no excuse for anyone to hate that one).

 

[CensoredAlso]

Still, I find them both crap to the far superior Christmas Eve on Sesame Street and even Elmo saves Christmas (perhaps one of the last times Kermit was on Sesame Street. so there's no excuse for anyone to hate that one).

Oh?