Sesame Street to tackle divorce, for real this time

[Drtooth]

This should be most interesting... though, for some reason, I feel that using Abby might be a bit of a cop out, I don't know why.

It's not that strange at all. You constantly hear Abby speak of her mother. Who's the one she calls when she's in a jam and her spells screw up? Her mommy. That's why she has a cell phone/wand. So they can keep in constant contact with each other. There seems to be that added feeling of character over-interpretation that her mother really manages to look out for her, while Abby remains just a little clingy. Meanwhile, her father is never mentioned. Ever. Not even in any kid's books I know. Sesame Street kid's books, where Sesame Street continuity went to die, and every character has parents that are completely inconsistent. Like we're supposed to believe after years of seeing Grover's (has to be) 50 year old frumpish mom, she's all young and hip all the sudden.

So logically, this seems to be something to easily retcon, and the best way to do that is to pick out someone who's father isn't already established (imagine how heart breaking it would be if it happened to Elmo or Baby Bear), and a character that's more or less well adjusted (Telly would have very unfortunate implications, given his overemotional highs and lows). Plus, at the approach they're taking, they want a character that's well established enough for kids to care, listen and sympathize. That would be Abby. She's just well adjusted enough to work (though it does add a sad level of over-interpretation when she freaks out about getting a spell wrong).

 

[D'Snowth]

Well, yeah, I know all that, and I guess, in retrospect, it would make sense as to why it's always her mommy she talks about, talks to on her cellwand, among other things. I think it's probably because she's such a major part of the Muppet cast, that it seems like choosing her to try to tackle the issue again almost seems like they didn't even think about considering any other characters. Snuffy wasn't quite at the forefront of the Muppet cast then (and not sure he is now)... or, maybe I'm just overthinking this whole thing like I tend to do... never me mind...

 

[Oscarfan]

I swear, if I ever work for SW, I'm sneaking into their archives and watching the Snuffy episode. I'd love to see what it's like, especially the use of segments; if it was a story that took up the full hour (unlike Hooper's death, which was at the tail end of the episode), it'd seem very hard to have all those emotional scenes supplemented with silly songs about the alphabet and such.

 

[The Count]

*Has no idea what monsters are being mentioned about in that proposed nightmare scenario involving .

BTW: Oscarfan, didn't you ask Santa for a life this Christmas?

You probably tried to write him a letter... But ate the pencil.
You probably tried to type a letter also... But ate the typewriter too.
Oh, you might have even tried to call Santa on the phone! But that reminded you of two cuppycakes, and so you ate that too.

Oh, now Santa will never bring you a life!

This, from a guy who doesn't have a life either.

 

[D'Snowth]

I asked Santa for a new Fenwick and Bob Blob entry for the holidays, not sure if I'll find that in my virtual stocking this year or not, but I digress.

Life is what happens when you're making other plans.

Oh wait, I think I said that already, in another thread.

Life is like insects: nobody wants them, and yet, they're still there all the time.

How did we get off track here? What are you all looking at me for? Meh...

I like Caroll's remark about the outcome of the Snuffy divorce episode: "There went a hundred-thou out the window!" I think Lou Berger also made similar remarks, but then again, the kids got upset, so I guess there really wasn't a whole lot they could do then. Well, I'm sure there was, but I think they went the high road and shelved it to avoid upsetting kids across the nation.

 

[Oscarfan]

I wonder how often they shelve things like that; like your quote, it's a lot of money wasted. I mean, things like that "Super Grover 2.0" song seem pretty costly to make; I personally don't think it could've tested well at all, the message is completely lost because the lyrics are too rapidly sung.

And there might be some Fenwick/Bob Blob stuff soon, especially a 4-year celebration thing I haven't finished yet.

 

[D'Snowth]

I've often wondered the same thing; I thought there was actually a page on Muppet Wiki about that, but I guess not (the Snuffleupagus divorce episode, yes; other shelved episodes, no).

I think the only other thing that comes close is Episode 4029 being pulled after it's initial airing since kids responded more to the amusing scene of Telly and Izzy in the hospital, than the actual anti-bullying message the episode meant to send.

 

[Drtooth]

I think it's probably because she's such a major part of the Muppet cast, that it seems like choosing her to try to tackle the issue again almost seems like they didn't even think about considering any other characters. Snuffy wasn't quite at the forefront of the Muppet cast then (and not sure he is now)... or, maybe I'm just overthinking this whole thing like I tend to do... never me mind...

I think they could have very well done the same story again with Snuffy, just telling it retrospectively. Me? I'm just glad it's not Elmo. Every time they have one of these specials they need him, as he's the most relatable character. And wouldn't you know, it's always something unfortunate. His father gets deployed to Iraq, his mother got fired from her job thus putting them in a bad financial situation, his uncle dies. Imagine if the divorce was his parents. No wonder he always wants to be the center of attention. His family may be very loving, but misfortune follows him around enough to be escapist. That brings a dark side to Elmo's World.

So, looking at the characters.... Big Bird has no parents, and that's so important it was the basis of a movie, Telly's neurotic and overly emotional, Grover tries very very very hard to please people, someone could call out Cookie for an eating disorder, Baby Bear has a loving family that will be jarring to see them split up, Snuffy would probably work, Murray seems like a disconnected host and nothing is known outside his exploits with his friend Ovejita (though he could work too), and as far as Oscar goes, I'm pretty sure grouch marriages would never end in divorce because they probably like all that fighting and being miserable. Also, that would just add to the fridge tear jerker of thinking WAAAAY too into why Ernie and Bert live together, as they keep establishing them to be children.

 

[Oscarfan]

Clips from the video. You can also download mp3s of the songs from there.

 

[Convincing John]

Meanwhile, her father is never mentioned. Ever. Not even in any kid's books I know. Sesame Street kid's books, where Sesame Street continuity went to die, and every character has parents that are completely inconsistent. Like we're supposed to believe after years of seeing Grover's (has to be) 50 year old frumpish mom, she's all young and hip all the sudden.

Grover's kind of in that same ballpark as Abby. He's always mentioning (or calling for) his mommy. But...Grover's dad was mentioned only twice in a couple of storybooks. I wondered if they decided once upon a time to have a couple of major characters in single parent homes. Notice that we saw Roosevelt Franklin and his mom a lot, but never his dad. It wouldn't have been that hard to create a dad character for both of them (a spare Grover puppet with a mustache or something) and an AM for Roosevelt's dad...or even in storybooks. No, Roosevelt isn't around anymore, but he sure was a big character back then. Kids related to him then (and Grover still) the way they do to Abby.

But...they might have wanted to address the situation without focusing an episode or a book on it. Could have been something the writers or Joan or Jon or Lloyd wanted to hint at. It's a good question for Joan for an interview. If you asked Frank, he might have an answer, but maybe not.

Muppet parentage is an odd thing when you think about it. I always thought of Bert as the adult and Ernie as the kid. They act that way in the clips and it's easy to think of Bert working in an office all day while Ernie messes up the apartment.

Big Bird has Granny Bird who visits and calls, but who knows where his parents are/were. Did they build Big Bird's nest, lay the egg, then leave a note for Susan and Gordon to take care of him? I always wondered that. Kids have asked Loretta Long "Are you Big Bird's mother?" LOL!