Anyone here have Elmo kind of grow on you?

[antsamthompson9]

The thing is, some of the jokes Elmo does away from Sesame Street probably would have been done in similar form on the show years ago when it wasn't concerned with being "kiddie."



Many older fans grew up with Elmo too; they just remember when the show was more of an ensemble piece, instead of Elmo taking most of the attention.

Oh, I see.

 

[Drtooth]

Many older fans grew up with Elmo too; they just remember when the show was more of an ensemble piece, instead of Elmo taking most of the attention.

That's the one thing I hate about when a character gets so popular... when he's on a show as a host for so long, you don't see any actual character. You just see him talking to the audience. I always bring this up, but watch Elmo in Grouchland VS Elmo's World. In EIG, Elmo goes through a character journey, in which the actions of an over the top villain mimic his own selfishness. It's almost like he grew up and changed during the course of the movie. And you really see a lot of the Elmo and Zoe friendship unfold.

Now look at Elmo's world... Elmo talks about an object or idea, and he shows how it's expressed in different ways, and how a Birthday cake can't do whatever the item or idea can do... that's not character development. That's not tension... that's someone talking about something.

Even the Rocko stuff is brilliant. You get to see Elmo's darker side... Elmo almost saying to the audience, "look! I like Zoe... she's my closest friend. But if she doesn't knock this Rocko stuff out, I'm never talking to this crazy brat again!" The problem is there's a difference between a feeling, sympathetic character, and the same character dressed up in different sweaters and sold at the Disney Store to 3 year olds and middle aged housewives. And unfortunately, Elmo's World puts Elmo in that latter category.

 

[CensoredAlso]

That's the one thing I hate about when a character gets so popular... when he's on a show as a host for so long, you don't see any actual character. You just see him talking to the audience.

I see what you mean, a lead character is often saddled with exposition, pure information. There's less room for dramatic or emotional moments. Ricardo Montalban said he had this experience on Fantasy Island. He was always explaining the stories but never could be a part of them. He worried that he wasn't getting the chance to work as an actor, as much as he loved the show.

Again, I'm looking more toward the Old School DVDs for my kids. And I hope future releases from the '80s include Elmo the way he was before.

 

[Kiki]

I was born in the 90s, so I watched a lot of Elmo on SSt. I gotta admit, I prolly liked him more when I was little, but I've never disliked him or anything. At times I thought he was a bit overrated and yeah- he's on SSt a little too often for my liking. But he is fine by me.