Could Between the Lions ever come back?

Buff Beaker

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I was just thinking how between the lions was such an important show. Especially now in days when kids are barely reading anymore the show is needed more now than ever. Could the show be brought back ? Could Sesame Workshop buy the rights to it? Considering most of the cast also worked on Sesame Street including the writers and performers.
 

Buff Beaker

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What I wish for is that Sesame Workshop buys the rights and re air it for PBS and HBO.
 

fuzzygobo

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When Between the Lions aired in 2000, I was 32. It was the only PBS show I could watch without feeling dumbed down.
I left Sesame Street way behind by that point.
The two men who made BTL so fresh and edgy were Christopher Cerf and Norman Stiles. Cerf wrote numerous songs for SS (tailor made for Little Chrissy and the Alphabeats) and Stiles was the head writer for the 70s version of the Electric Company. Neither wanted another dumbed down show like Barney.
I met Cerf in 2004 when they were proposing a new season of BTL concentrating on Spanish. Unfortunately the project was stalled when they ran out of money.
 

Buff Beaker

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When Between the Lions aired in 2000, I was 32. It was the only PBS show I could watch without feeling dumbed down.
I left Sesame Street way behind by that point.
The two men who made BTL so fresh and edgy were Christopher Cerf and Norman Stiles. Cerf wrote numerous songs for SS (tailor made for Little Chrissy and the Alphabeats) and Stiles was the head writer for the 70s version of the Electric Company. Neither wanted another dumbed down show like Barney.
I met Cerf in 2004 when they were proposing a new season of BTL concentrating on Spanish. Unfortunately the project was stalled when they ran out of money.
That's a great story. I have always wanted to meet them. I watched the show as a little kid and I absolutely loved it! I really hope Norman and Chris can make a comeback with the show.
 

fuzzygobo

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When I met them in 2004, it was a thrill. They also had Pam Arciero ( Grungetta on Sesame Street) and Tim LaGasse, who brought their lion puppets with them. They were understudies for Kathy Mullen and Peter Linz, who were performing in Avenue Q across town.
It was a symposium at the Museum of Television and Radio in New York. It was freezing cold, but for ten bucks, you could watch some highlights from BTL, there was a Q and A session, and afterwards, I got to hang out with the puppets . The puppeteers kept the lions on their arms and let kids come up and meet them.
Somewhere I got a picture of the lions with their arms around me. (Leona even gave me a kiss!) Best ten bucks I ever spent in New York.
 

Buff Beaker

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When I met them in 2004, it was a thrill. They also had Pam Arciero ( Grungetta on Sesame Street) and Tim LaGasse, who brought their lion puppets with them. They were understudies for Kathy Mullen and Peter Linz, who were performing in Avenue Q across town.
It was a symposium at the Museum of Television and Radio in New York. It was freezing cold, but for ten bucks, you could watch some highlights from BTL, there was a Q and A session, and afterwards, I got to hang out with the puppets . The puppeteers kept the lions on their arms and let kids come up and meet them.
Somewhere I got a picture of the lions with their arms around me. (Leona even gave me a kiss!) Best ten bucks I ever spent in New York.
Wow that is so cool fuzzygobo!
 

fuzzygobo

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I'll say this much. I've been fortunate enough to be close enough to New York, to meet my share of Muppets and their puppeteers. It never ceases to amaze me, just plain logic will tell you it's just a human with a lump of fleece on their arm.
But once the character starts talking...to YOU... you get drawn into their presence and you forget logic and want to interact with this creature, and believe they are as real as you are. It's as close to magic as you can come.

The closest experience for many people, if you go to a Disney park and see the characters. Logic tells you it's just a kid in a costume. But you are so convinced that is Mickey, you want an autograph, selfie and hug.
But there's even more magic with puppets.
 

Cookie3001

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I wish it would return, I miss Between the Lions
 
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