Does anyone actually like "A Special Sesame Street Christmas?"

Drtooth

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I hate to actually riff on a classic project, mainly since there are so many newer projects that just scream "riff on me please!"... but I saw this one last year (it's still on Youtube if anyone's interested) and I have to say, it was basically just an excuse to have random celebrities come in and sing non-Christmassy songs.... I think the best part is that it was the only time I know of that Michael Jackson worked with the Muppets... too bad he's the only celebrity that didn't break out into a random song.

That's not to say there wasn't some good moments between the human cast... and some good stuff with Oscar and Big Bird, but the whole thing was just dreary. Even that Elmo's Christmas Countdown was marginally better (marginally, because... well... okay, very marginally at least it had the other Muppets in it).

It's no wonder why the far superior Christmas Eve on Sesame Street completely overshadowed this forgettable project.
 

StreetScenes

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awww, it's not ALL bad...it has its moments

agreed--too many celebrities for no apparent reason, a problem that has plagued other SS plots... i have to side with Oscar on this one: "Wanna know what drives me bananas about the holiday season? It's all the unexpected company!" but i love the first scene where it's all SS characters and Leslie Uggams singing about their strange gifts!

i have 2 other problems with it: 1) in the end oscar is way out of character. it would have been better if they'd showed his big heart and still embraced his grouchiness--that's the whole charm of oscar in every scene, christmas or not.

2) they took a beautiful song, Just One Person, and put it into a completely inappropriate context--the plot doesn't have anything to do with oscar lacking confidence in himself. the times they used the song in TMS and in the tribute to jim it made much more sense, but in this plot it seems fake.

That said, take the song out of context, and it's the other highlight of the show. Bob & Leslie sang together for years on Sing Along with Mitch, so it's nice to see them together again.
 

Telly

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That's all I can stands! I can't stands no more! I only made it half way through the second part. :frown:
 

Drtooth

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agreed--too many celebrities for no apparent reason, a problem that has plagued other SS plots... i have to side with Oscar on this one: "Wanna know what drives me bananas about the holiday season? It's all the unexpected company!" but i love the first scene where it's all SS characters and Leslie Uggams singing about their strange gifts!
To me, the 2 best Muppet Christmas specials are A Muppet Family Christmas and Christmas Eve on Sesame Street... I mean, the Muppets always hang around with celebrities and such, so we really get to see close, intimate moments with the gang... That's what I think the special lacks. It really seems a product of the time, a 1970's Variety type special (sort of like the Star Wars one, but even this special was watching to Godfather compared to that). of course, had they done the same exact sort of thing with the Muppet show characters in the context of the Muppet show it would really work.

I can't say the special is bad, just... well, it hardly seems like Sesame Street. it seems like they're the guest stars in their own special (plus it wouldn't have killed them to sing Christmas songs :big_grin: )
 

StreetScenes

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it hardly seems like Sesame Street.
well, it hardly was. look at the credits--who are all those people? it was for CBS & they used their studio guys for writing, production, directing, music, etc. waaaay down at the bottom they list dave connell and ron weaver as ctw production consultants, but that & the actors seem to be the only ctw involvement. so of course it doesn't feel like sesame street--neither did elmo's christmas countdown, or julie on sesame street, for the same reasons.

now that i think about it, i wonder if i mightn't place this & the above mentioned in the same category as cookie on colbert or elmo on the frugal gourmet...more outside tv appearances by muppets-as-actors/promoters than actually part of their lives on sesame street (see my post on the "is sesame street a real street thread" for more detail than you'd ever want about my view of muppets as actors or not...)
 

CensoredAlso

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I think it's more childish and over the top than other classic Sesame Street projects. But as usual, the Muppets involved manage to shine above it all. :smile:
 

Ilikemuppets

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Yeah, I agree that the network was running things and thought that they knew best.

I think the best part is that it was the only time I know of that Michael Jackson worked with the Muppets... too bad he's the only celebrity that didn't break out into a random song.
Yeah, he just giggled at Oscars joke. Plus, I don't know if they wanted to pay him to sing or not...:confused:
 

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One thing that bugs me slightly, lol. I am a spiritual person and all but it was annoying how everyone kept demanding that Oscar be happy about the holidays. I mean sheesh, if he wants to grouch, let the Grouch grouch! :grouchy: :wink:
 

Drtooth

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Yeah, he just giggled at Oscars joke. Plus, I don't know if they wanted to pay him to sing or not...:confused:
I bet he would have charged a lot. I mean, even before Thriller (I think that's his best work) and just after the Jackson 5 days he probably charged a pretty penny. Plus then they would have had to get the record label he was signed to to co-operate as well.

One thing that bugs me slightly, lol. I am a spiritual person and all but it was annoying how everyone kept demanding that Oscar be happy about the holidays. I mean sheesh, if he wants to grouch, let the Grouch grouch!
One of the reasons I think that Christmas Eve was superior, we really saw Oscar's character shine through. I mean, he was the one that teased and tormented Big Bird till he went on the roof... but to see him realize that Big Bird was missing, and because it was his fault... we can tell he really cares about everyone deep down. Special Christmas was basically "Oh yeah, Oscar does have a small soft spot... and now Ethel Merman!"

Personally, it is my least favorite SS Christmas special... someone's gonna hate me, but I liked the 3 Elmo specials better than them... Of course, Elmo Saves Christmas is my second favorite, but it's a distant second. Like if they ran a 3 mile marathon, Christmas Eve would have finished the race a full mile and a half before Elmo.

Which brings up the question... why do they call it Elmo Saves Christmas? he's the one that ruined it in the first place. I mean, Inspector Gadget Saved Christmas, Billy and Mandy saved Christmas... I think the title "Elmo's Christmas Wish" would have been more appropriate.

And in case you wanna know, I give the Elmo's World "Happy Holidays" credit... they said "Happy Holidays" and actually had more than Christmas. I mean, I think they should have went further into Kwanzaa and they only mentioned Ramadan in passing... not to mention the fact they actually got into the spiritual meaning of Christmas... and nowadays that takes guts.

Of course, I have yet to see the Christmas Carol one... it's basically just a clip show, but the Oscar the Grouch connections have got to be funny....
 

StreetScenes

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One of the reasons I think that Christmas Eve was superior, we really saw Oscar's character shine through. I mean, he was the one that teased and tormented Big Bird till he went on the roof... but to see him realize that Big Bird was missing, and because it was his fault... we can tell he really cares about everyone deep down.
oh, i agree--and his lines at the very end are perfect--when he says he heard the turkey's back, and grudgingly grumbles that he's glad, and then stirs up trouble again by asking about the easter bunny. not only do we see that he cares, we see that he's just uncomfortable expressing it in the same way the sappy sentimental characters that live around him do. he expresses care through grouchiness because that's how he is.

christmas eve is brilliantly written & performed because it's not just oscar's character that shines--so do big bird, cookie, mr. hooper, bob, bert & ernie, and kermit (his ss role, anyway). if you had to summarize the quintessential nature of each of those characters in a few minutes, you could do it by showing their parts in this special.

i liked elmo saves christmas, too--cute plot, nice message, great character development of elmo, and i love charles durning. i still like christmas eve better, though, because it had many characters with great roles, and all the songs are so memorable.

back to a special sesame street christmas, the other thing i noticed is that the writing isn't great. like in the first scene big bird actually comes out and says numerous times that he doesn't want to let anyone down and that he's sad because he did. as a performer, caroll has portrayed that many times without actually having big bird say it, and the regular ss writers are good enough to get that kind of message across even better through actions and more believable dialogue.
 
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