Little things we've noticed

[DatH]

Noticed in the top left Bert is pigeon watching. The Two Headed Monster also is seen in the window to the right

 

[minor muppetz]

Season 30 is the first to reduce the number of episodes each season from 130 to 65. Seems with the addition of Elmo’s World, they were unable to repeat street stories, though I think they could have still down that in seasons 30 and 31, just have fewer inserts between some of the street scenes.

But now I wonder if them not repeating street scenes from seasons 28 and 29 had more to do with the elimination of Around the Corner and most of the cast associated with that location (as well as replacing Mr. Handford with Alan). Even though season 30 did run some old inserts that take place around the corner and episodes from season 29 were rerun at some points in 1999 (they just didn’t change the episode numbers or replace the opening/closing, though they did replace some inserts).

After all, season 4 and 5 street scenes with Hal Miller as Gordon were not shown in seasons 6 and 7, season 13 and 14 scenes with Mr. Hooper were not repeated in seasons 15 and 16, and season 15 and 16 street scenes concerning Snuffy’s “imaginary” status were not repeated in seasons 17 and 18. Now showing around the corner scenes in seasons 30 and 31 might not be that big a deal, but I guess it’s possible. Aside from Olivia (and anyone let go in season 46), how many cast members were in street stories that got repeated two seasons after they departed?

 

[LittleJerry92]

I mean it kind of goes without saying with the major set and cast changes. Plus they would still have to squeeze in Elmo’s World at the end and all episodes had full 58 minutes to them.

 

[minor muppetz]

Another thing I started thinking last night for seasons 30 and 31: If they cut down on episodes because they just couldn't repeat street stories and squeeze in Elmo's World, I wonder how it would go over if they did episodes that were just insert segments, maybe with a couple of original street scenes just to open and close the episodes, maybe do those episodes once a week. I don't know if there was an average number of episodes each season that repeat street stories, but if they did the inserts-and-Elmo's-World-only episodes to fill 130 episodes, that would be about 65 episodes of just inserts and no street scenes.

Of course with season 30 being a big anniversary season, it would have been cool if they'd have half the season be more "repeats from past seasons", showing older street stories from the first 29 seasons, some of the more important scenes from the past, many of the earlier ones don't really have much plot focus so they could easily just leave out some street scenes (if the inserts between scenes weren't just shortened) and put in Elmo's World. And I'm thinking include old street stories from whenever and put in different inserts, as opposed to just shortening a full episode and attaching Elmo's World after that. I figure if they did they'd probably just include inserts that were still in circulation (so most likely no Roosevelt Franklin, Don Music, Baker films, Monsterpiece Theater with Alistair Cookie's pipe, Mad Painter, etc.).

Reminds me of an idea I thought up recently that would have been cool for season 30 (I know, too late), a commemorative collection of VHS tapes with each video spotlighting the best (and perhaps some rarities) from each season, like what Saturday Night Live has done, or maybe a collection of full episodes from the past (mainly best known, but maybe some less-celebrated ones as well). If a VHS collection were to spotlight each season, I wonder if they'd only include segments that were still allowed to be on the show (I would put in some street scenes from each season, those wouldn't have been on the show at the time).

 

[Oscarfan]

Another thing I started thinking last night for seasons 30 and 31: If they cut down on episodes because they just couldn't repeat street stories and squeeze in Elmo's World, I wonder how it would go over if they did episodes that were just insert segments, maybe with a couple of original street scenes just to open and close the episodes, maybe do those episodes once a week. I don't know if there was an average number of episodes each season that repeat street stories, but if they did the inserts-and-Elmo's-World-only episodes to fill 130 episodes, that would be about 65 episodes of just inserts and no street scenes.

I assumed they cut down on episodes because they had to make all those EW segments, not because they couldn't fall back on repeating old street scenes.

 

[LittleJerry92]

Frankly I would have been fine with Elmo’s World just being its own series, be it for TV or for video.

I just don’t think there was any reason to have to insert it into the last 30 minutes for the next couple seasons other than to cut back on using segments and street scenes. I understand competing against stuff like Blue’s Clues, but again, it taking over the remainder of the episode just felt unnecessary.

 

[minor muppetz]

I can’t remember if I thought it was Don Music’s back-up singers from “No Best Part” who resembled the Alphabeats (just with different clothing and without Little Chrissy) or two of the back-up singers from the song “One Way”. But in both cases, they are joined by a fat blue Anything Muppet who also looks the same in both (only all three are dressed differently in both).

Album releases incorrectly credit “One Way” to Chris and the Alphabeats (well, besides Christopher Cerf singing it, two of the singers do resemble the Alphabeats). I’ve been wondering if it would have been great if it was actually Little Chrissy who sang it (I’ve also been wondering if I would have liked it if Little Jerry and the Monotones did the song).

In “One Way”, there is something odd about the green singers mouth movement. Not sure if the puppet was just close to needing repaired or what. And let’s just say they are the Alphabeats for a moment…. In this one, the green member gets dialogue while the lavender one only sings with the Others, while in most Little Chrissy and the Alphabeats songs (okay, three, I guess), it’s the other way around.

“One Way” is a song that I wish the wiki had call sheet information on. But I’d like to make a guess and say that the greaser was performed by Frank Oz, the lavender guy and the girlfriend by either Jim or somebody who wasn’t on the show much (maybe Peter Friedman), and that the cop was either Jim or Richard.

 

[Oscarfan]

“One Way” is a song that I wish the wiki had call sheet information on. But I’d like to make a guess and say that the greaser was performed by Frank Oz, the lavender guy and the girlfriend by either Jim or somebody who wasn’t on the show much (maybe Peter Friedman), and that the cop was either Jim or Richard.

I'm pretty sure Frank is the lead, Jim, Richard, and Jerry are his pals, and Jim's the officer. Frank looks like he's doing both the greaser and his gal at the end.

 

[D'Snowth]

Okay, I know I was battling depression in 2004, but I guess it really affected me more than I remember, because I literally don't remember this whatsoever:

Madlenka

Madlenka is the title character in a series of children's books by Peter Sis, which began with the eponymous Madlenka in 2000. A small girl living in an ethnically diverse neighborhood (based on New York City), Madlenka learns about her neighbors' cultures and personal histories. In Season 35 of...

muppet.fandom.com

I know I watched Season 35 when it first aired, and of course, a number of the reruns afterwards, but I have absolutely no memory of this segment whatsoever . . . seriously, I was just reading the Season 35 wiki page, and when I came across the blurb about Madlenka and how it alternated with Global Thingy, I honestly was like, "Huh? What?"

 

[CoolGuy1013]

Yeah, I barely remember season 35 as well. My dad said I watched it as a kid, but I only remember seeing 36 onward (plus 30-33 on Sprout). I, too, have an excuse (I wasn’t born until after the season ended).