Major Changes in store for Sesame Street Season 46

[Oscarfan]

ToughPigs gives us a tour of the new set:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=464&v=MJJUULFn0k4

 

[D'Snowth]

Good thing the internet has come a long way - we never got a tour or any kind of prelude to the new set for Season 33. Then again, the new set in 2002 was much more subtle and more of a freshening up compared to this new set, which is clearly a big deal - a really big deal.

And the bridge being created by combining the design of three different bridges explains how it was difficult to try and identify it.

 

[Drtooth]

If they really want to be modern, then they should tear down Hooper's and replace it with a Duane Reade. And I'm half serious, btw. I mean, the point of the show when it began was to depict city life in a somewhat grounded fashion (while still keeping it friendly). That all goes out the window every time they bring in an Elmo's World or Abby's Flying School.

While I see your point, I have to say that the grounded element was already out the window when they started the "around the corner" era. That was the start of the weird focus on fairy tale characters randomly stopping by. I mean, don't get me wrong, the Furry Arms hotel was cute, and it was great to have Ruth Buzzi as a cast member, but overall that's when the show went from real inner city street with some small fantastic elements to "crazy imaginary place where anything can happen and often does." And yes, that was indeed to keep relevant when SS's focus was being challenged by that public access looking guy in a foam rubber suit was defiling the good name of Tyrannosaurs Rex. And that people were leaving and passing on as well. It's a real shame since that's when Sesame was able to "find itself" in the 90's. Things are actually a little more grounded now. Not by much.

But I do agree that the reality of the show has left. It's just that it hasn't really been there for well over 20 years. It's hard to believe this is a real street when the Three Blind Mice stop by, jumping all over the walls so Alan can tell them about breathing exercises.

Isn't spy technology more about wacky gadgets disguised as ordinary objects, not about technology that can do amazing things?

It's such a shame tech has come so far as to render any of that kind of joke telling obsolete. The entire genre of spy parody just lost its funniest (if overused) gag.

 

[antsamthompson9]

This is the funniest Ryan's ever been with Elmo:

,

 

[Oscarfan]

Welp. They finished shooting yesterday. I wonder if they'll be starting new episodes in September as usual; seems like the turn-around would have to be faster than usual, especially if there's CGI needed in some episodes (as there sometimes is).

 

[D'Snowth]

Even more goodies involving the new set, here's a slideshow of photos of the new changes as they were being made, including conceptual artwork for Big Bird's new tree, and the retro redesign of Hooper's.

http://livedesignonline.com/theatre/sesame-street-sports-new-set

The slideshow gives up in a couple of places, so make sure to click the thumbnails.

 

[Oscarfan]

New article about the set changes:

http://digiday.com/publishers/m-makeover-sesame-street-gets-new-look/

But, here's an interesting quote from it:

The cast of Muppets, which has mushroomed over the decades, will be pared down to focus on a core six: Elmo, Cookie Monster, Abby Cadabby, Grover, Big Bird and Oscar. The others will still be on the show, but the core cast will be the daily focus.

So, will they be the focus of every story? Or will they just be in every story? Seems cryptic, but not negative. We know the others are going to appear, what with them bothering to recast a bunch of them and all. Daily doses of Oscar, Grover, Cookie and Big Bird sounds good though.

 

[dwayne1115]

I thought the writers had a hard time writing for Big Bird? Maybe they just needed to step away from him for a little bit, to help re gain focus. All in all I have a feeling this is going to be an awesome season of Sesame Street!

 

[Drtooth]

So, will they be the focus of every story? Or will they just be in every story? Seems cryptic, but not negative. We know the others are going to appear, what with them bothering to recast a bunch of them and all. Daily doses of Oscar, Grover, Cookie and Big Bird sounds good though.

As something I was complaining about a lot lately, I was getting annoyed that these characters were getting pushed aside for public domain story characters. Hopefully this means they'll have their own problems they need to solve and not pass the buck to fairy tales. Though, at the risk of being slightly negative, I wish they expanded it to 10 or 11 core characters counting Ernie, Bert, Count, Zoe (if she's recast), and Snuffy. Sounds also like Telly's falling out of favor for some reason. So make that 13 to include him and Baby Bear.

But if this does indeed mean more Big Bird, Oscar, Cookie, and Grover stories, I'm all for it.

 

[sesamemuppetfan]

Not only are we losing Fran this upcoming season, but it looks like Sonia is going bye-bye as well.

Don't believe me? https://twitter.com/amlibraries/status/615598035867844608

I wonder what show's gonna be like without Maria...