Scooby Doo and Sesame Street

[muppet maniac]

I've been observing some similarities between those two shows, and here's what I've noticed:

*Around the mid 60s Fred Silverman(CBS chairman) wanted a cartoon that would be fit for kids, unlike most of what was on at that time. Same thing Joan Ganz Cooney and the CTW people were doing with bringing SS to fruitition.

*Both shows premiered in the same year(1969 of course)

*Scooby Doo and Cookie Monster both have pretty big appetites. When being offered those "snacks", Scooby would go "yeah-yeah-yeah". Cookie did the same thing as well when wanting cookies.

*Shaggy would eat ANY food combinations, just like Oscar the Grouch does(ie: gravy covered bananas with ice cubes, sardine sandwiches, etc). I remember in one episode of "What's New Scooby Doo", the gang were at a baseball stadium, and some girl he just met offers him a sandwich with (I don't know what was on there, but it was definetely something Oscar would like!)....he takes a good look at it and goes "I think I'm in love!" and Velma's like "I think I'm going to be sick!"

*Daphne and Big Bird have "matured" over the years.

*They didn't show Daphne's family until years ater, same with Oscar's species. Seems that he was the only "Grouch" back then, although he mentioned a friend of his in episode #54, who was also a grouch, and in #131(second season premiere), his grandmother came to visit. "Grouch" didnt even officially become its own species until...I believe around the eighties(could be wrong though)

*There has been a running gag of Velma tripping over and losing her glasses; in previous episodes, Big Bird used to crash into things(and I remember a couple of times when he bumped his neck into the doorpost of his nest area)

*Malt Shop/ Hooper's Store

*Scooby "clones" eventually came along(Josie and the Pussycats, Funky Phantom, Speed Buggy, etc); SS had The Electric Company

*Most fans agree that Elmo "killed" Sesame Street; Scooby fans say the same thing about his nephew(and they were annoying characters, they thought)

*A lot of "adult themed" rumors have been made for both shows

*Freddy and Bert are a lot like each other. At least that's what I think because they seem to be straight characters

*Both Scooby Doo and Sesame Street had vampires

*Same with "monsters"

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

That's a good anology. Though, I have to say that Fred has matured in recent years. He's still kind of a 'straight man,' but he seems to be more fun loving and a bit goofy at times, rather than being always serious like in the earlier eps. I guess you could say the same for Bert. He was kind of grumpy early on, but over the years we saw more of his personality. Anyway, I agree with most of that.

I guess we'll have to wait for an episode where a character says, "I would have gotten away with it if it weren't for you meddling Muppets."

 

[Giar Fraggle]

Well...I think some of those points are pretty common for popular children's shows ("clones", nasty rumors, running gags, and hang-out spots to name a few).

By the way, Electric Company wasn't a "clone" of Sesame Street. It was geared toward the next oldest age group and was produced to augument SS. In fact, SS characters made several appearances on the show.

 

[Drtooth]

*Scooby "clones" eventually came along(Josie and the Pussycats, Funky Phantom, Speed Buggy, etc); SS had The Electric Company

I wouldn't count Electric company as a "clone," so much as a similar idea put to a different curriculum (sp?). But SS did have clones, unlike Scooby, they were from different companies.

There were good clones, Like Between the Lions, which employs many former SS talents, and sometimes has an occasional crossover. Bert, Ernie, Elmo (ironically not speaking) and Big Bird have cameoed in the show, Marty Robinson served as a guest puppeteer.

Then of course, came terribly bad ones... in the 70's (New Zoo Revue) and today (Pretty much anything like WImzie's House or Barney).

Then there is one slight sort of similarity/sort of difference.

Scooby-Doo and SS have been on TV almost ev ery year since their debuts.

The difference is, Scooby took breaks from time to time, and changed the format a few times (Shaggy and Scooby get a Clue is a prime example of changing EVERYTHING). SS only Changed the format a little recently, but has never been off the air in new episodes since 69.

Then here's another odd similarity. ELmo and Scooby were both very popular in the 90's.

 

[muppet maniac]

By the way, Electric Company wasn't a "clone" of Sesame Street. It was geared toward the next oldest age group and was produced to augument SS. In fact, SS characters made several appearances on the show.

I thought it was, because of the Oscar-esque old guy(his name was J. Arthur Crank, right?), and they also had a Count Dracula on the show, who is unlike the other one we all know(I know that TEC doesn't teach numbers/counting like SS does)

And if you count international versions of SS as "clones", that'd work too.

That's a good anology. Though, I have to say that Fred has matured in recent years. He's still kind of a 'straight man,' but he seems to be more fun loving and a bit goofy at times, rather than being always serious like in the earlier eps. I guess you could say the same for Bert. He was kind of grumpy early on, but over the years we saw more of his personality. Anyway, I agree with most of that.

I guess we'll have to wait for an episode where a character says, "I would have gotten away with it if it weren't for you meddling Muppets."

Also noticed that Daphne and Oscar don't really get as much popularity as ...say, Shaggy/Scooby or Cookie/Grover on several fan forums, including this one. We like them yes, but everytime I seee threads for "Favorite Sesame Street Muppets", almost all replies say someone like Cookie, Grover, Ernie...mostly Jim and Frank characters. There were also responses for Oscar and Big Bird, but not as much as those other guys. And I keep hearing people saying that "Velma is more attractive than Daphne". I don't see why.

Then here's another odd similarity. ELmo and Scooby were both very popular in the 90's.

...and let's not forget the "toy crazes"

Some more observations:

-Shaggy has a "duck toy" in the episode where they're in Hong Kong. Ernie and Oscar both have their own "duckies"(in one sketch Oscar gave his to Ernie when his old one went missing):

http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Image:048.JPG.jpg

 

[BEAR]

And I keep hearing people saying that "Velma is more attractive than Daphne". I don't see why.

Well, I'll tell you one thing...Velma in the movie was smokin'! She was much more attractive than Sarah Michelle Gellar as Daphne in my honest opinion.

 

[Drtooth]

Well, I'll tell you one thing...Velma in the movie was smokin'! She was much more attractive than Sarah Michelle Gellar as Daphne in my honest opinion.

I'm glad someone else thinks that. I don't want to be crazy, saying that dorky girls that dress up like cartoon characters are hot. Then again, I thought Rene Russo was HOT as Natasha Fatale.

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

Boy if I weren't a Scooby-Doo fan, I'd complain that we were getting way off the topic of "Sesame Street." Lol.

I have to agree Linda Cardellini is very attractive. Maybe even more so than Sarah Michelle Gellar. I especially liked her on "Boy Meets World." I agree with you on that one, Bear.