Sesame Street character decisions

[BEAR]

Hi I was over at the Palisades forum reading some stuff about the figure line ups and they kept using the word "teir" or something like that. What does this mean? Also, I am hearing things about a specific method to putting out these characters for the Sesame Street line. Something about how certain characters are classified into specific groups and they take one from each group to form the sets of four characters at a time. Am I right? Like they take a couple "fan favorites" and a couple main characters to form the right group. Can someone explain this method to me? Thanks. I am just very curious. Also it is nice to know so I can understand the strategy in order to put together my own potential line up of how the releases could go.

 

[BEAR]

Nobody has an answer? Surely, some of you would have some kind of thought on this for me.

 

[theprawncracker]

Sorry BEAR, I'm not really sure, but I'd say your theory about two main characters and two fan faves is correct.

 

[The Count]

Yes, and here I am.

Tear refered to as first or second tear characters, designates their importance in rank. For example... Main core characters would be first tear, fan favorites and well to relatively known obscures would be second tear, and vaguely remembered obscures would be third tear. Kind of the same thing as organizing characters into A-List, B-List, C-List and so on. Trust me, this was much easier to determine with the cast of actors on Saturday Night Live once their cast expanded in the 80's than it is with Sesame Street.

As for classification... You have "main core" as the ones everybody knows and the ones that have to be there to give the line the strength needed. Palisades usually labels these characters the "big guns" or "anchor" figures. Fan favorites are those who, though not ever-present, at least are well known enough to strike a cord of nostalgia with a good chunk of people. Not as much as the main cores, but a good chunk. Obscures basically covers everybody else, from those somewhat known to all the background characters that popped in and out from sketch to sketch.

As for lineup format... The formula used at first with the Muppets figures was to get two anchors, a fan-favorite, and an obscure to help balance out the line, give the line longevity, and to have something that'd appeal to a broad range of consumers. If the public picks up only the fan-favorite, then at least there's something that consumer picked. If it had been all anchors, then Palisades would've had to use a lot of variants come the latter series around 5 and after. Not sure if it'd be wise to use the same formula for formulating wishlists or lineups that Palisades themselves will implement. You know the anchors have to be there, it's just a matter of choosing wisely between the fan favorites and obscures, and seeing where it'd be best to go with which choices.
Hope this helps.

 

[BEAR]

Thanks, Count. You know I was waiting for you to help out with this query, right? It makes sense what you have said and I completely understand the purposes for this system. So I would assume that in S1's case, it would be Ernie and Oscar (the anchors), Guy Smiley (the fan fav) and Two-Headed (the obscure). That makes sense. Also, it was pretty smart to separate Ernie from Bert when designing the sets. Once you get Ernie, you pretty much have to wait and get Bert. I am trying to figure out where some of the other characters would fit amongst these groups.
If I posted a small list of characters, would you mind giving me your idea of how each would be grouped? I have my own thoughts, but second opinions are always better.

 

[MWoO]

The word tier means level basically. If a character is first tier, they are main characters, or level one. If a character is 2nd tier they are level 2 characters or secondary. It goes on like that. Ernie is obviously a 1st tier character while Guy is more like a 3rd tier or a fan fave.

In the muppet line Palisades did have a kind of method for mixing up main and lesser known characters. For example, in series 2 we get Gonzo and Fozzie (main characters) with Floyd (2nd tier) and Crazy Harry (3rd tier or fan fave). This way, the line can support more lesser known cahracters. This is done more for the collectors than for Palsiades. If Palsiades wanted more money they could do an all Elmo line and make a bundle, but they care about the consumer base so they mix it up to give the general public what they want (main characters they know) while giving the fans what they want (obscure characters they love).

 

[BEAR]

Here is a list of characters. This is not a list of every Sesame Muppet that ever existed. It is a list of all the basic characters we know. I have left out the Alphabeats and the Beetles and characters like that, but if you want to classify them you can too. For fun, how do you think they would be labeled based on the category groups we just discussed? And please be honest. I don't care how much you hate Elmo, he will probably be a major anchor. I will post my thoughts later. Thanks!

Alice (Snuffy's sister)
Baby Bear
Barkley
Mama Bear
Papa Bear
Benny Rabbit
Bert
Betty Lou
Biff
Big Bad Wolf
Big Bird
Bip Bipadotta (SS version of Manah Manah)
Bruno
Buster the Horse
Captain Vegetable
Clementine
Colambo
Cookie Monster
Curly Bear
Count Von Count
Countess
Davey & Joey Monkey
Dinger
Don Music
Elmo
Ernie
Granny Fanny
Farley
Fat Blue
Forgetful Jones
Frazzle
Gladys the Cow
Grover
Grungetta
Guy Smiley
Harvey Kneeslapper
Prof. Hastings
Herbert Birdsfoot
Herry Monster
Honkers
Hoots the Owl
Humphrey
Ingrid
Kingston Livingston III
Lefty the Salesman
Little Bird
Lulu
Meryl Sheep
Monty
Amazing Mumford
Baby Natasha
Prof. Nobel Price
Oinker Sisters
Oscar
Placido Flamingo
Polly Darton
Prairie Dawn
Roosevelt Franklin
Roosevelt's Mom
Rosita
Sam the Robot
Sherlock Hemlock
Sherry Netherland
Simon Soundman
Snuffy
Sonny Friendly
Stinky the Plant
Sully
Telly Monster
Two-Headed Monster
Wolfgang the Seal
Yip Yip Martians
Zoe

 

[BEAR]

Also...for characters that you just don't know what to do with or think they don't even make the list (and I am sure there are) just omit them or put a 0 by the name.

 

[The Count]

Here are some guesses, based on what I think and some of these are a bit generous.
Keep in mind I'm not the end-all source to determine the importance of the characters in terms of getting figures of them made. Palisades has had a habit of surprising us from time to time.

Alice, Snuffy's sister: 3, wherever that may be.
The Amazing Mumford: 3.
Baby Bear: 1.
Baby Natasha: 3 or 4, she's been gone for more than a decade past her prime spot on SS.
Barkley: Between 2 and 3.
Benny Rabbit: 3.
Bert: 1.
Betty Lou: Bottom 2 or Top 3.
Biff: Mid-2.
Big Bad Wolf: Between 2 to 3, cause there are many variants.
Big Bird: 1.
Bip Bipadotta: 3, and that's iffy.Bruno
Buster the Horse: 3, though it'd make sense to pack him with Forgetful Jones.
Captain Vegetable: 3 or even 4.
Clementine: 3.
Colambo: 3 or maybe 4.
Cookie Monster: 1.
The Count Von Count: 1.
The Countess, which of the two?
Curly Bear: 2.
Davey & Joey Monkey: 3, though they're two characters it'd be smart to keep 'em as a 2-pack.
Dinger: 2 or 3.
Don Music: 2 or high 3 at the most.
Dr. Nobel Price: 3 or 4.
Elmo: 1.
Ernie: 1.
Farley: 3, maybe a spot if Palisades includes a kid Muppet in each series.
Forgetful Jones: 3.
Frazzle: 3.
Gladys the Cow: 2, but she'll probably get made to honor Tink's win in the Pack-In Contest.
Granny Fanny Nesselrode: 3 or 4.
Grover: 1.
Grungetta: 2 or 3.
Guy Smiley: 2 or 3.
Harvey Kneeslapper: 3 at the most.
Herbert Birdsfoot: 4.
Herry Monster: 2.
Honkers: 2 or 3.
Hoots the Owl: 3.
Humphrey: 3 or 4.
Ingrid: 3 or 4.
Kingston Livingston III: 3.
Lefty the Salesman: 3.
Little Bird: 2 or 3.
Lulu, which one?
Mama Bear: 2.
The Martians, Johnny and Stevie: 2 or 3, should remain a 2-pack though.
Meryl Sheep: 3.
Monty: 3 or 4.
Mr. Johnson: 2 or 3.
Oinker Sisters: 4.
Oscar The Grouch: 1.
Papa Bear: 2 or 3.
Placido Flamingo: 3.
Polly Darton: 3, though I'd love to see her get made.
Professor Hastings: 4.
Prairie Dawn: 2.
Roosevelt Franklin: 3, but that's cause of my age.
Roosevelt's Mom: 3 or 4.
Rosita: 1.
Sam the Robot: 3 or even 4, but this is the one I'd like to see most of all.
Sherlock Hemlock: 2 or 3.
Sherry Netherland: 4.
Simon the Sounds Man: 3.
Snuffy: 1.
Sonny Friendly: 3.
Stinky the Plant: 2.
Sully: 3.
Telly Monster: 1.
Two-Headed Monster: 2.
Wolfgang the Seal: 3 or 4.
Zoe: 1.

 

[The Count]

Now you know what I meant by it being a bit more difficult to grade/classify SS characters than it is with the Muppets.