Sesame Street Double Features

[minor muppetz]

Yesterday I read at The Muppet Newsflash that there are going to be a collection of Sesame Street DVDs released today, called Sesame Street Double Features. According to that article the article was posted on January 6, and these come out today. I fidn it odd that there weren't any such announcements until only a few days before the release, but I guess that Genius is finally releasing some past Sesame Street DVDs.

The releases include: Learning About Numbers and Learn to Share, 123 Count with Me and Learning About Letters, Sing-Along and Fiesta, and Elmo's Musical Adventure and Sing Yourself Sily.

Some of these choices seem odd. I would have packaged Learning About Numbers with Learning About Letters. Or I would have packaged two alphabet videos together, and two number videos together.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Well I already own Learning about Numbers, Sing-Along and Sing Yourself Silly, which are all great, so I do think this sounds like a good idea. There are a few others I would have included, but maybe they'll do more at a later date.

Yeah it would make sense to put similar topics together. On the other hand, maybe they were going for variety.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Drtooth]

I don't know why they haven't done this sooner. I mean, I never wanted to get any of the SS DVD's, since it was only one VHS ported to a disk. No special bonus skits, no added segments, no special features, no combinations of other videos. Nothing.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Well one good thing about the SS DVDs is that VHSs do start to degrade after a few years. And I didn't have most of the VHSs anyway. They make most of these products for people who don't have much. Not the hard core fans who already have everything and always want more. A lot of kids are probably very grateful just to get these DVDs.

Before DVDs we were relatively content. Now with the concept of "bonus features" on DVDs, everyone wants more. Again, some less fortunate people are grateful just to have something.

 

[minor muppetz]

I was recently rereading The Mupet Newsflash post about these, and saw that they are actually two packs, not two videos on one disc like I had previously thought.

I wonder if the 25th and 35th anniversary specials will be packaged together.

 

[Drtooth]

Well one good thing about the SS DVDs is that VHSs do start to degrade after a few years. And I didn't have most of the VHSs anyway. They make most of these products for people who don't have much. Not the hard core fans who already have everything and always want more. A lot of kids are probably very grateful just to get these DVDs.

Before DVDs we were relatively content. Now with the concept of "bonus features" on DVDs, everyone wants more. Again, some less fortunate people are grateful just to have something.

Yeah, but it's disappointing they didn't combine 2 videos or more to begin with. I mean, it would clearly be a little more economical. Plus, if they added a few extra related skits on the disk, more of the SS collectors would have glommed onto them faster. Which makes me wonder...

Is the fact they only ported VHS to DVD:

• An economic thing. instead of having to create new wrap arounds, or add anything to the VHS programme's content?
• A rights/ residuals issue reguarding the skits that didn't seem like it was worth looking into to add more to the disks?
• Just easier to go around putting a VHS's content on a DVD without adding things, meaning they could port the entire catellogue?

Personally, I wanted to pick up some of the DVD's, but I really think the fact they were 10-12 dollars (thanks, Worst Buy) and only had a half hour's worth of footage on them didn't make them so appealing.

Though, I would say in the case of a parent using classic footage, these were pretty much the only thing that came out before they broke down and released the old school sets.

But still, a broadcast version of the 25th anniversary special would have been much nicer than porting the VHS version... I mean, they could have charged a little more.

Wait a tick:

I was recently rereading The Mupet Newsflash post about these, and saw that they are actually two packs, not two videos on one disc like I had previously thought.

I wonder if the 25th and 35th anniversary specials will be packaged together.

That's disappointing. I mean, technically, you could fit 6 VHS programs on one DVD, though due to cost reasons it's impossible. But the fact that they're just repacking Sony Wonder's DVD's (probably reissuing them anyway, with a new company bumper) is pretty disappointing. it's also pretty wasteful, if you think about it. I mean, materials wise.

 

[minor muppetz]

But still, a broadcast version of the 25th anniversary special would have been much nicer than porting the VHS version... I mean, they could have charged a little more.

Do you mean Sesame Street Jam: A Musical Celebration, the televised version of Sesame Street's 25th Birthday: A Musical Celebration, or do you mean Sesame Street's All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Streets Forever?

 

[Drtooth]

Do you mean Sesame Street Jam: A Musical Celebration, the televised version of Sesame Street's 25th Birthday: A Musical Celebration, or do you mean Sesame Street's All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Streets Forever?

Yeah. "Musical celebration". That's the one. I'm really disappointed they can't get those rights back. I mean, half the people in the Monster in the Mirror skit wouldn't ask for too much. Robin Williams, the estate of Ray Charles, and Fox (simpsons) might.

 

[minor muppetz]

Yeah. "Musical celebration". That's the one. I'm really disappointed they can't get those rights back. I mean, half the people in the Monster in the Mirror skit wouldn't ask for too much. Robin Williams, the estate of Ray Charles, and Fox (simpsons) might.

I think that Sesame Workshop still has the rights to have the celebrity version of that segment broadcast in current episodes. It just hasn't been shown since season 31 or 32. Just like how many classic segments haven't been in new episodes in years. If this was released on a commercial release, I wonder if Fox would allow for the Simpsons scenes to be included. I think the shows creators would want everything with the Simpsons to be released. I don't know if the owners of The Tracy Ullman Show have tried to negotiate the rights to the Simpsons shorts or not. And the celebrity version of Put Down the Duckie has been reelased on video (twice), with every celebrity included (though it would be easier to cut certain celebrities out of Put Down The Duckie than it would to cut certain celebrities out of Monster in the Mirror).

I'm sure that one reason why that segmnet hasn't been in any new epsiodes for so long is because many of the celebrities would be considered dated today (which might also be why Put Down the Duckie hasn't been in any new epsidoes since season 30, though when I saw that sketch in a season 30 episode, I had to leave the room before the first celebrity was shown, so I don't know whetehr that was the celebrity edit or not).