Sesame Street Season 45 Episode 4502 - Bert's Training Wheels

[D'Snowth]

My PBS is a day late with the new season, this episode aired today.

I don't have much to say, but...

1. It's nice to be able to see SST in the afternoon again.
2. This Billy guy performing Ernie isn't really half bad... Ernie sounds a little more like Link Hogthrob at times, but other than that.
3. Bert just doesn't strike me as the kind of character who would still be riding with training wheels.

And finally... I hate to say it, but I'm just boycotting SST altogether now. Call me a fuddy-duddy, but seriously, the use of CGI and chromakey is too much now. It's bad enough that they have to film inserts with the Muppets and guests in front of a green screen, but it's like it's taking over the entire show at this point, and it just cheapens the look of the show tremendously, and it's just plain laziness.

And I disagree with the "film look" of the show... it doesn't look like film at all - film has a much better look that this; this looks like it was shot with a digital camera.

 

[JonnyBMuppetMan]

Call me a fuddy-duddy, but seriously, the use of CGI and chromakey is too much now. It's bad enough that they have to film inserts with the Muppets and guests in front of a green screen, but it's like it's taking over the entire show at this point, and it just cheapens the look of the show tremendously, and it's just plain laziness.

I generally like when they use chromakey in doing the full-body puppetry, which is effective when it's done really well. But in this case, yeah I kind of agree with you. I personally thought the CGI park in this episode looked out of place, especially when transitioning to and from the actual set. Also, didn't Bert look a little too big when he was bicycling at the end?

 

[Oscarfan]

I generally like when they use chromakey in doing the full-body puppetry, which is effective when it's done really well. But in this case, yeah I kind of agree with you. I personally thought the CGI park in this episode looked out of place, especially when transitioning to and from the actual set. Also, didn't Bert look a little too big when he was bicycling at the end?

I certainly found it unnecessary. If SW wants go keep production costs down, they sure ain't doing a good job at it doing things like this.

And I agree; they didn't size down Bert at the end. Foolish editors.

 

[Drtooth]

And I disagree with the "film look" of the show... it doesn't look like film at all - film has a much better look that this; this looks like it was shot with a digital camera.

"Film" as in there is no other wording I can use to describe the weird flickeriness and graininess of the picture quality caused by digital video editing software.

Here's something I just realized. Don't know why. When Ernie was in a clown costume, he had a yellow nose. While clowns traditionally have a red nose, well... so doesn't Ernie. I guess a color other than red was the only way to convey he's wearing a fake nose.

I certainly found it unnecessary. If SW wants go keep production costs down, they sure ain't doing a good job at it doing things like this.

And I agree; they didn't size down Bert at the end. Foolish editors.

The second complaint and the first complaint he mentioned screams inconsistency. I don't see why they bothered to put that much artificial digital trickery (which only works in self contained bits like ETM and Crummy Pictures) only to be so lazy with Bert's cycle riding at the end. While the CGI backdrop may be debatable, there's no doubt a large, flat looking Bert sliding through Sesame Street was jarring and unrealistic. How can we have such a cheap effect this day and age? Especially since the ability to go back and check on the effects has never been simpler?

 

[JonnyBMuppetMan]

I certainly found it unnecessary. If SW wants go keep production costs down, they sure ain't doing a good job at it doing things like this.

And I agree; they didn't size down Bert at the end. Foolish editors.

That comment actually made me laugh. Sarcasm wins again

Still, I wasn't trying to say anything derogatory towards the people behind the scenes. I know computer effects are just another step in the process of presenting the characters as real beings, and I don't mind it that much. I just thought it looked off in this case.

 

[Oscarfan]

That comment actually made me laugh. Sarcasm wins again

Still, I wasn't trying to say anything derogatory towards the people behind the scenes. I know computer effects are just another step in the process of presenting the characters as real beings, and I don't mind it that much. I just thought it looked off in this case.

I'm not knocking them either, but:

That does look like something they could've fixed easily. (Sorry for the blurriness)

 

[SpinneyBigBird1]

The transition to and from the CGI background to the real set was particularly distracting. If they wanted to add a backdrop to that part of the set (which I don't disagree with, because the layout of the street doesn't really resemble the layout of an actual street without something there) I don't understand why they couldn't use actual video of a real street on the green screen, or at least video of real, physical buildings of any kind. The fact that it's CGI just kills it. I honestly wouldn't mind them using the green screen if it wasn't CGI. It probably would be cheaper, too, seeing as they wouldn't have had to create the images themselves.

 

[Rugratskid]

Where did that screenshot come from? I'd love to have some Season 45 episodes; I doubt iTunes version will be available ANYTIME soon.

 

[Oscarfan]

Where did that screenshot come from? I'd love to have some Season 45 episodes; I doubt iTunes version will be available ANYTIME soon.

My school has a TV streaming service (with a DVR), so I screenshotted it from there.

 

[Drtooth]

The transition to and from the CGI background to the real set was particularly distracting. If they wanted to add a backdrop to that part of the set (which I don't disagree with, because the layout of the street doesn't really resemble the layout of an actual street without something there) I don't understand why they couldn't use actual video of a real street on the green screen, or at least video of real, physical buildings of any kind. The fact that it's CGI just kills it. I honestly wouldn't mind them using the green screen if it wasn't CGI. It probably would be cheaper, too, seeing as they wouldn't have had to create the images themselves.

I don't mind the CGI backdrops for things like Cookie's Crumby Pictures or Super Grover 2.0. Those little fantasy segments of the show that keep to themselves. It just doesn't work for a street story. It made the whole thing look so artificial. Though on the other hand, it makes Sesame look like a big, roaring, busy street... something only seen in FTB. To say the least, I'm mixed, but whatever happened to that big subway in the background blocking the view of the outside?