The Problems with Modern Sesame Street

[WazzupMyBoyz]

Looking back on the first 29 seasons of Sesame Street (which I dub "the classic era"), everything on the show seemed fine, fair and square, with memorable moments such as Big Bird learning about Mr. Hooper's death, Snuffleupagus being truly revealed to the street's residents and the introductions of Gabriela and Miles, both of which would become kid stars on Sesame. That was until just one season later, that things took an unexpected turn. That began the dreaded "modern era" of the Street.

Post anything, positive or negative, about the modern era, and its problems.

 

[ACvillagerFan]

I think however one defines as "modern Sesame" is purely subjective at this point. I would argue that Seasons 30-32 still falls under the "classic" era, since that does still have the magazine format. Some may even consider the transitional era where Monster Clubhouse and Journey to Ernie was brought onto the show to be classic Sesame, especially those who grew up with that era.

Some view modern Sesame as anything from after Season 39, as that was not only when the show transitioned to HD, but it's also the starting point of Max's offerings of "modern" episodes. But I think most of the Muppet collective, including myself, views modern Sesame as the half hour format that began in Season 46. Both because of the reduction of time, and the fact that the set design radically changed from it's previous set to how it is today. It is also what shaped up the current format, and the primary cast that is still on today.

 

[WazzupMyBoyz]

I would argue that Seasons 30-32 still falls under the "classic" era, since that does still have the magazine format.

I call season 30 the start of the modern era because of the following:

• Around the Corner was dismantled, and the characters of Celina, Carlo, Mr. Handford and Lexine had all left the show after the season 29 finale. However, Ruthie and Tarah would continue to appear until season 32. In my POV, Around the Corner was considered a landmark of the classic era.

• I know seasons 30, 31 and 32 still carried the magazine-style format, but the introductions of Elmo's World, Monsters in Day Care, Ernie's Show and Tell and Sesame Street Goes to Day Care, in addition to Muppets introducing the various segments on the show, helped revise the format.

• Many songs introduced during Sesame's peak were re-used throughout season 30, such as Sing, The People in Your Neighborhood, and C is for Cookie. That practice shouldn't have happened.

 

[Muppet Master]

I feel like everyone's personal "classic era" ends when they stopped watching the show as a kid. That goes for me too because I stopped watching right before Abby's appearance. In my opinion, season 36 was the end of great Sesame. But, I'd still prefer seasons 37-45 over the HBO ones.

 

[WazzupMyBoyz]

And, as another quick reminder, starting in season 27, when the sponsors were to be said, they played the opening music from the first season. Why did they want to do that?

 

[TheRealFraggle]

I'll tell you the one problem with modern Sesame Street.

ELMO

 

[LittleJerry92]

Yeah, honestly, I really think the “classic” term just needs to be retired at this point, cause all I feel like it’s doing is just putting like the first 21/23 seasons on a pedestal and the rest on another. At this point every season that debuted in the 2000s will soon be either at the legal voting age or legal drinking age or have reached that point already.

That being said, I really don’t think there are any “problems” with the modern day seasons, regardless if they aren’t my cup of tea personally. The show knows how to keep up with the times and what kids are into during each passing year and decade, and it’s been like that since the very start. A good example alone would be the 80s era commonly spoofing on MTV music videos (the two How Now Brown songs, “NTV” with Nick Normal and the Nickmatics performing “The Letter N,” “A New Way to Walk” by the Oinker Sisters etc).

I’d say all of this honestly just comes down to people realizing the fact that look…. The show is now past their time and it isn’t what it once was during their time…. And that’s perfectly fine in the end. People are entitled to what they think. That said, I also think it’s a bit ridiculous when it comes to situations where (again) they also hold the show to a rather ridiculous pedestal and expect it to stay the same way when no that isn’t the case at all. It’s always going to evolve with each passing year in different ways.

I often see from people born around the 50s-70s ragging on the ATC era of Sesame Street (which was what I was exposed to as a kid), and sure, there are things I’ve become a bit annoyed with as I’ve gotten older during that time (mostly just adding in music and sound effects to certain segments if I felt they didn’t need them), but it’s still a very nostalgic era of my time and it’s one I do enjoy getting to look back on with street scenes (and full episodes if in particular it’s one I have quite some fond memories with if it has a nice selection of inserts I enjoy), and in the end I know people older than me probably aren’t all that fond of it, and I’m totally cool with that.

Again, I really don’t think there are honestly any “problems” with the otherwise evolving show. I think it’s people just honestly holding up too many unfair expectations. I just personally jump ship after 32, but I know there are people younger than me who enjoy 33 to whatever season they want to stop at, and good for them in the end.

 

[80sMuppetFan]

I too would say season 30 was the end of the modern era. There's a lot of inserts that never saw the light of day again after season 29. Lots of characters left and it's when the new format that officially began in season 33, started to be experimented with in season 30

 

[WazzupMyBoyz]

I also learned that Sesame originally ceased airing segments that were originally shown in un-cropped, 4:3 apsect ratio in episode #4415. The one shown there was a CG Twiddlebugs segment that originally aired on the season 38 finale, #4160, which was miraculously the last episode to be fully produced in 4:3.

 

[datman24]

I'd say just end the show, and start a new one with the same characters, but a new location, because the street thing doesn't seem to be working anymore today's preschool environment.