Your Thoughts: Elmo’s Christmas Countdown

[MrsPepper]

Yeah, really good observations, Prawnie. Especially the set. 0__0 I said my opinions on pages 1 and 2 already but you summed them up really well

Now that you mention it, where's Rosita and Telly? I can honestly do without Zoe (It's just me but I can't stand her), and I do really appreciate seeing the classic muppets on the special, but not seeing Telly, Rosita or Zoe AT ALL is a bit weird/unexpected for this day and age of SS, especially because our dear friend Abby was front and centre.

Also, lack of humans? Maybe it's cause the muppets were stuck in that awful candy cane tornado pop-up world, but I wasn't sure why there were no humans. Even just a few minutes of Bob. Everybody loves Bob!

Um, was there ANY reason for using a horribly cheap made cardboard set?

Why couldn't this have at least taken place in, say a airport terminal or a snowed in mall or something more creative?

It's sad, because it probably took you about 30 seconds to think of those alternatives, and they could have been infinitely better. I didn't even recognise that they were on Sesame Street at first. It looked like an Elmo's World version of the set.

 

[TogetherAgain]

I agree that the set was a definite disappointment, as was the lack of Sesame Street humans. Forget Alicia Keys- where were Gordan and Susan and Luis and Maria and Bob when Elmo was sitting outside by himself on Christmas Eve?

Having said that, I do like that they COULD get so many celebrities to participate in a Sesame Street special. I didn't necessarily appreciate EVERY single skit and song that they did, but I know that there are people who DID enjoy the songs and skits that weren't my favorites. As my grandfather used to say, that's why there's thirty-one flavors of ice cream.

As for those of you who were complaining about "Listen to what Alicia says," allow me to add my two cents. Elmo ALWAYS uses names instead of pronouns. And forgive my ignorance if I'm mistaken, but it's my understanding that the king in the song who is addressing the people everywhere is just spreading the news that there's a very important baby who will bring goodness and light, and is not, himself, necessarily a religious figure. It's not as if "Listen to what Alicia says" is claiming that Alicia is Jesus, just that she's a king, which isn't even logical, seeing as she's female, not male, so it's really just three-year-old Elmo making a harmless mistake. But as I said, Elmo ALWAYS uses names instead of pronouns, which has something to do with why little Jewish girl over here didn't even notice it. But that's just my opinion, and everyone is entitled to his or her own.

Overall, I'd say it was a very enjoyable special, with the right mix of the religious and the secular, and lots of holiday spirit. And, to look at it from another perspective, I think it's pretty darn neat that a Sesame Street special was chosen for the night before Christmas Eve, as opposed to countless other Christmas specials that could have aired on such a significant night.

On a less related note, this was my first significant exposure to Abby as a character, and I've gotta say that she seems to be doing pretty well.

 

[Davina]

it was a cute special.. glad I watched it, even though i've been sick today and should have been in bed all medicated up...
kind of weird and strange at times... i didn't quite get that it was a pop up book set.. but it was cute.. sincerely doubt it's one i'd ever purchase.. it really seemed like it was more of a special done to promote a tie-in album.. so i'm really rather surprised this wasn't shown over thanksgiving and then a big cd release...

really really liked the snuffy for christmas (hubby and i both love the hippo for christmas song..) and the one with grover and the penguins.. we just love muppet penguins.. hehehe

 

[Erine81981]

I really enjoyed it. Here's the things i liked and disliked.

Liked: All the songs and Celebrities. Enjoyed all the characters that either found some of the blockes in their meal or it few and hit them or they just found them. Really enjoyed Stiller and his sidekick Snowball. They were really funny and enjoyed most of all the lines. I really did love the Oscar song which was his older verison but with a more updated with Stiller singing along with him.

Disliked: Pretty much the set was kinda of a bore. It didn't have the old look like it's had in the first two speicals.

That was about it and can't wait to buy it and hope to see an album come out with those same songs.

 

[The Count]

So... You think there's a chance these songs will sneak into MCR's Muppet Merrython in the two days remaining? And I thought I heard Rosita's voice in the opening musical number, not sure what that song's title was though.

 

[myblakeandme]

so did anyone tape the show? do to a storm we lost signal pretty early on. If anyone has a copy in any format that they wouldn't mind sharing please let me know. myblakeandme@yahoo.com

Thanks!

 

[Barry Lee]

(Wow havent been on in a very long time.)
Anyways here are some stuff i liked/disliked about this whole thing.

• The musical numbers reminded me of some campy 1970's christmas special, or via "The Muppet Show."
• Oscar was fantastic --- as usual
• The COUNT! Ahhhh I loved loved loved the whole ships thing. That was pure greatness in its own right.
• Elmo, if Alicia Keys comes and sits on your door step with you, the least thing YOU can do, is NOT sing along with her.
• The music was pretty fantastic.
• The variety of characters used was also great, I loved the fact that it wasnt just Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo in EVERY SINGLE BOX
• Grover ANNND Penguins? = Splendid
• I would never buy a Jamie Foxx action figure
• The "I Hate Christmas" return was fantastic
• Abby & Elmo are too cute
• Of course I LOOOOVED the Bert & Ernie sketch
• Stiller the Elf was okay, but the snowball, i would've loved to see him tag along with the elf.
• Does Elmo get random visits from Sheryl Crow now?
• Bob just needed to POP OUT of one of those boxes. Come onnnn Bob!
• Anne Hathaway, your a very cute girl, but just dont sing please. Thaanks.
• The appearances of all of those classic Sesame characters were great.
• I love the irony of the fact that the three bears, found the three boxes, and theyre jewish?
• Charles Blitzen was cute, but not cute when he appeared like four times. Sorrry.
• I actually liked the fact they used the pop up set. It went along WITH THE SPECIAL
• Okay and I liked Kevin's Santa Clause. But thats just me being welll.... me.
• We jussst needed Kermit to appear somewhere. But that's just small wishful thinking haah.

OVERALL, I thought this was a really good attempt at making something different. Sesame did a terrific job, blending the two molds of classic & contemporary, not only with the characters but with the music & stuff as well. So I saaay 4 out of 5.
​

 

[Wiseman]

My thoughts on the set

I grew up on pop-up-books so I had a special liking for the set that was used in this year's Christmas special. I can understand why some of the older watchers didn't like it, but I think it was very appropriate especially considering that it was supposed to have happened a few Christmases ago and Stiller the elf was telling the story to the snowball after the fact.

As for the rest of the show I already mentioned my feelings on that in my earlier comment so now I will close this comment. I have to go wrap the hippopotamaus I got my wife for Christmas.

 

[Xerus]

This was a pretty good Christmas special. I liked how Ben Stiller served as a narrator and they made a Muppet elf based on him. Kind of like how Burl Ives was turned into a Snowman. I always feel that Christmas specials are great when you have a celebrity narrator.

And I liked some of the musical numbers. I remember liking, I Wanna Hippopotamus For Christmas, when I was little. Here, they changed it to Snuffle-Upagus, which was also neat.

And I liked the Count's version of 3 Ships and that wool hat he was wearing. Though in Christmas Eve on Sesame Street, the Count was seen leaving the skating rink with a top hat.

And it was great that Ernie and Bert had lines in that special. Unlike in Elmo Saves Christmas, where they didn't speak.

And I kind of wish Cookie Monster had apologized for eating that Christmas Countdown device.

Even though I TiVoed the special, it would be neat if it would come out on DVD so I can watch it every Christmas anytime I want.

 

[goshposh]

Everyone is complaining about the set. When I saw the previews I wondered why the set looked the way it did. After the explaination that it was a story in a book it made sense to me. To the people who are complaining about the set. Maybe you should have payed attention and just enjoyed the show, rather than worrying about what you are going to complain about and nitpick