Your Thoughts: Sesame Street Season 42

[Oscarfan]

Why are Chris and Leela so prominent these days? I mean, I love the characters, but it seems there are no room for the rest of the cast anymore, and they are used almost like extras, althought we´ll see Susan for 2 episodes this season, besides the lever song..willl we see Bob in a street story this season?? and what happened to Miles?? And the last: how many skits have taped Frank Oz for this year?? too many questions I know, but thanks if someone can answer them for me!!!!

I'll try my best:

1. I guess they're the most available. Frankly, I think Chris is used much more than Leela. I think they need to limit him though. Leela doesn't really ham it up as much as he does.
2. I don't think Bob's in any street stories this season, sorry!
3. I guess his actor wanted to move onto other things. I'm positive his departure was the reason we got Chris in the first place.
4. Frank taped at least 4 - The Heaviest Catch bit, the Spider-Monster sketch, another Mr. Johnson/Grover sketch and apparently a song (which, I have a feeling, is one involving Bruno Mars. I could be wrong though).

 

[cahuenga]

Thanks Oscarfan!!! you are very fast!!!

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

We finally get an Ernie and Bert claymation, and of course it's a rerun. I don't care how apt that one is. I wish WB would release the rest of those cartoons to DVD. I don't think we'll see any more of them without that.

Yeah. With all the pigeons on today's show, you'd think Bert (in Muppet form) would have appeared somewhere. Even he wouldn't have cared for a pigeon who was that rude to Big Bird.

The opening story was nice. Great to see Big Bird back in action and all. Reminded me of that Garfield cartoon "Ode to Odie." Second time Big Bird was blue... lost opportunity to reference that movie or Pino, though.

Yeah. I thought of FTB as well. I was thinking 'Watch out for the Sleaze Brothers." It's also the second time he was small. I was thinking they could have had Matt perform Big Bird there, since that worked out pretty well in a previous episode.

1. I guess they're the most available. Frankly, I think Chris is used much more than Leela. I think they need to limit him though. Leela doesn't really ham it up as much as he does.

That's a good point. Chris does get more airtime than the other cast members. After all, it's usually Chris you see working at Hooper's which doesn't give Alan quite as much airtime as he used to have. Seems like the only long-time cast member that we see on a regular basis these days is Gordon. Though Maria and Luis may come in second and third.

1. I don't think Bob's in any street stories this season, sorry!

You're kidding! He usually appears once or twice per season. Will he be seen in any inserts or anything like that?

 

[Oscarfan]

He's part of Sutton Foster's "Lever Lover" song.

 

[ISNorden]

Yeah. With all the pigeons on today's show, you'd think Bert (in Muppet form) would have appeared somewhere. Even he wouldn't have cared for a pigeon who was that rude to Big Bird.

That makes two of us who thought the same thing; I was half expecting Bert to show up with Bernice, so BOTH of them could give that rude pigeon "what for".

I wasn't the only one who thought of Pino and FTB, either. They should have given Big Bird a throwaway line referencing one of those: "Sheesh, you birds are like the Sleaze Brothers with feathers!" or "They should've written to my cousin in Holland if they don't like yellow."

Overall, I was glad to see a Big Bird-centered episode with a well-written plot, a cute musical number, and other birds who weren't part of a nature guessing game. The new letter/number material was well designed too: the Y song's animation suggests a combination of "Jack and the B-stalk" and "The Yellow Yahoo" from way back when. Also, tying the #9/addition cartoon in with the bird theme helped make that lesson feel like part of the show, not just something tacked on for the curriculum's sake. And I had a feeling that the Elmo's World segment was going to cover either birds (the superficial theme) or friends (the real focus of the episode). So far, this has been one of the best episodes of the season; if only the recent years of Sesame Street were done this well consistently!

 

[Drtooth]

While it didn't seem like it with a wacky wolf chasing Piggies around, today's episode had a slightly more powerful message than yesterday's.

yesterday's episode had the all important message that yous should accept yourself for who you are, and if other's don't it's their loss... but today's episode's message transcends just bullying. On the one hand, it tells kids to stand up against someone doing something you don't like, all the while saying never be afraid to tell an adult.

This isn't a "my mind's in the gutter" moment like Elmo's trying to kick the pacifier helmet... while this message is specifically about bullying, the information taken away can ALSO be used in cases of child molestation. Kids get the message that if someone does something to them, never be afraid to tell them to stop or tell their parents or someone else they trust about it. A very strong message for an episode with a worm getting blown into a pile of spaghetti, huh?

as for the story itself.. HAH! Reference to Friends don't let friends drive drunk. Also, I LOVE how Tyler performed the Wolf in this one. I wanna see him try Placido Flamingo, actually... there are some instances of his singing that sounded similar. Plus, he is prone to pretty bombastic characters. if anyone can bring Placido back, it's Tyler. And Big Bird AND Oscar in a street story again. Love it.

Second time seeing the bit about Bunny Foo Foo in Abby's Fairy School (still love Abby's voice when she says "eh... Ah'm uh GOOooon!"), and somehow I feel that it would have worked better had Blogg been the last one to get turned into a goon... somehow, the Comedy 3 came too early.

Nice bit with the Harlem Globetrotters (can't help but think of Globetrotter planet from Futurama, though)... and the little unnamed African American girl Muppet makes a nice come back in another powerful song.

Still, with so many Ernie and Bert segments unaired, how come they keep showing the same ones anyway?

 

[Oscarfan]

I doubt they even have the Placido puppet anymore. And in their current economic state, I can't see them building a new one.

"Change the World" is a terrific song. I wish they'd cover "The Skin I'm In" next (though, I'm not sure how they'd change some lyrics; they aren't really suitable for today's standards).

Also, I've said it before, but there's only 7 widescreen E&B's they haven't used. I don't know why they're avoiding using them. I still say if EW can be in 4:3 every show, other stuff should.

 

[Drtooth]

I doubt they even have the Placido puppet anymore. And in their current economic state, I can't see them building a new one.

Yeah... there's THAT too. Seems like I just wonder how Tyler would take on some of Richard's roles... other than Janice that one time.

Oh, about yesterday's episode... seems like they have a LOT of Supplemental materials reguarding it.

Here's the video where they talk to Big Bird, Rosita (who wasn't even there but we're glad to have her anyway), and one of the birds...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8Z3xppAqrU

 

[antsamthompson9]

I liked the street story. Drtooth's right about giving Tyler a chance to preform Placidio. The word of the day bit was funny. The new Murray tune-ins were nice. The Change the World number was awesome!

 

[wiley207]

Also, I LOVE how Tyler performed the Wolf in this one. I wanna see him try Placido Flamingo, actually... there are some instances of his singing that sounded similar. Plus, he is prone to pretty bombastic characters. if anyone can bring Placido back, it's Tyler.

Yeah, Tyler may make a good Placido Flamingo (but usually it seems it's David Rudman that takes over the Richard Hunt characters.) It was kinda weird seeing the 1980s purple wolf puppet used with the same voice and personality of the giant gray wolf from 2007 (especially the singing "Huuuuff aaaand puuuuuuff!")
I noticed the second pig that says "Bad!" was obviously Joey Mazzarino, and the third that says "Wolf!" was obviously Eric Jacobson. Is it just me, or does the latter ALWAYS now have to play one of the three little pigs?