Your Thoughts: Sesame Street Season 44

[Drtooth]

In a way that's a shame, as talented as Eric and David are, they did use all three of Frank's main characters in new material and as far is I know Frank didn't return to perform any of them. I know he still does a few inserts for SS each season, but I don't think we've heard his voice at all this season except in repeated material, but maybe I'm wrong on that. I don't know.

Usually when Frank does a role on the show, we hear about it well in advance. He has performed some of his characters, but it seems he's utilized more in parody sequences.

Now what I want to know is Steve's availability. We don't see Ernie and Bert too often these days. Sometimes Bert. A shame since these characters pre-dated every other character on the show.

 

[SSLFan]

The lack of Ernie and Bert is very frustrating. I know Steve is busy with Kermit, and doesn't live in NY close to Sesame Street, but still. I mean if Jim and Frank could make time back in the old days to film some inserts - and they were VERY busy keep in mind - then Steve can. And honestly, if he can't make that time like he used to, then a potential recast for Ernie should be done. Steve is talented, but the character of Ernie shouldn't have to suffer over his performers lack of availability.

 

[Oscarfan]

I still say: the problem isn't Steve's availability so much. When he is there, they shoot all these bits that don't air on the US show. That's the problem. We haven't seen a single E&B bit this whole season (aside from "I Wonder" and a couple of cameos in ensemble songs). Yeah, they have a whole story coming up in the season, but why re-run the Downton Abbey spoof when you can play an E&B bit? They're lack of screentime is at no fault Steve's, it's the ones who assemble the show itself.

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

Usually when Frank does a role on the show, we hear about it well in advance. He has performed some of his characters, but it seems he's utilized more in parody sequences.

Yeah and more often than not he does one-shot characters these days. Seems like he knows that his characters are in good hands with Eric and Dave performing and , it's just not quite the same without Frank performing them every once in a while. I know he did do Grover in a lot of the new Grover/Fat Blue segments, but since Jerry's no longer with us, I don't know how many more of those they'll make.

I still say: the problem isn't Steve's availability so much. When he is there, they shoot all these bits that don't air on the US show. That's the problem. We haven't seen a single E&B bit this whole season (aside from "I Wonder" and a couple of cameos in ensemble songs). Yeah, they have a whole story coming up in the season, but why re-run the Downton Abbey spoof when you can play an E&B bit? They're lack of screentime is at no fault Steve's, it's the ones who assemble the show itself.

Yeah. I think I see what you mean. Even if Steve isn't available they can at least re-air more earlier sketches. One thing that's in question is why they don't go as far back as the days when Jim performed Ernie. I think the answer was that it wasn't so much that he sounded different, but because of the new HD set they can't really play earlier sketches in that format. Or am I way off with my line of thinking?

 

[Drtooth]

I still say: the problem isn't Steve's availability so much. When he is there, they shoot all these bits that don't air on the US show. That's the problem. We haven't seen a single E&B bit this whole season (aside from "I Wonder" and a couple of cameos in ensemble songs). Yeah, they have a whole story coming up in the season, but why re-run the Downton Abbey spoof when you can play an E&B bit? They're lack of screentime is at no fault Steve's, it's the ones who assemble the show itself.

Seriously, what is up with that? Are they trying to stock pile skits or something to use one or two a year? They've become, I'd say, like half the animation studios and networks that run them. Going around the world first and getting to the US last. Something I wouldn't doubt will happen to the Doozer educational series. I like the parody segments, but they've become way too reliant on parody/celebrity segments.

The last episode stood out for me for having those 2 classic character segments. Cookie Monster and Oscar directly interacting (something that you don't see too often) and that bit with Grover and the Monsters. They weren't spoofing anything, they didn't have to get some famous person to stop by. Sure, the Cookie/Oscar segment was the letter of the day and the Grover bit was another science segment (punctuated by a Super Grover segment where he did the exact same thing), but those were real classic style segments that don't get much play anymore. While I may never agree with most of the classic era biases about the show, I do agree that the structure of the show doesn't allow for any of these little Muppet segments not being that great a thing.

At least we seem to finally be getting those Super sanos (or whatever they are) segments somehow. I know they put a couple on the Cooking DVD (one where they use the freezer to make something, which is not cooking). And overall, the show is starting to get more classic minded bits, like the ones with Guy and Cookie.

 

[Drtooth]

There's that, apparently.

A "week" (3 out of 5) "new" (1 actual, 2 recycled) episodes as a shoddy tie in for the Olympics.

And forgive me, I just have to...

"VINTER SCHPORT! VINTER SCHPORT!"

 

[Oscarfan]

They probably should've saved this in the vault until season 45 (anniversary season), but this is awesome:

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

Thanks for sharing. I don't know if I want to watch these now or wait until they air. Decisions, decisions.

 

[minor muppetz]

Usually when Frank does a role on the show, we hear about it well in advance.

Really? I thought that at least some of his performances in recent years weren't known about in advance. I don't remember hearing about him performing in seasons 42 or 43 in advance. After some of his season 43 appearances aired I heard that he had been on the set via one of the other performers Twitter pages. I especially didn't know he'd be performing one-shots in seasons 42 and 43 (and was especially surprised when he performed two different one-shots in season 43).

I know that his performances in season 40 were announced, but I also thought that was more due to it being an anniversary season (combined with him being at a season 40 event).

They probably should've saved this in the vault until season 45 (anniversary season), but this is awesome:

I was thinking similar thoughts (my thoughts were more along the line of, "if there's an official season 45 anniversary project, this should be included"). I'd like to hear some behind-the-scenes stories on the making of that segment. Most of the songs are fairly obscure, so I wonder if Sesame Workshop had them listen to recordings of the songs to hear how they go (though their rendition of "Three" sounds different from the original.... I thought it sounded like they were going with the "Four" melody at times), or if they actually had the albums (not to mention looking them up on YouTube).

 

[Oscarfan]

Most of the songs are fairly obscure, so I wonder if Sesame Workshop had them listen to recordings of the songs to hear how they go (though their rendition of "Three" sounds different from the original.... I thought it sounded like they were going with the "Four" melody at times), or if they actually had the albums (not to mention looking them up on YouTube).

They obviously had to listen to the originals in order to arrange their vocals.