Your Thoughts: The Street We Live On

[GonzoPimp]

Just because I didn't say it was perfect doesn’t mean I didn't love it.

Hum...I think we have different definitions of "love it." Mine falls close to amazing whiles your love seems to meander around average.

Also a rip-off of blues clues? Blues Clues is about searching for clues and putting together to what it means that doesn’t fit Elmo's World.

Wow, you are so right and I am so wrong. Can you ever forgive me?

If anything is like Blues Clues is Journey To Ernie..

I agree...

Also if it is a "rip-off" at all on Sesame Street who cares?

but its not right?

Blues Clues was amazingly popular with little kids meaning that style worked. Sesame's random skitness was making the show not do so well. When the followed the new style, the more morden type of childrens programming ratings shot up meaning kids love the new "blues clues ripoff". And thats ALL the matters.

but its not a rip-off right?

so basically what you are saying is that you loved the show (even though you had problems with it) and its not a rip off, its just copied a successful formula.

Hum...

PS have you turned 18 yet?

 

[GonzoPimp]

[

Sesame's random skitness was making the show not do so well.

Did you really just say that? That "random skitness" was designed to be entertaining-like "Laugh-In" (don't worry it was before your time) and just so you know Sesame Street was doing a whole lot better then, then it is now.

When the followed the new style, the more modern type of children’s programming ratings shot up meaning kids love the new "blues clues ripoff". And thats ALL the matters.

By "New Style" or "More modern type of children's programming" do you mean taking to kids like they are slow? That’s not modern-its been around as long as television. Ever wondered how Capt. Kangaroo got a show? It began with another Puppet, Hoody Doody. Bob Keshan (Clarabelle the Clown or Capt Kangaroo) didn't like the way Buffalo Bob talked down to the kids. He felt they had more intelligence. He left and a few shows later he was Capt. Kangaroo.

Taking to "kids at home" through the camera isn't new either-it has its beginnings in puppet theatre. And in the very first children’s TV programs that’s what they all they all did.

So, by "new" do you mean new to You-kinda like Old NBC re-runs?

If you think its ok to be a follower and not a leader or innovator, then I feel sorry for you.

 

[Cheebo]

The random skitness was doing better? How so? Carroll Spinney said the ratings jumped a very large amount (I believe it was 20%) when it hit season 33. Also I love average things? How does my few faults make it average to me? I think you disliked the few things I listed more than me. The whole Elmo's World thing yes went to far but barely, it wasn't that bad of a fault at all. It barely effected the quality of the show. And no I am not 18, I will be this summer. I grew up with Elmo being a main character. That is why I think our opinions differ. We grew up in a differnt generation of Sesame. The whole Telly, Elmo, & Baby Bear stuff feels nostalgic for me since the early 90's Sesame was when I was in its key demographic. I fall in the "new generation" of Sesame. That is why I think I love the special so much and you can't seem to understand that. I don't want to argue. It is useless. We see Sesame in two differnt ways. You see the change as bad and miss the good ol' days. While all I know is Elmo days other than Unpaved stuff.

 

[Stulz]

I grew up with Elmo being a main character. That is why I think our opinions differ. We grew up in a differnt generation of Sesame. The whole Telly, Elmo, & Baby Bear stuff feels nostalgic for me since the early 90's Sesame was when I was in its key demographic. I fall in the "new generation" of Sesame. That is why I think I love the special so much and you can't seem to understand that. I don't want to argue. It is useless. We see Sesame in two differnt ways. You see the change as bad and miss the good ol' days. While all I know is Elmo days other than Unpaved stuff.

I think this is definately the pure dividing line of this argummnet.
The over 20 year olds and the new generation really are seeing 2 different shows. SS to us is Big Bird's show. The new shows are Elmo's.

If it is an aniversary special, and promoted as one in it's pess release, it should be just that - A special. not a regular episode. This would allow them to blend the 2 Sesame "generations" better.

The "dumbing down of the show" is so beacuse they changed their target audience. It's easier for an adult to watch a show for six year old then it is to watch a show for 2-3 years olds. Six year olds have a much more developed brain then 2-3 year olds, and therefore the writing can be a more sophitacted. - (relatively, of course .. I mean this IS SS we are talking about here.)

I'm am truly sorry for this new generation to have this "new" SS be thier SS!

We really can't let him fairly debate the merits and quality of the 35th Ann. special when he hasn't seen the others. We need to enlighten him.
Some one - anyone, please send Cheebo copies of the 20th and 25th anniversay specials. Then he can at least compare them to this latest "special" and know what high standards the rest of us are holding these Anniversay shows to.

 

[Cheebo]

I own the 25th DVD but I hear there was a differnt one on TV. TV specials I saw was this and Elmopalooza(Loved that too I remember watching my taped verison off It from tv nearly daily). I never seen 20th though. The 25th DVD was part of my time it was from '94 remember. And I know what classic Sesame is kinda I guess. My time was late 80's(Elmo was already on under Kevin Clash as main character by that point) to early 90's though. Classic wise I have seen some Sesame Unpaved(around only 10 or so episodes though) and I own Follow That Bird and the stuff that appears on specials like the 25th DVD.

 

[jzion12345]

Did you really just say that? That "random skitness" was designed to be entertaining-like "Laugh-In" (don't worry it was before your time) and just so you know Sesame Street was doing a whole lot better then, then it is now.

I have seen research that states that kids have grown up watching half hour videos of Barny, the Wiggles, Elmo, etc. Unlike the 60's and 70's, kids have a LONGER attention span now. They are accustomed to sitting down and watching stuff for long periods of time. This is why Elmo's world and Journey to Ernie are so long. Plus, kids watch the same things over and over and over. While that might not be the best thing, they expect things to be a certain way. Things being edited like "Laugh-In" would not work when kids are used to Elmo's World being followed by Hero Guy. That is why the show is so formulaic now. It gets kids coming back for more the next day.

By "New Style" or "More modern type of children's programming" do you mean taking to kids like they are slow?

That might be the most insulting thing I have ever heard. One thing Sesame Street never has and never will do is talk down to kids. SS talks to kids on an equal level. The problem I think you have is that the core audience of the show has changed from 5 and 6 year olds to 3 year olds. Of course you're going to target them differently.

If you think its ok to be a follower and not a leader or innovator, then I feel sorry for you.

Hey...Sesame Street has ben an innovator for years. Many a program copied off of the success of SS. But, ratings slipped. When ratings slip, you always look at what's successful. Nick Jr is very sucessful. I'm not surprised that SS took some elements from Blues Clues and adapted it to their show. I actually commend them for realizing this, and I think it's an honor for a relative baby to be copied by the grandfather or childrens programming.

 

[blancalion]

I only caught the end (from the time travel on). The clips at the end were cool. And Ma-na-ma-na (how many versions of this are there?) (I've seen three!) is always nice.

While it was nice to see clips of weddings and stuff, it was way too short. Mr. Hooper's place on the Street is more than an "Oh, its called Mr. Hooper's store because Mr. Hooper used to work here." He was "the grandfather" of all the kids and Muppets. He gave Big Bird birdseed milkshakes for free. He helped Big Bird when he didn't know a word or concept. If I am not mistaken he gave Radar to Big Bird. It was his picture that hung in the back of Big Bird's house all those years.

Big Bird was the kid, the cute one, before Elmo filled that role. Mr. Hooper was like a parent to Big Bird. He deserved more than 15 seconds and a dedication at the end of the show.

Elmo didn't learn about his street, he merely looked though some old photos.

But we did get to see Kermit which was cool!

 

[gildir]

Michael Jeter and the 10 Bells

The dedication at the end actually wasn't to Will Lee, who played Mr. Hooper; it was to the late Michael Jeter, who played Mr. Noodle's brother Mr. Noodle. That made sense because, if I'm not mistaken, there were no clips of Jeter in the special, whereas there were clips of Will Lee, Northern Calloway, Jim Henson as both Kermit and Ernie (it was Henson who sang "Dance Myself to Sleep", wasn't it?), and the work of the deceased songwriters. (And, of course, the loss of Jeter is the most recent loss. I seem to recall that some special years ago, I don't know which one, was dedicated to Joe Raposo's memory shortly after he passed away.) That's why I wish there had also been a clip of the late Lynne Thigpen rather than the clip of Tony Bennett, although of course it was less important to pay tribute to her because her appearance on Sesame Street was only a short-term guest role. (But "Carmen Sandiego" makes her a legend of PBS children's shows in her own right.)

I saw Sesame Street again yesterday and today. Believe it or not, yesterday's episode was "The Street We Live On" again! Have they changed the nature of the episode rotation this season? This time WGBH had a voiceover during "Mahna Mahna" (and they couldn't be expected not to for the third time in one week). I noticed that not only were the numbers in the "10 bells" segment in a different font (as someone else pointed out), but the "10" on the tenth bell didn't zoom forward and fill the screen like the other "10"s. That was probably already true when I saw the segment as a small child in the early 80's, and supports the belief that the "10 bells" replaced "10 Little Indians".

Today's episode featured a reused "Elmo's World" with Michael Jeter. The nature of his role on the show, seemingly an imaginary man living in his own little part of an imaginary world within the larger world of Sesame Street, clearly makes it much easier to continue featuring him on the show after his death than would have been the case with Will Lee and Northern Calloway. (And the Jim Henson Ernie still appears reasonably often -- I believe the Ernie and Bert segment used on Tuesday came from the Henson era.)

 

[GonzoPimp]

I have seen research that states that kids have grown up watching half hour videos of Barny, the Wiggles, Elmo, etc. Unlike the 60's and 70's, kids have a LONGER attention span now.

yes, I've heard that too. But these studies are done by the same people who believe cookie monster promotes bad eating habits.
Attention spans are a hard thing to define and judge-especially over decades. I wouldn’t just accept an explanation like that without fully understanding the study and understanding studies in general.

It’s nice to have an explanation to feed to the public without saying, "Ya, we just decided to copy Barney."

That might be the most insulting thing I have ever heard. One thing Sesame Street never has and never will do is talk down to kids. SS talks to kids on an equal level. The problem I think you have is that the core audience of the show has changed from 5 and 6 year olds to 3 year olds. Of course you're going to target them differently.

I'll give you that the changing target age group makes a huge difference, but I contend if you watch old Sesame Street and SSTNG there is a difference in tone outside the target age change.

Hey...Sesame Street has ben an innovator for years. Many a program copied off of the success of SS. But, ratings slipped. When ratings slip, you always look at what's successful. Nick Jr is very sucessful. I'm not surprised that SS took some elements from Blues Clues and adapted it to their show. I actually commend them for realizing this, and I think it's an honor for a relative baby to be copied by the grandfather or childrens programming.

No, no, no. Stop thinking inside the box. Stop thinking there is a box. Recycled Junk produces junk. Look at Hollywood. You have to be one stop ahead of everyone else. Doing you're own thing. That’s what has made SS Historic-it looked at everyone else and said "No! We are going to do something completely different!!" that’s what is so disappointing and sad.

-out

 

[Censored]

The "dumbing down of the show" is so beacuse they changed their target audience. It's easier for an adult to watch a show for six year old then it is to watch a show for 2-3 years olds. Six year olds have a much more developed brain then 2-3 year olds, and therefore the writing can be a more sophitacted. - (relatively, of course .. I mean this IS SS we are talking about here.)

I wonder why they changed to a younger audience anyway. I remember when PBS had the system just right. Mr. Rogers was for the very young children, Sesame Street could be for a little older ones, and The Electric Company was for children that were older still. The whole thing is somewhat arbitrary anyway since I'm sure that children between the ages of 2-3 have been watching Sesame Street since its inception. There was never anything inappropriate for younger children, it just targeted a wider audience.