Sesame Street Revisited

Category: By Christian
As a young lad I was obsessed with Sesame Street. I insisted on watching both the morning and afternoon episodes on our local PBS affiliate, regardless of the fact that both episodes were identical. It didn't matter. The lights, the songs, the funny sounding puppets. It was certainly worth the price of admission.

Fortunately for me, now that Elli is practically two I have a socially acceptable excuse for once again enjoying the residents of what is undoubtedly the most wonderful street in all of the land. And as an adult watching the most venerable kids show in the history of television, I have come to note some very interesting aspects of the 2007 incarnation of Sesame Street. Some are positive. Some, not so much.

First of all, the show is stinkin' funny. I really try not to laugh out loud, but it's impossible. There are some great jokes in there that go well beyond the 2-year-old head, but land squarely in the middle of my head. Perhaps the funniest of all the muppets on the show is Elmo. Kudos to the little red man.

One noticeable difference from my years of watching SS as a young boy is that Elmo has a far more prominent role. In fact, he gets an entire segment of the show to himself from 9:40-10:00 every day. It's a very fine segment, though I can't help but think that it makes all of the other muppets terribly jealous.

Perhaps that is why Big Bird was so off of his game today. He and Elmo were singing a song about the number 3, and his lip synch was mad off. I was less than impressed. The funny thing is that I have been paying particular note to the puppeteering skills on the show, and I must admit that they are usually outstanding. Big Bird better pick it up.

If I had to pick two characters that I want to have nothing to do with Elli's development they would certainly be Bert and Cookie Monster. Bert has a horrible attitude. That cat needs a massage. And you would think that after 30 years on a grammar show, Cookie Monster would have picked up a tip or two. Dude's grammar is awful. Me want Cookie? That's not a correct sentence.

Overall though, the show is still a 10. Any show that gives you the Elmo and Alicia Keys duet is off the chain.

Fair Dinkum
 

2 comments so far.

  1. adam paul 5:49 PM
    if you ever see a Guy Smiley segment - think of my father. the two may as well be one and the same.

    identical.
  2. adam paul 5:56 PM
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z93Kvl3YMWQ&feature=related

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