has sesame street out lived its usefulness?

[KrangPrime]

http://www.engadget.com/2015/08/16/why-sesame-street-had-to-turn-a-corner/


For me, as an adult, I can still go back and enjoy any episode from the Jim Henson Era. From 1969 all the way up to about 1994.

When ELMO reared his ugly head, however...the show started to take a turn for the worse. It all became about elmo. The star Big Bird took a back seat, and soon almost became forgotten. When it was just Big Bird, it never felt ALL ABOUT BIG BIRD. EVERYONE managed to get some great moments in. not so much when the elmo mafia took over. other muppets fell off by the wayside (Anyone remember Guy Smiley? or Gladys?) and the minute Tickle Me Elmo sold out, it was game over for the rest of of the SS cast members. No more caring about louis and maria giving birth to a baby. No more great Olivia songs (man she could sing..)....no more sign language lessons....just a shell of it's former self.

Although, considering this article, maybe that's WHY they shifted to elmo once they realized how popular the little annoyance was. they needed cash fast...and when Kevin Clash had his little..exit..., elmo went to the back burner a bit and his popularity died down a little...and now they are back to square one.

personally, I think they gave up on educating children a while ago. curious what others thoughts are on this?

 

[Treadwell]

Re: has sesame street out lived it's usefulness?

I dunno, were they ever going to start teaching how to use apostrophes?

 

[Michael Bergeron]

Re: has sesame street out lived it's usefulness?

Stopped watching in 1984, my kids have never seen it. It's relevance passed long ago and I think one of the only things keeping it on is parent's nostalgia.

But every time I hear someone counting I get that pinball song in my head!

 

[batguy]

Re: has sesame street out lived it's usefulness?

I haven't seen it in too long to have an informed opinion.

I recall Elmo being a JarJar Binx situation where the kids loved him and the adults hated him. He seemed like a younger & more annoying version of Grover. A little too stupid and a lot too merchandised.



It amazes me that any prospective backers were hung up on the stipulation of free public access. Did they expect this show to go for a private-only deal?!? Man, talk about fundamentally not "getting it". Sheesh. That's like asking Tim Burton not to be weird & dark & theatrical.

 

[KrangPrime]

Re: has sesame street out lived it's usefulness?

I dunno, were they ever going to start teaching how to use apostrophes?

right before they started the difference between to too and two..

 

[Badgersbunk]

Re: has sesame street out lived it's usefulness?

Mr snuffleupagus will live forever in my eyes.

 

[jcoffman99]

Re: has sesame street out lived it's usefulness?

Won't that hurt?

 

[Riceball]

Re: has sesame street out lived it's usefulness?

I dunno, were they ever going to start teaching how to use apostrophes?

It's relevance passed long ago and I think one of the only things keeping it on is parent's nostalgia.

Apparently not, at least not when it comes to the word it and its possessive form.

 

[Apollo]

Re: has sesame street out lived it's usefulness?

The end for that show was when they tried to get Sid to forsake Cookies and eat healthy.

Everything was fine untill his contract ran out and now he stuck it to them up the wazoo... THATS the real reason they had to go private

 

[Michael Bergeron]

Re: has sesame street out lived it's usefulness?

Apparently not, at least not when it comes to the word it and its possessive form.

I'm usually a stickler for that stuff but I gave up fighting with auto-correct on my phone long ago.

For the record, "it's" = It is. "Its" = possessive.

 

[KrangPrime]

Re: has sesame street out lived it's usefulness?

oh don't mind me... I type so fast most of the time I don't even bother to spell check things and move on to the next item ;o)...

maybe a mod can fix it's ;o)

 

[CessnaDriver]

Re: has sesame street out lived it's usefulness?

They castrated the Cookie Monster that's for sure.

...."C" is for cookie, a sometimes OK snack."

 

[Solo4114]

Re: has sesame street out lived it's usefulness?

I'm usually a stickler for that stuff but I gave up fighting with auto-correct on my phone long ago.

For the record, "it's" = It is. "Its" = possessive.

Anyway...I haven't watched a new episode in forever, but I'd bet there's still some redeeming value to the show. It's at least better than yet another bloody episode of Dora the Explorer. "I'm the map....I'm the map....I can tell you where to goooo...I'm the map." I KNOW YOU'RE THE MAP. YOU ALWAYS SING THE SAME STUPID SONG, MAP, AND YOU NEVER TELL ME ANYWHERE COOL TO GO, LIKE THE RUINS OF AN ANCIENT UNDERWATER CITY INHABITED BY MER-PEOPLE.

Is it more corporate? Well, yeah. I mean, all of the Muppet properties are more corporate now...because they're owned by a corporation, and most of the original creators have died or retired from voicing them. I don't think that means they're irrelevant, necessarily, nor that they lack any utility, but they're definitely different.


But hey, for those looking for good programming, Reading Rainbow is now available on Netflix streaming.

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

Re: has sesame street out lived it's usefulness?

I've had small kids in my house constantly for 20 years now with my youngest being 3 years old. We watch SS, the kids love it, great show.

I think it's probably lived out it's usefulness to adults, but kids still think it's swell.

 

[SSgt Burton]

Re: has sesame street out lived it's usefulness?

But every time I hear someone counting I get that pinball song in my head!

OMG! Did that ever bring back a flood of memories! I used to hear that song in my head too! lol


Kevin

 

[Treadwell]

Re: has sesame street out lived it's usefulness?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOaZbaPzdsk

 

[CessnaDriver]

Re: has sesame street out lived it's usefulness?

The inside secret is The Count kind of lost it one day and they had to make changes after this...

 

[dascoyne]

Re: has sesame street out lived it's usefulness?

The Muppet Show was a mixed blessing. It was good to see Kermit in this new vehicle but we lost something when he left Sesame Street.
And I agree that Elmo is like Jar Jar but worse because he actually has a following.

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

Re: has sesame street out lived it's usefulness?

It's been downhill since Mr. Hooper died. No one even asked where Barkley went...

Don't even get me started on the new song. My sister made fun of me when I had a fit when it came on while my niece was little. :lol

 

[astroboy]

Re: has sesame street out lived it's usefulness?

I love sesame street. But the problems are far worse than the red menace (Elmo).

The characters have become brands, rather than characters. They are simply logos used for whatever purpose. Gone are the days where Bert and Ernie showed us that best friends didn't always like each other.