Les amis de Sésame

Sesame Street has to be one of the best classic kids shows ever! i loved it as a kid, and use to wake up extra early every morning just to see it! they just don't make shows like that anymore. it doesn't talk down to and patronise kids like the shows do these days. there were so many different quirky characters that were so easy to fall in love with, like big bird and elmo and so many great songs that were catchy fun as well as educational. i'll always be a great fan of jim hensons work as his shows and movies were a big part of my childhood. even if sesame street is no longer on TV when i have kids, i'll still dig out the videos and show them how good kids TV used to be!

Bring back sesame street!!

I title the review as "Rest in Peace" only because if you, like me, are a child born of the early 1980's (or earlier) that grew up with Sesame Street, then you know now, as you watch it with your children, either on Netflix or PBS in the morning, that the Sesame Street we grew up with is long gone.

In 1998, a muppet monster that had, for the majority of its lifespan on Sesame Street, been nothing but a background character with virtually no lines or significant appearances in the show's then 29 year history, became the undisputed center of the show. Over the course of the following decade, that character would continue to dominate the show, becoming its very face and voice. That character was Elmo.

Within a few years, the entire format of Sesame Street would change. Elmo's world started as a small segment of Sesame Street that aired every other episode. By 2004, Elmo's World became a full 1/4 of the show, airing every single episode. Appearance by favorites, familiar faces and mainstays of Sesame Street began to slowly phase out. Big Bird, formerly the face and "host" of Sesame Street was replaced in time by "Murray" who, like Elmo, was also a background muppet that had virtually no presence on the show in the 35 years leading up to his first appearance as host. Murray, like Elmo, dominates roughly 1/4 of the show with various segments. Joining Elmo early in the 2000's was Abby Cadabby, a feisty and rather irritating purple fairy that's a huge hit with girls. She has her own segment, comprising the 3rd 1/4 of the show, Abby's Magical Sky School. Murray, from the very opening moment of a Sesame Street show, immediately begins reassuring kids that Elmo's World will be coming up, "but we have a few other things to get through first". Ultimately, "Sesame Street" itself is now reduced to a mere 10 minute segment. The problem that is posed in the beginning of the show, once taking the full hour of the show to investigate, understand and solve, is now resolved in only 10 minutes (sometimes 15, but rarely). Occasionally, one of the familiar adults may show up, like Gordon, but its otherwise Elmo, Abby Cadabby and the dreaded "Beybah Baw" (Baby Bear), a talking teddy bear with an insufferable speech impediment. Likable, new adult characters such as Gordon's nephew Chris, and Alan, who both run Hooper's store appear often enough to break up the monotony of Elmo, Abby and Baby Bear's childish antics. On the rare occasion that a classic character will show up, such as Bert, Ernie, Big Bird or Snuffy, Elmo will make his appearance within minutes to take over the show. I recall watching an episode recently with my daughter in which Bert lost his pet bird. 3 minutes after this situation is announced, Elmo and Abby show up and take over the segment. Bert is not seen again, his bird is never found...the entire segment consists of Abby and Elmo picking up random objects and asking "Is this a bird? Is that a bird? Why isn't this a bird?".

Sesame Street, I fear, is simply TOO childish to be of any value to children at this point. When I was a toddler in the early 80's, Sesame Street helped me learn how to read, count, differentiate colors and shapes and objects...all things my parents helped me with, Sesame Street did too. It was truly a valuable educational tool. Now? We have Elmo running around his house like a lunatic, screaming at inanimate objects, displaying narcissistic tendencies by referring to himself in the third person and imagining himself as different animals and objects. His own house seems to hate him, as he is constantly yelling at his window shade to cooperate with him, and other objects, such as his desk drawer, repeatedly bash him over the head when he starts yelling at them. Where's the educational value in Elmo running around in circles yelling at everything?

Parents are strongly advised not to utilize "classic" Sesame Street (pre-1990) as educational tools, as they "no longer have any educational value and should not be utilized by your child." Very sad that this warning comes on the DVD box sets of pre-Elmo Sesame Street. Frankly, I'd rather have Gordon sing "Who are the people in your neighborhood" to my daughter, rather than having Elmo cannibalize the melody to Jingle Bells and repeat "Trucks trucks trucks, trucks trucks trucks" over and over again.

A silent uproar occurred sometime around 2010, when it was suggested by the show's producers (internally) that the show be renamed. It would have become something along the lines of Elmo's World (Featuring Sesame Street)) Thankfully, this never occurred, though it appears to have piggybacked off the movement to cancel Sesame Street entirely, which was proposed in 2003, in favor of making Elmo's World a standalone show. The dominance of Elmo over Sesame Street into the 2000's and 2010's only continued to grow, as more and more of the classic faces of Sesame Street faded away into nothingness. Cookie Monster and Big Bird seldom make appearances on the show anymore...sometimes going over a dozen episodes without seeing them. On the other hand, if you were to watch Abby's Sky School and Elmo's World each day for the 24 episode season, you'll have seen at least 18 reruns of each show, since there are barely a dozen segments filmed for both.

Sesame Street was great for our generation but for our children? I wouldn't recommend it. It hurts me to say it. My daughter loves it...she's 15 months, and she loves the characters. I'm not going to take that from her...but as she gets older I will due my duty as her father to make sure she is educated properly. Sadly, Sesame Street, in its current state, cannot be a part of that experience.

Sesame Street really got a makeover for its 33rd season, mainly because of the competitive environment of Pre-School TV, and how they learn things in this day in age. The show is now blocked into these segments in order.

Greeting of the day: Big Bird and the Sesame Street neighbors' great the viewers and either tell jokes play a game and/or sing a song.

Monster Time: In this segment either shorts with the classic Sesame Street monsters are shown (Grover, Elmo, Rosita etc.) or a new feature called "Monster Clubhouse" in which four new monsters give preschoolers a crash course in what goes on in a typical preschool day.

Number of the Day: The Count hosts this segment (who else could do it better on Sesame Street) in which he uses a special counting organ to find what the number of the day is. The segment is followed up with live-action and animated sketches which help the viewers give a better understanding of the numbers.

Street Story: The story of the day is now done in one complete segment rather than scatted throughout the whole show as it was done in the past. It seems that preschoolers don't like things interrupted but other things and messages (commercials or not). The stories teach everything from cooperation, friendship, feelings, problem solving etc.

Journey to Ernie: Big Bird and the viewers play a virural reality game in trying to find Ernie who hides in a box that resembles his red, yellow, and blue striped shirt with his rubber duckie in front of it. The catch is it may not be the first or second boxes that contain Ernie. The game begins a park and when BB is transported to other virtual environments and perform certain skills in order to find the box (memory recall, singing a song, doing a certain skill etc.). If a box is found and does not have Ernie inside then a clip or segment is featured ranging from a special song or a kid that does something special, after which the game continues. When Ernie is finally found then a sketch and/or song with Ernie is featured (sometimes with partner Bert).

Hero Guy: If Monster Clubhouse was not done in the Monstertime segment, then we see a sketch with Baby Bear and his imagery creation Hero Guy, in which they both learn about art, imagination, and problem solving. Don't expect this to turn into a 'Big Bird's imaginary friend' running gag. For those who complain about outing Snuffy this segement gives a fantasy friend to Baby Bear, and he is not going to try to prove that Hero Guy is real.

Letter of the Day: Cookie Monster is given the honor of hosting this segment by showing cookies that have a letter on them. The problem is Cookie eventually gives in to his instincts and eats the cookie. The clips after Cookie Monster's attempt to teach letters will help viewers learn the sounds and recognition of the letters themselves.

Spanish Word of the Day: Rosita along with Grover, Big Bird, and others on the street teach a Spanish word in a way that can be understood.

Elmo's World: This guy should get his very own show and I am not joking. In the meantime Elmo encourages to learn about all kinds of things like Mail, Music, computers etc. Elmo focuses on one subject to help kids understand what Elmo is inquisitive about on the day's segment.

Some complain that Sesame Street is not what it used to be, but keep in mind its own show anymore. It's now for OUR kids, and Sesame Street is forever programming to 2 to 5 year olds. With some many shows for preschooler out their Sesame Street is one of the few survivors today and don't be surprised if it's still on for another 33 years teaching the basics of numbers, letters etc.

I wrote in another review on this site about how I was born to a military family stationed in Germany, Land of No Cable (And the world's best chocolate, but that's another story.).

Anyway, one of the few kid's shows on TV that my grandparents didn't have to record and send over was Sesame Street, and the only one that was on the entire eight years we were there (Eureka's Castle was on for bit, but then one day it vanished. Same thing with Lampchops.). On my dad's side of the family, everyone had a Sesame Street character that they had a bond with (Dad's was Cookie Monster), and naturally, I followed the tradition by latching on to Ernie. Many a night I could be heard singing "Rubber Ducky" in the tub (I had two Rubber Duckies, but one got chucked because it got moldy, I think). To this day, I still hold Ernie dear to my heart (I even have a "Tickle Me Ernie", much, much cuter than "Tickle Me Elmo"!)

Not only did Sesame Street give me Ernie to love and make me laugh, but like everyone else who watched this show, it taught me to read and count. Then one day, this obnoxious bear showed up on Sesame Street, whining about Goldilocks stealing his porridge. I hoped he wouldn't be a permanent addition to the cast. Everyday, I'd turn on the set, and there he was, screeching in that high pitched voice of his. Soon, I stopped watching Sesame Street because I was so sick of Baby Bear. I was seven years old, and I had been watching Sesame Street for seven years.

Over the years, I did what all kids do, grew up. But about three years ago, I turned on Sesame Street again, and BABY BEAR IS STILL THERE!!! Not only that, some doofus gave Elmo a twenty minute segment, in which he spends most of those twenty minutes hopping around singing, "Dee dee da dee, Elmo's World!" over and over! And BABY BEAR IS STILL THERE!!! Horrible still, I hardly ever get to see my beloved Ernie and his Ol' Buddy Bert anymore. Worse of all, BABY BEAR IS STILL THERE!!!

So yes, Elmo may have ruined Sesame Street permanently (Unless God decides to raise Jim Henson from the dead), but for me, the death of Sesame Street came with the introduction of Baby Bear. So thanks a lot, you big throw rug! I hope the rest of the cast gets wise and turns you into a fur coat!

This was one of my favorite shows as a child in the 70s. (Though my sister always preferred "The Electric Company" - if anyone remembers that.) So, naturally, I thought my own two daughters would love it. Well, at age 2-3, my oldest loved Elmo, but at age 4, she's long over both Elmo and Sesame Street - and she won't enter Kindergarten for two more years! So, I give the current show a 6. It's too inane for my 4 year old. As for myself, I was much older when I stopped watching. This was one of my favorite shows. I give the old Sesame Street a 10/10. Thus we get 8 stars overall.

When I do occasionally watch the new show, I miss Kermit, am dismayed that Snuffy is visible to everyone (where's the fun in that?), think Big Bird acts like an imbecile (was he always such a baby? maybe so), wish Grover and Cookie Monster and the Count got more face time, suspect that the current production team is trying to make Ernie and Bert seem gay, and miss some of the old segments. I think they should just stop producing new shows and start re-running the old shows starting with season 1. The ratings would probably go way up and they'd save a lot of money.

"Oh waiter! There's a fly in this production!"