jeffkjoe

For all of you who have access to the NOGGIN network and have kids or nostalgia for classic SESAME STREET, you should set your VCR's or Tivo's to tape

SESAME STREET UNPAVED


Right now in the episode rotation, they're on the 1971 episodes, and they showed the season premiere from that season.

My daughter and I saw it this morning and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

Did you know that the 1971 season premiere was the first episode to feature Maria, Luis, David, and everyone's favorite pal MR. SNUFFLE-UPAGUS?

What was REALLY INTERESTING was that MR.. SNUFFLE-UPAGUS in the beginning had GREEN EYES!!!!

I guess Jim Henson's designers were wise to scrap that feature, since he looked REALLY freaky on that episode.



(BTW, the way Snuffy first appears is that Big Bird is in his nest trying to water some flowers and can't find his watering can. Snuffy then appears out of nowhere (with his large GREEN eyes), scaring the bejesus out of Big Bird, and sprays water on the flowers using his trunk.


Off the subject, anyone remember what color Oscar was before he turned green?

bboisvert

Wow, that's cool. I didn't realize that there was a station out there reshowing these old episodes. That's a fantastic idea!


Of course, as many know, during the first 15 years or so -- no one but Big Bird would ever see Snuffy. Every time Bird would go to introduce him to someone, Snuffy would have to leave... so everyone thought that Bird was just making him up.

Down the road, the producers found out that this probably wasn't the best idea. Kids were watching this knowing damn well that Snuffy was real. Yet no adult would believe Big Bird about him. That seemed to fly in the face of everything that you try to teach kids at that age about abuse and whatnot -- make sure to tell an adult, people will believe you, etc.

So, I don't remember the exact date, but sometime in the mid-80s or so, everyone finally met Snuffy and he was no longer an "imaginary" friend.

A rather sickly shade of orange.

jeffkjoe

Yeah, the episode where SNUFFLE-UPAGUS is "out-ed" to everyone on Sesame Street is also part of the episode rotation.


The other "classic" episodes they show on SESAME STREET UNPAVED (there are only 65 or 67 they rotate from) include:



1) the pilot
2) 4 other episodes from 1969
3) every season premiere from 1970 to 1976
4) the R2-D2 and C3PO shows
5) the cross-over with Mister Rogers
6) Mr. Hooper's death
7) where they all go to Hawaii
8) where they all go to Puerto Rico
9) Maria and Luis' wedding and pregnancy


So, start taping SESAME STREET UNPAVED on the Noggin Network.....Noggin is not on every cable circulation, but can be found on most Direct TV, satellite, and digital cable line-ups.

It's on at 5 in the morning. They show ELECTRIC COMPANY too.

They usually show 2 to 5 episodes from every year up to 1989, and right now they're on 1971, so if you've NEVER seen what SESAME looked like in the beginning, start watching now!!!!!

beavismom

My stinky cable company doesn't carry Noggin . There is a book called Sesame Street Unpaved as well and it is one of our family favorites. It has a ton of background on the show.

Tesiae

I still remember the death of Mr. Hooper. One of the saddest hours of television I have ever seen.

SilentBobrulez

Man now my childhood nightmare problem is solved. I always was scared of going down into my dark basement to get stuff because i thought snuffy would attack me with those eyes. Now i know it was just memories from the episode. I also thought Big Bird would attack me with a giant tooth but it turned out i go that nightmare from the XMas episode when he's on the roof. I'm actually kind of scared now.

elektra

I don't know if I have that station or not. But I LOVE Mr. Snuffle Upagus. My favorite guy. I have stuffed one in my bedroom.

Iron Chef

Yikes. That big green eye gives me the creeps.

I will have to catch some of these older episodes on Noggin.

rfduncan

In fact, I read that the reasoning behind this went a little further. It was learned that children who were being sexually molested were withholding it from parents for this very reason - no adults believed Big Bird so, no adults would believe them either. Pretty creepy!

Charlie Goose

I used to get to incredibly frustrated when Snuffy would disappear as soon as an adult came along. I sure would like to see the first episode they found out that he was real.

I remember the episode that dealt with Mr. Hooper's death. Very well handled and touching.

Honk!

whotony

I KNEW IT. i have sworn for years that he was orange in the beginning but no one would believe me. iw was told my color tv must have been off.

finally vilified.

Eplicon

When I was a kid, I was also annoyed to no end that the no one believed the existence of Big Bird's pal. Every time it seemed like they were on the verge of meeting him, something happened at the last minute and prevented that. One episode in particular that I clearly remember was when Sesame Street was experiencing a black out. If I recall right, throughout the show, a certain part of the neighborhood would lose its power. Finally, at the end of the show (it was now night time), with just one light, everyone gathered outside Susan and Gordon's apartment on the steps. Big Bird realized this was a great opportunity to finally introduce Snuffle-Upagus to everyone. They agreed.

The exact moment he came into the picture, the last light went out and no one could see a thing. All you heard was his voice, saying to the effect of "Oh, dear Big Bird. I think I better go home."

Then several years later parents and child psychologists realized that when kids told the truth and no adult would believe them, it was very detrimental to their well being. And so, of course, they rectified that by finally having people finally meet the big wooly guy. I was in high school when did that episode.

I've had no closure from my childhood because of that.

Breakfast with Girls

Do you mean "vindicated" or possibly "verified"?

Giantrobo

I always thought that Current Costume was really cool in terms of how it looks and works. It is second only to the Big Bird costume.

whotony

so i wasn't an english major.

AGuyNamedMike

I remember all of this. Dang, I am old.

For me, Oscar will ALWAYS be orange.

jeffkjoe

And Gordon will always have hair and be played by Matt Robinson, Holly Robinson Peete's father.