This show has always been a class act, with storylines never too corny or smarmy to alienate the adults and never too vague or dark to drive away the kids.
I've always been a fan of many of the "shorts" that are shown between the street segments and the Muppet bits. Some of them are as artsy and surreal as they are educational. And the actors who inhabit the street, from "old-timers" like Bob McGrath and Loretta Long to relative newcomers like Alison Bartlett and Ruth Buzzi, always project warmth and dignity in their attempts to enlighten children.
But without the comic genius of Jim Henson's Muppets, and unforgettable characters like Grover, Oscar, Ernie and Bert, Elmo and others, I doubt that Sesame Street would've lasted 15 years, much less 30. They make the difference between this show being a dignified (but somewhat dated) educational tool, and a virtually untouchable national treasure.
I always thought that several of the songs written for this show, particularly the ones by Joe Raposo and Jeff Moss, were a cut above the norm. ("I Don't Want To Live On The Moon," for example, is a stone-cold classic, in my view.) And this show, of all places, featured what I think is one of TV's all-time great live musical performances: Stevie Wonder's sizzling version of "Superstition."
Despite the recent love and props for Elmo, it is possible that this show's best days might be behind it. For one thing, the show is just not as unique as it once was: cable shows such as "Blue's Clues," "Bear In The Big Blue House," and "Out Of The Box" seem to have more impact and even a bit more quality. (Also, since Henson's death in 1990, the comic inventiveness of the Muppet skits has decreased somewhat.) Nevertheless, "Sesame Street" remains the best kids show on PBS, and should still have quite a bit of a run left.
I've always been a fan of many of the "shorts" that are shown between the street segments and the Muppet bits. Some of them are as artsy and surreal as they are educational. And the actors who inhabit the street, from "old-timers" like Bob McGrath and Loretta Long to relative newcomers like Alison Bartlett and Ruth Buzzi, always project warmth and dignity in their attempts to enlighten children.
But without the comic genius of Jim Henson's Muppets, and unforgettable characters like Grover, Oscar, Ernie and Bert, Elmo and others, I doubt that Sesame Street would've lasted 15 years, much less 30. They make the difference between this show being a dignified (but somewhat dated) educational tool, and a virtually untouchable national treasure.
I always thought that several of the songs written for this show, particularly the ones by Joe Raposo and Jeff Moss, were a cut above the norm. ("I Don't Want To Live On The Moon," for example, is a stone-cold classic, in my view.) And this show, of all places, featured what I think is one of TV's all-time great live musical performances: Stevie Wonder's sizzling version of "Superstition."
Despite the recent love and props for Elmo, it is possible that this show's best days might be behind it. For one thing, the show is just not as unique as it once was: cable shows such as "Blue's Clues," "Bear In The Big Blue House," and "Out Of The Box" seem to have more impact and even a bit more quality. (Also, since Henson's death in 1990, the comic inventiveness of the Muppet skits has decreased somewhat.) Nevertheless, "Sesame Street" remains the best kids show on PBS, and should still have quite a bit of a run left.