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Parenting
TobleroneBar
member
Classic SS vs Newer SS
TobleroneBar
member
in Parenting
When I was a child, there was nothing better than Sesame Street. The show had a honest and gritty feel to it. Every episode was unique and the characters, I believed I could see them really living in my neighborhood.
Newer SS is very different...everything is carefully worded and characters are all happy and polite. These are people that live in a neighborhood that I've only heard about...even the grouch has undertones of niceness even though he is supposed to be a grouch. The essence of the show today just seems more homogenized. Each episode is dedicated to two character for half the entire program...Abby and Elmo.
Classic SS...the characters were a lot more emotional, almost hostile and angry at times. For example, Oscar wanted to wear a hat and was asking for help from the adult character, Dave. When the hat wasn't being placed just right how Oscar wanted it, Dave became angry at the grouch; started yelling and ended up slamming the hat on Oscar's head. I thought "wow, that was pretty intense for a kids show" even the word "violent" echo'd in my head. I thought how silly of me to think that...I would probably get annoyed too. BUT this is a kid show.
So, I start to wonder, were we damaged by watching a program that displayed hostile attitudes? was Grover's impatience as a waiter an impact on me? was I hurt by Burt being so intolerant of Ernie's questions? Or are my kids being effected by the complete opposite of what I grew up with?
Which do you guys like better? Do you feel that old SS is more "violent" then newer SS? BTW, thank you whoever it was that pointed out the classic SS...it's been fun.
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Re: Classic SS vs Newer SS
DD actually watches "play with me sesame." We get in "On Demand." It actually mixes up new SS and old SS. I like it a lot.
I miss "On Demand" in so many ways.
Maybe I'm not too hip to all the new movies/Disney but last night we watched Peter Pan, the 1950's Disney version and what's his face, hooks right hand man, no pun intended.... Was wasted. I can't think of a Disney movie now that would have a drunk skunk in it. ...is there?
I was the one who passed on the classic SS- I have been loving it! But I have noticed how different it is from new SS- last night we were watching the first one and they had this skit about an "Unhappy Empire" in China (maybe?) and the puppets would be considered racist today- totally had the overdone streotypical eyes, accents, gong, the whole thing. And I also noticed the moods and attitudes of the characters A LOT. I don't know, I think we are just more aware of how words affect others, so everything is so careful. I like that the classic shows a range of emotions and friendships. It does seem grittier, some how.
I think the older shows were intneded to watch with your parents- last night, I explained a lot of the show to DS- "Look, Bert is being mean. Do we treat our friends like that?" and stuff like that.
It's crazy how different the show feels today, huh?
I barely recognized him. Plus he is mean!
I usually do this too.
Big Bird used the word Hate on the classic episode we watched today! I still prefer the old stuff but DS got bored of it after one episode. I am waiting to see some imaginary Snuffy. Ike loves him tons.
I also enjoyed the fact that there were a lot more skits of the letters and numbers. The last episode we saw on TV was all about a stain on Baby Bears shirt and they spent half an hour trying to get it out.
I teared up a little on the inside when he started asking for Abby Adabby and Elmo.
It is pretty crazy and very noticable. While I personally prefer the old, there are some likable traits on the new version.
It's good that you can discuss what went wrong in a skit and how it could have gone better. In that instance the old is better, showing that these emotions DO happen. Rather than a celebrity demonstrating how putting on a sweater could be frustrating.
Being in our 40s and so growing up with the oldest of the old SS episodes, DH and I are all about the classic episodes. We're slowly learning to accept Elmo in our lives, but Abby is annoying as anything...well, at least her fairy school is...and Baby Bear just needs a perpetual time out for whining.
So, no, I don't think we were damaged in any way. Nor do I truly believe my kids will be damaged even if classic episodes are all they ever see of the show. I think it's ridiculous that videos of vintage episodes have to put the disclaimer about "just being for entertainment purposes and not really meant for kids" on them.
Honestly, I think the "violence" is kind of a good thing. I mean, who among us hasn't fought with our spouse, or gotten frustrated at our kids' constant questions, refusal to stand still and put clothes on, or whatever. That kind of stuff happens but doesn't mean we don't love our kids any less. And on SS, I NEVER doubted that Mr. Hooper loved Big Bird... no matter how annoyed he got that BB never got his name right!
The late 60s/70s were one of the rougher times in our country's history from a socio-economic standpoint, and I think the older episodes roughness around the edges showed that. Not sure why that's not OK nowadays.
The lack of skits focusing on numbers/letters in favor of other stuff is what really irritates me about the new version. The one day I watched a current ep with DS and we were learning about "habitats." OK, that's all good and well, but how about making sure we first know that habitat begins with the letter H?!
awesomely said