Today, we're doing a DVD/TV Screenings of the recent Sesame Street Christmas special: Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas.
So LarryBoy Fanatic and I talked about it, and we decided to catch it on TV, on its premiere November 22, which we later found out that the special would air on Thanksgiving, and the day after. So, this was our initial reaction to Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas.
Title Card:
(opening song)
WC: Yeah, why?
LBF: It's so pointy, and it looks so funny. I NEED to get me one of those!
(The Count tells us that there are "3 happy children," while walking by with a bunch of gifts)
WC: Heh, hi Count.
(Elmo's dad tells Elmo a bedtime story of how Sesame Street was different from today)
WC: Yeah, Sesame Street looked different, because of the CG magic, wiping away the present set with an old-timey one.
LBF: And why does the dad have these pauses and stuttering as he's telling the story?
WC: So that they can pad this out to an hour long...?
(People are rude to Grover)
LBF: Sounds like today's world, instead of the past.
WC: Well, their clothes are authentic, but still... they take liberties.
(Elmo interrupts the story; and the show itself makes this obvious by having everyone turn to the camera)
LBF: Oh, God. Elmo just turned into the YouTube comments section!
(Elmo meets "Smudge")
(Elmo meets Bella)
LBF: I'm guessing that the point is to put Christmas back in Sesame Street? That's why there's that talking clock, or whatever Holly is?
(Grover sings a song with a guitar)
WC: Wow. Nice segway into a song.
(The characters discussing how to get Christmas back)
WC: Yeah, I guess.
LBF: But why did it leave in the first place?
WC: Meanwhile, the "Smudge" girl is like: How the hell am I any part of this?
LBF: Yeah, it's like she meets Elmo, and then Elmo becomes a friend-magnet. It's funny how that works.
WC: But hang on. This is a Christmas special; we don't want to ruin this atmosphere.
(Elmo interrupts the story again...)
LBF: Wow. This is still a thing...
WC: Yeah, imagine if all movies did that... Like someone would constantly come on and question what's going on in the plot.
LBF: Like, with something like any of the LarryBoy videos...
WC: Or the movies that Hollywood craps out nowadays... No. (mimicks Elmo's dad) Just let me tell the damn story, son!
(The characters go to a door and sing Christmas carols)
LBF: Dude...
WC: What... That would be the funniest thing yet!
(Audra McDonald sings with the characters)
WC: Wow. She's in this special? I didn't know that.
(The cop gets after "Smudge")
LBF: Did she just call that cop her dad?
WC: Now we know where she gets her bad attitude from!
LBF: Yeah, but why are they like this? Why are they not happy all the time?
(Oscar the Grouch brags about crankiness to his cohorts)
WC: He's not even the bad guy in this, and yet this thing treats him like he is.
LBF: Why did they give him this scene?
WC: Probably to emphasize--
LBF: Hang out. (pause) Just making sure no one's in the hallway, listening to Oscar talk. Man, imagine if someone walked in and heard any of this.
WC: I guess you're right about why this scene even exists... Oh, Elmo, show us the way to Christmas!
(The girl reconciles with Elmo)
LBF: So the girl's name, this whole time, was Becky?
WC: Is she now? GOOD TO KNOW! Not.
(Song about passing on kindness)
LBF: This feels like the "Pass it On" video that went viral years ago.
WC: You mean that "Life Vest" video, where they would sing "One Day" over and over, while showing people doing random kind stuff to people?
LBF: Yeah. That one.
(The cop returns the Christmas tree)
LBF: Well, the cop is happy. I guess...
WC: They forgot to show the arc of change.
(Big Bird says "Look! Up in the sky!")
LBF: It's Superman!!!
(both WC and LBF laugh)
(All 5 lights on Holly light up; and the Count announces the number with his signature laugh)
LBF: Aaaagh!
WC: Uh, hi...
LBF: Well, wait a minute! He was in the present, and now he's in the past?
WC: I guess he is a gazillon years old, as they say in his bio.
(Santa realizes that he forgotten Sesame Street)
LBF: (mimicking the elf) Why do we have to go back? They thought you were Superman!
(Cookie Monster gives Santa cookies)
WC: Uh... (pause)
(End credits)
WC: Look at that. Matt Vogel directed this special.
LBF: Hang on. I figured it out! The Count appeared only a couple of times in this special, because he was behind this thing the whole time!
(both WC and LBF laugh)
Discussion:
WC: Compared to their latest Halloween special with the characters visiting the Count's castle...
LBF: You mean the CG castle?
WC: Yeah, that castle... At least this special put more effort into the sets.
LBF: Well, they got away with using green-screen background, but you're right. More effort was put into this.
WC: Now, as far as story, it's hard to nitpick this one.
LBF: Well, I had a couple of questions.
WC: Okay.
LBF: Why were the father and daughter cranky? In fact, why was Sesame Street cranky to begin with?
WC: Oh, right. They never really mention that... But to be fair, how they got that way... That could've been a lot of reasons. Like they forgot how to be nice to people, or they were going through some kind of depression, like the Great Depression. The take-away here is that we need to be kinder to people, especially around the holidays.
LBF: Well, not just the holidays.
WC: Right.
LBF: You know what I think, Whatsoever Critic?
WC: Yeah?
LBF: We can do reviews on the videos that we've done so far on "DVD Screenings."
WC: That would be great, LarryBoy Fanatic. But first things first: production. You got to get your League of Incredible Vegetables review out.
LBF: I know.
WC: But sure. We'll do something Sesame Street-related eventually.
WC: So finally, would you recommend this special?
LBF: I don't see why not. In fact, I would put this on my go-to movies to watch around the holidays. It's harmless.
WC: I think so too. This special has all the whim-whar, and could get silly every once in a while, but hey. It's Sesame Street.
Whatsoever Critic
