Sesame Street Old School V3

This third installment of the "Old School" DVD series covers seasons 11-15 (1979-84) of Sesame Street. Like previous installments, it features each season's premiere episode, along with a selection of "classic cuts" from each season, and some other bonus material. Unfortunately, this release is a step down from volumes 1 and 2 - not because the show itself declined in quality (it's still classic Sesame Street all the way), but because of a decrease in bonus material and a VERY glaring ommission that occurs in every episode included.

As it is, the previous volumes already had some minor issues. While the formula of including five (nearly) complete episodes and a selection of clips is not a bad one, I don't think that the season premieres were necessarily the best episodes to include, especially since many of them repeated the same segments (particularly ones about the number 2). This set actually features some episodes with a different number sponsor, but there's now another problem: two of the episodes are actually the beginning of week-long story arcs (the trip to Puerto Rico in season 11, and Big Bird going to camp in season 14). So in this case, I think it would have been better to include episodes that stood more on their own.

Another issue with previous sets is that some material had to be cut or replaced due to music or other clearance issues. This continues with volume 3, but here's where it gets really puzzling: apparently this time they couldn't clear the rights to their own theme song! All five episodes are presented without their original opening sequence, and a few other occurrences of the theme within the episodes were also edited out. There is some solace in that the instrumental harmonica version of the theme still appears at the beginning and end of each story. But nonetheless, this is a very glaring omission that makes the episodes feel incomplete, and I'm at a loss as to why there would be an issue with the song.

Finally, there is a significant cutback in bonus clips, possibly due to the reduction from three discs to two. If you look at Volume 2, each season featured at least nine "classic cuts", and season six in particular featured nearly twenty. For this set, we only get five for each season, a number of which were already released on previous collection. Also, likely due to a combination of the reduction in discs and the aforementioned theme song issues, we do not get the Friday credit crawls from each season as we did in the previous sets. While I would not consider the credits to be essential, I and other fans do have a fascination with the way they evolved over the years, and was hoping to find out when the long-running sequence with Barkley and the kids in the park debuted. That said, there are a handful of rare gems featuring lesser-known characters like Dr. Nobel Price and Warren Wolf, as well as some nice bonus features including an exclusive interview with Caroll Spinney (Big Bird/Oscar), and commentary from Sonia Manzano (Maria) on the season 11 Puerto Rico episode.

Your satisfaction with this release will ultimately depend on how much of a completist you are. Although there were some minor issues with the previous sets, they were complete enough to leave me satisfied. However, I would not regard this one as a "must buy" due to the major cuts and relative lack of bonus features. I actually would have been more satisfied if they just released a large collection of clips from this era - at least then I would know not to expect the full experience of watching a complete episode, and there would probably be more rare material. But those of you who just want to relive some classic early 80's Sesame Street moments will probably be more than content with this set.

Somewhere in the collective consciousness of those of us who grew up with Sesame Street is a sense of hope, of being able to live together with one another in ways that are creative, emancipatory, and rhythmical. This collection allows the political and social hope that was Sesame Street to shine through even more clearly than the previous volumes. Beginning with the show in which Maria goes back to Puerto Rico, the cast and the shows allow us to remember how often Sesame Street showed urban and rural images often side by side, providing a lived experience of togetherness within a nation that was often on edge over its diversity.

The music of Joe Raposo, and the montage of images shown with his songs, also contributed to a mood and a depth that has been unmatched in the last 30 or so seasons since. Look at the song about 2 (pairs of people) or about family. Look at the connections Raposo makes between animals and humans. Truly, something deep and lasting in melody, in images, and in philosophy.

What happened after the late 80s to this show? Was it that the entire PBS came under attack? Was it that the show's writers and PhDs who advised (and I think controlled) content felt that they had to cowtow to a certain political group that was not in power in the 70s? Whatever the reasons for the shift, and I for one think it was profound, the truth is that these three volumes remain a kind of collective memory to a show that allowed us to see one another as beautiful, strong, and creative people.

If you care about your children's future in a world hungering for friendship and community; if you want to remember what it looked like when people were not polished, when Roosevelt Franklin spoke like an African American unabashedly and bravely, when Spanish was not introduced in single words but in whole sentences, when the Muppets were neither controlling adults nor alarming 2-year olds (Elmo)--then you need to get this set of discs.

Sometime in the future, if not already, there will be college courses on this show. Perhaps some of us can write the material now. This show deserves it (at least it used to).

For those of us who loved the music of Joe Raposo, the work and humor of Jim Henson, and the melting pot of diversity that the Street in the 70s gave us--thank you Sesame Street. We may have to pay you now for getting back our memories, our country and our togetherness. But that makes up in a way for our not having to pay you then.

Please make all episodes and skits available after you have parceled out these collections. There is still more to see!

Right after i received Sesame Street school Vol. 3 in the mail, I quickly searched thru all 5 episodes, and right away noticed that the theme song with those well known lyrics, "Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street"?, is EDITED OUT of all 5 Episodes. UNBELIEVEABLE! Volume's 1 and 2 didn't have that problem, so why now Volume 3. That is my guess as to why it took so long to release Volume 3. Maybe it was possibly found out that buying the rights to the theme song was gonna cost too much money.

Don't let that keep you from buying SSOS Vol.3, cuz if you grew up with it, there is always great vintage material to look back on. More than one time, i ran across the PINBALL NUMBER COUNT about the number 2. That's ok with me, cuz I like the song. The song with the TWO GIRLS AND A LITTLE DOLL HOUSE is in this set. I know that one was in an earlier set. Segments repeated over the years, so we wouldn't forget. I saw at least a couple KERMIT THE FROG NEWS FLASH segments, like about the OLD WOMAN WHO LIVED IN A SHOE. The old woman quickly put Kermit in charge and told the kids, "Go to bed when the frog tells you". I laughed good at that one. There was also GUY SMILEY and those game show segments.

It would have been nice to have more BONUS material segments is this set. Each season premiere episode had about 5 or 6 bonus segments, which was good but not enough stuff. Included was the clip where Big Bird was told that Mr. Hooper died and couldn't ever come back. I remember that when I was about 7 or 8. Also included inside the set is a very nice thick booklet with plenty of good stuff to read about the show. It it very fascinating and enjoyable!

All in all, plenty of great material. Worth getting for sure, but a word of warning that the theme song is edited out of all episodes.