New network, same street. Sesame Street will be moving to HBO soon, and in honor of the coming influx of new episodes, a new trailer has been released that contains all the usual Sesame Street charm we would expect from the series – along with numerous celebrity cameos. Check it out below.
As mentioned above, the trailer is absolutely chock full of celebrity cameos. Actors like Jon Hamm and Tina Fey appear in sketches with the iconic residents of Sesame Street, while musicians such as Usher playfully dance. In general, everyone involved seems thrilled to be able to give something back to the iconic children’s program – which has basically become legendary in its own right over the years. In addition to these cameos, the trailer makes a point to highlight all of the characters that Sesame Street fans have come to know and love over the years. From The Count, Oscar the Grouch, Bert, Ernie, Elmo, and Big Bird, everyone is given their time to shine. The whole thing ends with a little shout out to Star Wars, as Cookie Monster – dressed as Han Solo – attacks his co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon: a giant chocolate chip cookie.
Despite the influx of celebrities and better production quality, Sesame Street seems to have maintained the charm that it has always been known for. The authenticity of the trailer is a relief, considering that not every property has benefited from reboots. In particular, The Muppets has overwhelmingly suffered due to immense backlash against the show’s attempt to embrace more adult elements such as sex, dating, and fame. By contrast, Sesame Street continues to uphold the more immature yet educational tone it has always been known for and as a result feels comforting and familiar to those of us who grew up with it.
In a way, bringing Sesame Street to HBO could be considered a stroke of genius on the part of everyone involved. With the networks resources and streaming capabilities, it will make it easier than ever for parents who have busy schedules to find the time and means to help their children learn with Sesame Street. It also comes down to a matter of survivor for the iconic series, as Sesame Street found itself pretty much hemorrhaging money at PBS. It has been revealed that classic episodes of Sesame Street will be made available to audiences as well, increasing the appeal to those of us who have a thing for nostalgia.
If you’re a parent, or simply a kid who grew up with the overwhelming whimsy of Sesame Street then be sure to check out the trailer at the top of the article. The new season of Sesame Street will begin airing January 16 on HBO.
