Episode 3603

	Sesame Street
	The letter Z wants to quit the alphabet; (repeat of 3358)
Air date	March 5, 1997
Season	Season 28 (1996-1997)
Written by	Belinda Ward
Production	December 20, 1994; February 28, 1995
Sponsors	N, Z, 4

Picture	Segment	Description
	COLD OPEN	Telly Monster, Monster on the Spot reporter, is covering a disturbance in the alphabet. The letter Z (Camille Bonora) is sick of being the last letter of the alphabet and wants to be first. Telly points out that A is first. The letter A (Peter Linz) agrees and asks Z to be a good letter and go back to the end of the alphabet where she belongs, but Z refuses to comply. Telly tells the viewers to "don't worry!" and segues to the theme song.
	SCENE 1	The letters continue to bicker as Maria and two kids (Lindsay and Thea) come out from Hooper's Store, having heard the news. The letter A insists that everyone knows he's the first letter in the alphabet, and he has the kids sing "The Alphabet Song" to prove his point. Z suggests changing the alphabet, but Maria says that then everyone would have to learn it all over again. Besides, A likes where he is and doesn't want to budge. The letter Z starts sobbing that she'll never get to be first. Maria tells Z that just because she can't be first in the alphabet doesn't mean she can't be the first letter of a word. Z likes this idea and decides to quit the alphabet, figuring "why be last when I can be first." A shocked Telly Monster advises viewers "DON'T PANIC!" as he promises to get Z back.
	Film	Kids sing the alphabet on an island. (First: Episode 3154)
	Cartoon	A photographer shows off his first picture of cows, his next picture of ducks, and his last picture of a pig. (First: Episode 1245)
	Animation	N / n paper fold (First: Episode 3114)
	Film	Jaws spoof with the letter N. (First: Episode 3333)
	Cartoon	The Typewriter: N for Nose (First: Episode 0763)
	Film	A girl goes to school somewhere in Africa. We see the girl getting ready to go to school, as she washes herself and brushes her teeth, puts on her clothes, brushes her hair, and takes her lunch, all with some help from her mother. We see her walking past her neighbors and watching her classmates play outside as she arrives at school. The bell rings and the girl enters the school, where the teacher is passing out chalk to her students. We see the teacher teaching the students the English words: "a boy", "a girl", "a man", "a woman," which she has written on the board, along with a drawing for each word. The students repeat the words, then write them down on their individual chalkboards as we hear the girl remark, "We are learning to read and write." The students then jump up and down, as the teacher looks on, smiling. Next, we see the students jumping outside excitedly, now that school has finished. (First: Episode 2658)
	Cartoon	A little boy asks his big brother questions about what happens at school. Artist: John Korty (First: Episode 1877)
	Muppets	All types of wild animals that lay eggs sing "Let's Lay an Egg." (First: Episode 3060)
	Animation	The word EGGS is shown, followed by eggs frying in a skillet. (First: Episode 3045)
	SCENE 2	Telly reports from Hooper's Store, where the Letter Z declares that she will never be the last letter again. She denies Telly's pleas to rejoin the alphabet, knowing she won't be first, and instead has her mind set on being the first letter in the word eggs. Mr. Handford disagrees, pointing out that E is first. Z places herself in front of the word anyway, which now reads zeggs. Telly argues that zeggs isn't a word, but then, a Fat Blue woman (Julianne Buescher) enters the store and orders a couple of zeggs, just as the sign now says. Mr. Handford tells her they don't have any zeggs, so she heads off to the zupermarket. The letter Z decides to catch up with her, saying "last one there is a rotten zegg!" Telly follows that Z!
	Animation	Z / z Gregorian chant (First: Episode 3332)
	Muppets	Muppet & Kid Moment — Cookie Monster and Lexine identify a letter Z. (First: Episode 3296)
	Cartoon	Z In Space (First: Episode 0509)
	Muppets	The Martians are a "Yip Yip Family." (First: Episode 2724)
	Cartoon	"Family Dance" Artist: Karen Aqua (First: Episode 3487)
	Cartoon	A boy narrates a poem about how he met Eleanor, the monster under his bed. Artist: ArtistMike (First: Episode 2773)
	Muppets	Baby Tooth and the Fuzzy Funk dance to Aaron Copland's "Hoedown" with some ribbon twirlers. Part 1 (First: Episode 3542)
	Cartoon	Slot-machine legs: Cowboy & horse (First: Episode 1702)
	Muppets	Baby Tooth and the Fuzzy Funk dance to Aaron Copland's "Hoedown" with some kids. Part 2 (First: Episode 3542)
	Cartoon	A real Indian boy tells two boys who are playing Cowboy and Indian that Indians don't say "ugh", despite what the other boys had heard on TV. (First: Episode 0771)
	Muppets	"Big Bird Doesn't Fly" (First: Episode 3249)
	Cartoon	A baby bird tries and tries again to fly from its nest. Artist: Irra Verbitsky (First: Episode 1510)
	Film	A girl narrates a film of helping her dad, a pilot, fly a small plane. They fly through New York City, past the World Trade Center and the Statue of Liberty. (First: Episode 3431)
	Cartoon	I thought a thought ... about circles. Artist: Cliff Roberts (First: Episode 0247)
	Muppets / Celebrity	"I Don't Want to Live on the Moon" with Ernie and Aaron Neville (First: Episode 3242)
	Cartoon	Sarah Wenkel reads a poem about a bug. Artist: ArtistMike (First: Episode 3518)
	SCENE 3	Telly reports that Z has just made up her own alphabet; which makes her not only the first letter, but every letter of the alphabet. She proceeds to sing "The Alphabet Song" with every letter replaced with Z. Telly and the kids halfheartedly join in as she sings a second time, but the kids lose interest and leave partway through. Telly explains that it's not fun just singing the same letter over and over. Z sees his point and starts to miss all her letter friends. Telly suggests that she return to the alphabet, and while she may not be first, she'll be with her friends again. The Z agrees and goes to ask for her old job back.
	Cartoon	Two alpine climbers hike up a letter Z and stake a claim on it. (First: Episode 0281)
	Muppets	Over the Top, a ZZ Top-like band, sings "ZZ Blues". (First: Episode 2317)
	Cartoon	Z for Zebu (new music added) Artist: Jeff Hale (First: Episode 1185)
	Song	"When You Grow Up" (First: Episode 2912)
	Muppets	Grover applies to be a lifeguard, demonstrating to the employer that he has what it takes. He soon learns that there's only one thing he needs: swimming lessons. (First: Episode 1951)
	Cartoon	Esme's wooden clown breaks, and she is about to throw it away, when it suggests she use glue to fix it. Artist: Lisa Crafts (First: Episode 2843)
	Insert	Bob asks Zoe if she wants to go to an interesting place, just Around the Corner. Bob sings a song about it. (First: Episode 3262)
	Film	Lamont, who lives in the city, visits his friend Adrian, who lives in the country. Together they ride bikes, swim, and have dinner with Adrian's family. (First: Episode 2800)
	Cartoon	An ant is pressured by his peers to finish the anthill all by himself, until he enlists the cooperation of the others. (First: Episode 1478)
	Film	The McDoubles (Batty and Crooky) count to 10 on their fingers. (First: Episode 3224)
	Muppets	Elmo sings "In Your Imagination." (new overdubs added) (First: Episode 3119)
	Animation	Four butterflies fly across a film of a waterfall. (First: Episode 2834)
	Cartoon	The Ringmaster presents four lions. (new sound effects added) (First: Episode 1309)
	Film	Four kids dance in a colorblock grid. (First: Episode 3149)
	Cartoon	A magician writes in his diary about the many mishaps during his performance. (new sound effects added) (First: Episode 2053)
	SCENE 4	The kids sing "The Alphabet Song" once more, with Z back in her proper place. Telly interviews Z afterwards, who now doesn't mind being last in the alphabet, and remembers that she starts lots of words (even mentioning zeggs). Telly concludes that everything is back to normal, however, Z reconsiders and thinks maybe she could be in the middle of the alphabet instead. She sings the alphabet, inserting herself between L and M, and Telly replies that it sounds terrible. As the Z tries to find a new place, Maria announces the sponsors (Z, N and 4) and waves "Adios" with the kids.
	COMING SOON	Coming soon on Sesame Street: Put on your dancin' shoes and dance away the blues!