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Sesame Street
Premiere November 18, 1985 (2096)
Finale May 16, 1986 (2225)
Episodes 130
2096-Snuffgroupgawk

Mr. Snuffleupagus is finally revealed to be more than just a "fig newton" of Big Bird's imagination.

RobinsonFamily

Beaming parents Gordon and Susan with their adopted son Miles.

Character

"The Batty Bat"

2099f

Gordon spends the night at Snuffy's cave.

Happy and Sad

Elmo and Kermit give a lesson on "happy" and "sad."

2121f

Piri gets a job working at Hooper's Store, and learns an important lesson in serving Grouches.

Song

"Imagine That"

2152f

Big Bird consults the Bureau of Missing Bears in order to find a lost Radar.

OscarDanny

Danny DeVito as Vincent Van Grouch, observing Oscar's potential entries into the Museum of Trash.

2134-Placido-BW

Opera star Placido Flamingo makes his debut in Episode 2134.

Ernie&Elmo

"One Fine Face"

Juggles

Dexter, a large monster obsessed with juggling, makes his sole appearances this season.

2155b

Grundgetta befriends a punk named Tanya, whom she mistakes for a fellow Grouch.

EdithPrickleyToTT

Andrea Martin makes her first of many guest appearances on Sesame Street.

MissMyX

Patti LaBelle sings "Oh, How I Miss My X."

PerlmanPlacido

Additional season 17 guest stars include Itzhak Perlman (pictured), Wynton Marsalis, Tony Danza, and Rubén Blades.

Leopartymonstercomputer

Leo the Party Monster types out invitations to his latest bash at the Fix-It Shop.

Readersoftheopenrange

"Readers of the Open Range"

SnuffyNatasha

Mr. Snuffleupagus meets Baby Natasha and tries to teach her how to talk.

MM

Reporter Kermit the Frog embarks to find out what the Miami Mice consider an adventure.

2223-02

Teri Garr as Amelia, working hard in Oscar's New School for Grouch Research.

LetterOfTheDayPageant-Flowers

Guy Smiley hosts the Letter of the Day Pageant.

2361 01c

Slimey dabbles in the world of magic.

3136zk

"Caribbean Amphibian"

LeoStreetParty-01

Leo throws a street party in the yard.

Sesame Street Season 17 aired from November 18, 1985, to May 16, 1986.

Overview[]

For season 17, the topic of adopting a child was introduced. In an almost week-long series Gordon and Susan went through the process of adopting Miles to join their family. Through Miles, lessons on the physical developments of infants and infant care were taught. The concept of sibling rivalry that had previously been explored as early as season 8 was reintroduced, as both Big Bird and Mr. Snuffleupagus had difficult times adjusting to the new baby. Though not featured as prominently as the adoption storyline, lessons utilizing simple songs were done in order to prepare the preschool audience for school music.[1] Examples include Big Bird's "You Can Be a Birdketeer" recruitment song and Oscar's old teacher Miss Blechman educating the Grouchketeers on how to play a Grouch melody.

In the 14 years of the character's existence, Mr. Snuffleupagus had been considered by many (mostly adults) as Big Bird's "imaginary friend" primarily due to his shyness and inability to stay put. With the awareness of news stories involving pedophilia and child abuse, the Sesame Street writing team felt it was important to have the positive lesson taught of a child being honest and their caregivers believing them, no matter how unbelievable their claim may be at first. With the show's history of Big Bird trying to bring attention to Mr. Snuffleupagus only to be ignored, it was time for a change. For the season premiere, Snuffy is finally seen by almost all of the grown-up cast, with several of them apologizing for how they treated Big Bird's claims before. Episodes during the first week focused on Snuffy learning how to become friends with Maria and Bob, introducing his stuffed toy Mr. Anteloper, and Gordon getting to know Snuffy better as he helps him with his bedtime routines.

Characters and segments[]

Kevin Clash performs Elmo full-time this season, and several of the aspects from his previous characterization (wanting to play a game all the time and chanting "Yes-yes-yes!") are gradually dropped in favor of a more young, naive three-year-old monster who's curious about the world. Jazz musician Hoots the Owl is featured more in street stories having been introduced in one episode the season before. A different musical bird makes his grand entrance in Episode 2134 - opera virtuoso (and slightly egotistical) Placido Flamingo.

Several other new characters include: the boisterous Leo the Party Monster who, as his name implies, is a monster obsessed with partying anywhere at any time; juggling monster Dexter; trickster cats Chip and Dip who love to pester Oscar the Grouch; and Baby Natasha, who speaks in only baby babbles. Reflecting pop culture trends, the recurring segment "Miami Mice" features the snazzy-dressed Tito and J. P. who fight crime while giving each other fashion checks in-between cases, breaks, office work, etc.

Episodes[]

Episodes 2096 - 2225 (130 episodes)

Cast[]

Cast
Linda Bove, Northern Calloway, Emilio Delgado, Loretta Long, Sonia Manzano, Bob McGrath, Roscoe Orman, Alaina Reed (Uncredited: Micki Barnett, Eddie Castrodad, Bill McCutcheon, Miles Orman, Loretta Tupper)
Jim Henson's Muppets
Caroll Spinney, Frank Oz, Richard Hunt, Jerry Nelson, Martin P. Robinson, Kevin Clash, Pam Arciero, Fred Garbo, Bryant Young (Uncredited: Fran Brill, Michael Elizabeth Huston, Noel MacNeal, David Rudman, Richard Termine)
Guest Stars
Rubén Blades, Tempestt Bledsoe, Lisa Bonet, Sid Caesar, Bill Cobbs, Tony Danza, Danny DeVito, Phil Donahue, Frances Foster, Teri Garr, Annabelle Gurwitch, Patti LaBelle, Yo-Yo Ma, Wynton Marsalis, Itzhak Perlman, Keshia Knight Pulliam, The Sweeties, Malcolm-Jamal Warner[2][3][4]

Characters[]

Humans
Gordon, Susan, Maria, Luis, Linda, Bob, David, Uncle Wally, Miles, Mr. Macintosh, Olivia, Piri, Micki, Miss Trump, Willy, Lee, Dorothy
Muppets
AM Monsters, Anything Muppets, Barkley, Bert, Biff, Big Bird, Bip Bipadotta, Miss Blechman, Bruno the Trashman, Buster the Horse, Chip and Dip, Clementine, Cookie Monster, Count von Count, Dexter, Dinger, Don Music, Dr. Nobel Price, Elmo, Ernie, Ferlinghetti Donizetti, Forgetful Jones, Gladys the Cow, Grover, Grundgetta, Guy Smiley, Herry Monster, Honkers, Mr. Honker, Hoots the Owl, Irvine, Kermit the Frog, Leo the Party Monster, Mario, Miami Mice, Mommy Snuffleupagus, Baby Natasha, Oscar the Grouch, Placido Flamingo, Prairie Dawn, Readers of the Open Range, The Rockheads, Shelley the Turtle, Simon Soundman, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Slimey, Stella, Sully, Telly Monster, Two-Headed Monster

Credits[]

Sources[]


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Season 16 (1984-1985) Season 18 (1986-1987)
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