Season 29 (1997-1998)

Sesame Street
Premiere	November 17, 1997 (3656)
Finale	May 15, 1998 (3785)
Episodes	130

Season 29 focuses on space and science. For over half of the season, Slimey is aboard the Wiggleprise, and exploring the moon and space.

In the season premiere, Big Bird meets Jerome, a new friend who just moved to the street.

The famous Sesame Street sign goes missing.

Wynton Marsalis' Monster Music Class.

Slimey arrives home in the season finale.

"Girl of the World"

"Slimey to the Moon" with Tony Bennett.

"Worms in Space" sketches were introduced this season.

This season was dedicated to Jon Stone.

Sesame Street Season 29 aired from November 17, 1997 to May 15, 1998.

Season overview

The season's main focus is "The Science of Discovery," featuring many story lines pertaining to the excitement of discovering science. The season also features the "Slimey in Space" story line, told over the course of the 18-week season.

The season also features special theme weeks, where each episode in the week pertain to a specific curriculum: Music (Episode 3721 - Episode 3725), Health and Safety (Episode 3731 - Episode 3735), Literacy (Episode 3766 - Episode 3770) and Laughter (Episode 3776 - Episode 3780).

Episodes

Episodes 3656 - 3785 (130 episodes)

• Episode 3656 -- Jerome moves to Sesame Street (L, 20)
• Episode 3657 -- Refrigerator Museum of Art (A, 16)
• Episode 3658 -- When Maria was young (U, 9)
• Episode 3659 -- X doesn't want to be the Letter of the Day (X, 5)
• Episode 3660 -- Playing with puzzles (J, 0)
• Episode 3661 -- Frazzle's favorite book (O, 4)
• Episode 3662 -- Natasha's horn party (I, 10)
• Episode 3663 -- Elmo's dream (E, 11)
• Episode 3664 -- Poconoko! (P, 12)
• Episode 3665 -- Maria fixes Snuffy's toaster (W, 17)
• Episode 3671 -- The Worm World Music Festival (repeat) (I, 5)
• Episode 3672 -- Snuffy visits Miles (repeat) (B, 12)
• Episode 3673 -- Tarah sleeps over at Gabi's (repeat) (O, 5)
• Episode 3674 -- Oscar babysits Natasha (repeat) (J, 20)
• Episode 3675 -- The Bears dine at the Robinson's (repeat) (X, 4)
• Episode 3676 -- Maria and Luis take care of Barkley (repeat) (Z, 14)
• Episode 3681 -- Frazzle helps Maria (B, 18)
• Episode 3682 -- The Knights of Countalot (Z, 3)
• Episode 3683 -- Big Bird wants to change his name (M, 12)
• Episode 3684 -- Baby Bear gets honey (Q, 13)
• Episode 3685 -- Herry tries to watch H films (H, 4)
• Episode 3686 -- Baby Bear and the Three Goldilocks (R, 15)
• Episode 3687 -- Zoe is turned into a dog (X, 0)
• Episode 3688 -- Telly starts a doo-wop group (O, 1)
• Episode 3689 -- Telly tries to eat (V, 9)
• Episode 3690 -- The Princesses and the Bus (Y, 2)
• Episode 3691 -- Baby Honker hatches (N, 13)
• Episode 3692 -- Telly sells Happy Caps (repeat) (O, 15)
• Episode 3693 -- Natasha is scared of the rain (H, 10)
• Episode 3694 -- Linda breaks Ruthie's pitcher (repeat) (E, 7)
• Episode 3695 -- Grundgetta's Grouch Beauty Salon (Y, 15)
• Episode 3696 -- Slimey wants to go to the moon (M, 18)
• Episode 3697 -- Slimey enrolls with WASA (H, 8)
• Episode 3698 -- Slimey goes into space (G, 5)
• Episode 3699 -- Where has the Sesame Street sign gone? (Z, 11)
• Episode 3700 -- Mumford helps Oscar (F, 20)
• Episode 3701 -- The Spaceketeers! (D, 14)
• Episode 3702 -- Natasha won't let go of Snuffy (F, 7)
• Episode 3703 -- Telly's cousin Tammy (K, 3)
• Episode 3704 -- Big Bird sleeps at Gordon and Susan's apartment (N, 7)
• Episode 3705 -- Baby Bear learns to count backwards (U, 0)
• Episode 3706 -- Teddy Bear tea party (P, 5)
• Episode 3707 -- Monster Day (B, 7)
• Episode 3709 -- Baby Bear's cousin Oliver visits (P, 2)
• Episode 3710 -- Baby Bear's missing string (F, 18)
• Episode 3711 -- Baby Bear's space mobile (R, 20)
• Episode 3712 -- Telly's greetings and goodbyes / Snuffleupagus stories (J, 20)
• Episode 3713 -- Crisis on the Wiggleprise (Z, 2)
• Episode 3714 -- Havin' a ball on Sesame Street (T, 1)
• Episode 3715 -- Stinky loves Maria (L, 16)
• Episode 3716 -- Ruthie watches Barkley (I, 14)
• Episode 3717 -- The Kingston Crew (V, 8)
• Episode 3718 -- Telly's Everything Sandwich (Q, 1)
• Episode 3719 -- Oscar and Sloppy miss Slimey (J, 5)
• Episode 3720 -- The Great Stinkini (S, 19)
• Episode 3721 -- Big Bird wants to be a dancer (D, 20)
• Episode 3722 -- Snuffy is having trouble with tap dancing (repeat) (N, 13)
• Episode 3723 -- Renata Scottie employs Bob (repeat) (S, 11)
• Episode 3724 -- Big Bird wants to be the Alligator King (repeat) (J, 7)
• Episode 3725 -- Prairie gives Maria the gift of music (X, 0)
• Episode 3726 -- Club 40 (I, 9)
• Episode 3727 -- Ruthie stays in Oscar's trash can (K, 17)
• Episode 3728 -- Prairie Dawn's food pageant (G, 17)
• Episode 3729 -- Monster moon watch (C, 13)
• Episode 3730 -- Goldilocks is sad (Q, 10)
• Episode 3731 -- Gordon and Elmo do exercises (T, 1)
• Episode 3732 -- Gabi gets sick on her birthday (repeat) (F, 9)
• Episode 3733 -- Following a butterfly (repeat) (L, 18)
• Episode 3734 -- Sleepless beauty (K, 17)
• Episode 3735 -- Big Bird has the birdy pox! (repeat) (D, 0)
• Episode 3736 -- Telly practices standing still (D, 14)
• Episode 3737 -- Ruthie makes a list (L, 10)
• Episode 3738 -- Flo White visits (H, 7)
• Episode 3739 -- Zoe pretends to be Gina (C, 2)
• Episode 3740 -- Worm landing on the Moon (L, 15)
• Episode 3741 -- Frazzle sleeps over at Big Bird's (P, 12)
• Episode 3742 -- Telly doesn't want a Big Bird on him! (R, 6)
• Episode 3743 -- Big Bird and Snuffy mail a letter (K, 4)
• Episode 3744 -- Grouch Parade on Sesame Street (G, 5)
• Episode 3745 -- The Brothers and Sisters game (U, 3)
• Episode 3746 -- Telly has trouble introducing to the viewers (E, 14)
• Episode 3747 -- Telly, a Jack of all stories (H, 9)
• Episode 3748 -- Gordon does errands (O, 8)
• Episode 3749 -- Big Bird looks for answers (Q, 3)
• Episode 3750 -- What sound does a turtle make? (N, 6)
• Episode 3751 -- Oscar writes a story (repeat) (H, 10)
• Episode 3752 -- Telly breaks Big Bird's toy car (repeat) (M, 17)
• Episode 3753 -- Baby Bear visits the Furry Arms hotel (repeat) (G, 10)
• Episode 3754 -- Magical Hide and Seek (repeat) (T, 0)
• Episode 3755 -- Rosita and Elmo try farming (repeat) (J, 11)
• Episode 3758 -- Slimey celebrates his birthday in space (N, 19)
• Episode 3761 -- Baby Bear sleeps over at Gina's Pt.1 (repeat) (B, 9)
• Episode 3762 -- Baby Bear sleeps over at Gina's Pt.2 (repeat) (O, 15)
• Episode 3763 -- Grouches who love too much (repeat) (C, 5)
• Episode 3764 -- Barkley dances with Celina and the kids (repeat) (B, 16)
• Episode 3765 -- Big Bird goes fishing for Wolfgang (repeat) (Q, 3)
• Episode 3766 -- Elmo wants Maria to read his story (O, 7)
• Episode 3767 -- The cave monster who wanted a pet (X, 6)
• Episode 3768 -- Baby Bear wants Goldilocks to read to him (F, 11)
• Episode 3769 -- Here comes Alphabird! (M, 6)
• Episode 3770 -- Kingston becomes a journal-writer (A, 3)
• Episode 3771 -- Elmo gets a boo-boo (E, 16)
• Episode 3772 -- Ribbons abound! (S, 12)
• Episode 3773 -- Benny goes to Gina's day care (A, 14)
• Episode 3774 -- Ruthie's Birthday (Z, 11)
• Episode 3775 -- Alice throws temper tantrums (W, 19)
• Episode 3776 -- Elmo plays his drum (V, 8)
• Episode 3777 -- Cooperating at day care (R, 1)
• Episode 3778 -- Telly and Baby Bear go camping (Y, 18)
• Episode 3779 -- Where's the elephant? (I, 12, a triangle)
• Episode 3780 -- Telly's and Rosita's tongue twisters at The Furry Arms (L, 3)
• Episode 3781 -- Alice controls her snuffle-blowing (G, 17)
• Episode 3782 -- Everyone misses Slimey (D, 13)
• Episode 3783 -- Rosita gives hugs (C, 16)
• Episode 3784 -- The emperor's invisible mishaps (T, 0)
• Episode 3785 -- Slimey comes home (H, 13)

Notes

• Slimey makes an historic trip to the moon over a six episode arc, with references to the journey in additional episodes. The events were later included in a timeline montage of clips from the show when Sesame Street celebrated its 35th Anniversary with the television broadcast of The Street We Live On.
• Episodes made during Slimey's moon mission story arc would always end with the progress of Slimey's moon mission, typically by a character (usually the one announcing the sponsors) saying "And Slimey's spaceship is still on its way to the moon" for when the Wiggleprise is heading toward the moon, or "And Slimey's spaceship is still on its way back to Sesame Street" for the return trip. Episodes that recycled street scenes from previous seasons would have a generic bumper at the end of the episode, before the credits or "Coming Soon on Sesame Street" segment, with Jerry Nelson announcing the same lines (depending on the progress of the mission) accompanied by the Worms in Space theme music.
• This was the first season in which Susan appears only occasionally.
• This is the last season Mr. Handford appears in.
• This was also Jeff Moss's final season as head lyricist for the series. After the season finale, Moss passed away due to cancer, and the following season was dedicated in his memory.
• The Corporation for Public Broadcasting stops funding until 2000.
• Tim Robbins appears as a celebrity guest, while his son Miles tapes segments with Baby Bear, that appeared throughout the season.
• This was the final season to feature the Around the Corner setting, as well as the final season to use the calypso version of the opening Sesame Street Theme, introduced in Season 24. However, the animated end credits, also introduced at that time, will continue to be used on later seasons until 2007.
• This was the last season produced with 130 episodes.
• This season introduces a fuzzier puppet build for Elmo, the design of which has been used ever since.
• This was the final season before the filming of The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland despite that the film was not released until eight months after Season 30 finished airing. This is evidenced by Alan Muraoka's absence in the movie, Hooper's Store retaining its original exterior design and the use of the Around the Corner sets.

Cast

Human Cast:

Gordon, Susan, Maria, Luis, Gabi, Miles, Carlo, Celina, Gina, Mr. Handford, Bob, Linda, Ruthie, Tarah, WASA Training Officer

Actors:

Carlo Alban, Alison Bartlett-O'Reilly, Lexine Bondoc, Linda Bove, Ruth Buzzi, Desiree Casado, Annette Calud, Emilio Delgado, Loretta Long, Sonia Manzano, Bob McGrath, Roscoe Orman, Imani Patterson, Tarah Schaeffer, David L. Smyrl

Muppets:

Alice Snuffleupagus, The Amazing Mumford, Baby Bear, Baby Natasha, Baby Tooth and the Funky Funk, Barkley, Benny Rabbit, Bert, Betty Lou, Big Bad Wolf, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, The Count, Dingers, Dusty and Eartha, The Elephant, Elizabeth, Elmo, Ernie, Farley, Frazzle, Goldilocks, The Grand High Triangle Lover, Grover, Grundgetta, Herry Monster, Honkers, Humphrey, Ingrid, Jerome, Kermit the Frog, Kingston Livingston III, Loretta, Lurlene, Mama Bear, The Martians, Merry Monster, Mimsy, Mommy Snuffleupagus, Mrs. Grouch, Norman, Oscar the Grouch, Papa Bear, Penguins, Poco Loco, Prairie Dawn, Professor Albert Einslime, Rosita, Selma Worm, Shelley the Turtle, Sherry Netherland, Slimey, Sloppy, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Stinky the Stinkweed, Telly, The Three Little Pigs, Wolfgang the Seal, Zoe, Anything Muppets

Muppet Performers:

Caroll Spinney, Pam Arciero, Fran Brill, Lisa Buckley, Kevin Clash, Bruce Connelly, Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Alice Dinnean-Vernon, Eric Jacobson, Peter Linz, Rick Lyon, Noel MacNeal, Jim Martin, Joey Mazzarino, Jerry Nelson, Carmen Osbhar, Frank Oz, Martin P. Robinson, David Rudman, Judy Sladky, John Tartaglia, Steve Whitmire, and Bryant Young

Guest Stars

Erykah Badu, Tony Bennett, Tracy Chapman, Angel Corella, Dominique Dawes, Celine Dion, Doug E. Doug, Dennis Franz, Denyce Graves, Rebecca Lobo, Robert MacNeil, Wynton Marsalis, Reba McEntire, Bill Nye, Tim Robbins, Lynne Thigpen, Alice Walker

Credits

• Executive Producer: Michael Loman
• Supervising Producer: Arlene Sherman
• Directed by: Ted May
• Head Writer: Lou Berger
• Associate Producers: Melissa Dino, Tim Carter, Carol-Lynn Parente
• Production Designer: Victor DiNapoli
• Muppet Coordinator: Kevin Clash
• Music Director: Robby Merkin
• Associate Music Director: Dave Conner
• Music Coordinator: Danny Epstein
• Senior Graphic Designer: Mike Pantuso
• Set Decorator: Nat Mongioi
• Sound Effects: Dick Maitland
• Audio: Blake Norton
• Vice President for Research: Joel Schneider
• Director of Research: Rosemarie T. Truglio

Sources

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