Sesame Street Season 20 aired from November 14, 1988,^[1] to May 12, 1989.

Overview[]

The special topic for over half of the season is pregnancy and birth. Following the marriage of Maria and Luis in the previous season finale, the couple will become prospective parents. Through Maria's pregnancy the viewers are given lessons on prenatal care, such as the importance of the mother drinking milk and eating healthy foods, as well as how the baby is able to eat and breathe while growing inside her. According to Dulcy Singer on the theme, "We'll show visits to the doctor's office, we'll see a sonogram and we hope answer questions preschoolers have about pregnancy."^[2] The year closes with everyone welcoming baby Gabriela to the world by the season finale.

Season 20 also expands its science curriculum. The relatively new character Ruby conducts all kinds of experiments, ranging from whether imaginary hot dogs will make you less hungry to what will happen if she stands outside in the rain all day. Physical science, such as how the body works inside and outside, is also expanded upon. The topic of air is particularly emphasized, featured prominently in an episode where Herb Wolf gives lectures on the subject. Other examples include Kermit the Frog interviewing the Big Bad Wolf with his newly-established School of Huffing and Puffing, the song "Air," and Maria assisting flautist James Galway in a performance of "Concerto for Flute and Pool Toy."^[3]

Beginning this season, a majority of the episodes are centered around plotlines rather than random segments. Says Dulcy Singer, "We were told early on that kids would have trouble following plotlines so in the early years we didn't do it. In recent years, we have found the children enjoyed the cohesiveness."^[2]

Characters and segments[]

In addition to Gabriela, several new faces make their debut for season 20, as well as a few familiar faces. Hiroshi, introduced the previous year, becomes a regular cast member where he becomes an art student who uses the garage in the yard as his art studio. Oscar the Grouch adopts a Grouch puppy named Preposterous, who ends up causing trouble whether or not it's intentional. Big Bird creates a superhero alter-ego named Blue Bird who foils villains such as the nasty Sock Snatcher (responsible for taking socks when people do their laundry). Sherlock Hemlock makes his return as the star of Mysterious Theater, a Mystery!-inspired parody hosted by Vincent Twice; here, Sherlock is paired with his trusty companion Watson, who is definitely the brains of the duo. Mike, a teenage friend and classmate of Gina, makes a few appearances before becoming a regular cast member next season, and Slimey joins the Worm Scouts. Monster on the Spot reporter Telly branches off into another show called the "Wide World of Sesame Street" where he follows Sesame Street citizens to see how they spend their day.

Filmmaker William Wegman makes his Sesame Street debut this year with Fay Ray and her family; Wegman would continue to contribute segments for the show over the next 15 years. Animator Michael Sporn and his studio introduce two new recurring segments: The Bellhop, whose antics emphasize even numbers while he's busy at work at a luxurious hotel, and Hortense, a young girl with a wild imagination that sees objects as different things. The science lessons are featured prominently in two recurring animated segments by Bruce Cayard, featuring either Dr. Nancy Einstein or Dr. Annie Eyeball. The Rap Number series presents counting in a hip and modern way with flashy animation, while the Great Inventor series (also produced by Cayard) salutes those who have changed history.

Episodes[]

Episodes 2486 - 2615 (130 episodes)

• Episode 2486 -- 20th season premiere; Maria and Luis prepare to go on their honeymoon
• Episode 2487 -- Maria and Luis reach their campsite
• Episode 2488 -- Maria and Luis get no peace
• Episode 2489 -- Big Bird writes a long letter to Maria and Luis
• Episode 2490 -- Maria and Luis return home
• Episode 2491 -- Big Bird hosts "The Big Bird Show"
• Episode 2492 -- David's Spanish lesson
• Episode 2493 -- Luis moves in with Maria
• Episode 2494 -- Gordon has a headache
• Episode 2495 -- Luis and his old chair
• Episode 2496 -- Maria and Luis reminisce about their wedding
• Episode 2497 -- 40 milk jugs are delivered to Hooper's Store
• Episode 2498 -- Muppets bother the newlyweds
• Episode 2499 -- Telly's birthday party
• Episode 2500 -- Maria and the Fat Blue man
• Episode 2501 -- The Adventures of Señor Zero! (repeat)
• Episode 2502 -- Mr. Three-In-A-Row Smith plays Tic-Tac-Toe (repeat)
• Episode 2503 -- The Count's "Sleeping Beauty" (repeat)
• Episode 2504 -- Olivia sings at Birdland (repeat)
• Episode 2505 -- Take a Cowboy/Cowgirl to Lunch Day (repeat)
• Episode 2506 -- Bob's deaf friend / Singing out of tune (repeat)
• Episode 2507 -- The Amazing Mumford reverses Maria's age (repeat)
• Episode 2508 -- Slimey's new girlfriend (repeat)
• Episode 2509 -- TellyVision (repeat)
• Episode 2510 -- Grouch Airlines (repeat)
• Episode 2511 -- Remembering with Forgetful Jones (repeat)
• Episode 2512 -- Big Bird's imaginary campout (repeat)
• Episode 2513 -- Snuffy has the snuffle-flu (repeat)
• Episode 2514 -- Transylvania Counting Day (repeat)
• Episode 2515 -- A cold day on Sesame Street (repeat)
• Episode 2516 -- Oscar moves to Candy Cane Lane (repeat)
• Episode 2517 -- Placido's Sesame Street opera (repeat)
• Episode 2518 -- Planning for the "My Best Friend Game Show" (repeat)
• Episode 2519 -- The "My Best Friend Game Show" (repeat)
• Episode 2520 -- Mumford turns Gordon into a Grouch (repeat)
• Episode 2521
• Episode 2522 -- Ruby wants to be like Gina
• Episode 2523
• Episode 2524 -- Snuffy and Alice imitate different animals / David tries to bake a pie
• Episode 2525 -- Big Bird's Sesame Street map
• Episode 2526 -- Telly helps Bob and Uncle Wally
• Episode 2527 -- Barkley's bathtime
• Episode 2528 -- A rainy day on Sesame Street
• Episode 2529 -- Maria looks after Irvine
• Episode 2530 -- Floris the talking plant
• Episode 2531
• Episode 2532 -- A new birdbath on Sesame Street
• Episode 2533 -- Acting out nursery rhymes
• Episode 2534 -- Dreams of Our Lives
• Episode 2535 -- A visit from migrating birds
• Episode 2536 -- The Air Game
• Episode 2537 -- Hiroshi wants an art studio
• Episode 2538 -- Oscar leads the Grouchytowners on a tour of Sesame Street
• Episode 2539 -- A birthday party for Barkley
• Episode 2540 -- Good Day Sesame Street
• Episode 2541 -- A rock garden on Sesame Street
• Episode 2542 -- The Wide World of Sesame Street covers Linda
• Episode 2543 -- Bob tries to read
• Episode 2544 -- Maria announces her pregnancy
• Episode 2545
• Episode 2546 -- Bob gets Linda flowers
• Episode 2547 -- Taking care of Natasha
• Episode 2548 -- Oscar and the seagull (part 1)
• Episode 2549 -- Oscar and the seagull (part 2)
• Episode 2550
• Episode 2551 -- Telly and Gina prepare for a concert
• Episode 2552 -- Learning about air with Herb Wolf
• Episode 2553 -- Luis anticipates taking care of the baby
• Episode 2554 -- Elmo's Grouch experiment
• Episode 2555 -- Saxophone school
• Episode 2556 -- Jamie Lee Curtis visits
• Episode 2557 -- Elmo's dinosaur / Baby birds hatch
• Episode 2558 -- Maria goes to the maternity clinic
• Episode 2559 -- Fun with galoshes
• Episode 2560 -- David's peanut butter
• Episode 2561
• Episode 2562 -- David and Gina attempt to renovate Hooper's
• Episode 2563 -- Maria's food cravings
• Episode 2564
• Episode 2565 -- Elmo gets a library card
• Episode 2566 -- Gina's tuna fish pyramid
• Episode 2567
• Episode 2568 -- Duck auditions
• Episode 2569 -- Luis misses the baby moving inside Maria
• Episode 2570
• Episode 2571 -- Oscar cooperates
• Episode 2572 -- Magic Magazine
• Episode 2573 -- Big Bird plays with the kids
• Episode 2574 -- Maria's mother visits Sesame Street
• Episode 2575 -- Birdnardo Birdtolucci films a movie
• Episode 2576 -- Telly writes a story
• Episode 2577 -- Oscar gets a Grouch dog
• Episode 2578 -- A television birthday card for Gordon
• Episode 2579 -- Experiences with Maria's unborn child
• Episode 2580 -- Elmo learns about air
• Episode 2581
• Episode 2582
• Episode 2583 -- Rudder Rabbit visits / Barkley's doghouse
• Episode 2584 -- A day with Tracey Ullman
• Episode 2585
• Episode 2586 -- Big Bird's day of silliness
• Episode 2587 -- Bob and the spider costume
• Episode 2588 -- Wigwamm-froo-SMOSSmee-Sreep!
• Episode 2589 -- Elmo in the rain
• Episode 2590 -- Snuffleupagus picnic in Central Park
• Episode 2591 -- Wide World of Sesame Street tracks Miles
• Episode 2592 -- Hatching an egg
• Episode 2593 -- An artsy day on Sesame Street
• Episode 2594 -- Oscar's phone system / Elmo imitates his friends
• Episode 2595 -- Gina writes in her journal
• Episode 2596 -- Gina babysits Irvine
• Episode 2597 -- Hiroshi paints Oscar
• Episode 2598 -- Grandmothers on the street
• Episode 2599 -- Mumford's duck lays an egg
• Episode 2600 -- Maria's baby shower
• Episode 2601 -- Telly prepares for Maria's hospital trip
• Episode 2602 -- Big Bird is the host of the Sesame Street Circus.
• Episode 2603 -- Getting ready for the baby
• Episode 2604 -- Recalling times of pain
• Episode 2605 -- Hiroshi makes 14s
• Episode 2606 -- Decorating the baby's room
• Episode 2607 -- Ruby's rain experiment
• Episode 2608 -- The baby will be coming soon
• Episode 2609 -- Uncle Wally takes care of Maria
• Episode 2610 -- Grouch vacation maps / Car trip gone wrong
• Episode 2611 -- Big Bird prepares for the baby
• Episode 2612 -- Grundgetta becomes nice due to the baby
• Episode 2613 -- Maria cleans to prepare for the baby
• Episode 2614 -- Maria goes into labor
• Episode 2615 -- 20th season finale; the birth of Gabriela

Notes[]

• This was Joe Raposo's final season as music director. After he passed away on Sunday, February 5, 1989, he continued to be credited as music director until the end of the season, and associate music director Dave Conner became de-facto music director until 1993, when Robby Merkin was hired.
• This was also Northern Calloway's final season as David. After the season finale, Calloway left the show due to medical reasons with the explanation that David moved away to be with his grandmother, and that ownership of Hooper's Store was turned over to Mr. Handford.
• Starting with this season, the number sponsors now start from 0 and go up to 20.

Cast[]

Cast

Alison Bartlett, Linda Bove, Northern Calloway, Emilio Delgado, Loretta Long, Sonia Manzano, Bill McCutcheon, Bob McGrath, Roscoe Orman, Gedde Watanabe (Uncredited: Miles Orman, Ward Saxton)

Muppet Performers

Caroll Spinney, Frank Oz, Richard Hunt, Jerry Nelson, Martin P. Robinson, Kevin Clash, Camille Bonora, David Rudman, Pam Arciero, Fred Garbo, Bryant Young, Rick Lyon, Judy Sladky, Jim Henson (Uncredited: Fran Brill, Jim Kroupa, Peter MacKennan, Noel MacNeal, Jim Martin)

Guest Stars

Jamie Lee Curtis, Ann Marie DeAngelo, Frances Foster, 14 Karat Soul, James Galway, Ernesto Gasco, Lillian Hurst, Susan Saint James, Billy Joel, Richard Libertini, Marlee Matlin, Martina Navratilova, Susan Sarandon, Lily Tomlin, Kathleen Turner, Tracey Ullman, Dave Winfield

Characters[]

Humans

Gordon, Susan, Maria, Luis, Linda, Bob, David, Uncle Wally, Gina, Miles, Mr. Macintosh, Willy, Gabi, Hiroshi, Mike

Muppets

Alice Snuffleupagus, AM Monsters, The Amazing Mumford, Anything Muppets, Athena, Baa Baa Walters, Baby Natasha, Barkley, Bert, Biff, The Big Bad Wolf, Big Bird, Bip Bippadotta, Blue Bird, Bruno the Trashman, Buster the Horse, Chip and Dip, Clementine, Cookie Monster, Count von Count, Don Music, Duane and Ingrid, Elmo, Ernie, Flo Bear, Fluffy, Forgetful Jones, Gladys the Cow, Granny Snuffle, Grover, Grundgetta, Guy Smiley, Herry Monster, Honkers, Hoots the Owl, Irvine, Mr. Johnson, Juliet, Kermit the Frog, Little Chrissy and the Alphabeats, The Martians, Max the Magnificent, Meryl Sheep, Miami Mice, Mommy Snuffleupagus, Oscar the Grouch, Otto, Placido Flamingo, Polly Darton, Prairie Dawn, Professor D. Rabbit, Ruby, Rudder Rabbit, Shelley the Turtle, Sherlock Hemlock, Simon Soundman, Sinister Sam, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Sonny Friendly, Telly Monster, Twiddlebugs, Two-Headed Monster, Velma, Vincent Twice, Watson, Worby

Credits[]

• Executive Producer: Dulcy Singer
• Producer: Lisa Simon
• Directors: Jon Stone, Ted May, Lisa Simon
• Head Writer: Norman Stiles
• Writers: Nancy Sans, Luis Santeiro, Cathi Rosenberg-Turow, Belinda Ward, Sonia Manzano, Jeff Moss, Sara Compton, Judy Freudberg, David Korr, John Weidman, Tony Geiss, Emily Perl Kingsley, Mark Saltzman, Christian Clark, Jon Stone (Uncredited: Josh Selig)
• Supervising Film Producer: Edith Zornow
• Coordinating Producer: Arlene Sherman
• Muppets, Costumes, Props: Caroly Wilcox and Kermit Love, with Connie Peterson, Peter MacKennan, Stephan Rotondaro, Mark Zeszotek, Richard Termine
• Music Director: Joe Raposo
• Special Songs: Joe Raposo, Jeff Moss, Chris Cerf
• Music Coordinator: Danny Epstein
• Associate Music Director: Dave Conner
• Production Supervisor: Frieda Lipp
• Editing Supervisor: Robert J. Emerick
• Associate Directors: Ted May, Diane Mitchell, Richard Fernandes, Craig Bigelow
• Production Designer: Victor DiNapoli
• Costume Designer: Bill Kellard
• Graphic Artist: Mike Pantuso
• Set Decorator: Nat Mongioi
• Production Stage Manager: Chet O'Brien
• Stage Manager: Mortimer J. O'Brien
• Curriculum Coordinator: Diane Mitchell
• Production Assistants: Cher Jung, Ruth E. Hiatt, Paul Lacy
• Assistants to the Producers: Danette DeSena, Carol D. Mayes
• Script Coordinator: Thelma Moses
• Children’s Casting: Martha O’Connor, Gabrielle Howard
• Unit Manager: Eleanor McIntosh
• Technical Director: Ralph Mensch
• Lighting Directors: Bill Berner, Jim Tetlow
• Sound Effects: Dick Maitland
• Audio: Blake Norton, Tim Lester
• Cameras: Frank Biondo, Dave Driscoll
• Videotape Editor: Evamarie Keller
• Electronic Maintenance: Rolf Wahl
• Make-Up: Lee Halls
• Hair Stylist: Karen Specht
• Wardrobe: Grisha Mynova
• Director of Research: Valeria Lovelace, Ph.D.
• Curriculum Specialist: Margarita Perez
• Vice President for Research: Keith Mielke, Ph.D.
• Chairman, Board of Advisors: Gerald Lesser, Ph.D.
• Facilities by Unitel Video, Inc.

Sources[]