Sesame Street Season 25 aired from November 22, 1993, to May 20, 1994.

Overview[]

The show concludes its four-year treatment on race relations this season with a focus on Asian Americans, notably Asian-Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, and Korean Americans.^[1] In one episode the Japanese drumming group Soh Daiko shows Telly Monster and Oscar the Grouch how to work together and play their drums, while film inserts feature children practicing Chinese calligraphy, kids playing in a park in the Philippines, and a Korean spring festival.

A secondary curriculum focus is concerned with teaching kids how to deal with rejection and name calling, particularly on physical and cultural differences. One example sees Mr. Snuffleupagus being called an elephant by a bullying squirrel, while another episode shows how Old King Cole used to be a very mean soul, constantly insulting his servants until they stop being his friends and quit their jobs. An early season 25 episode deals more directly with the subject, when an anonymous caller complains after seeing Gina (who is white) and Savion (who is black) hanging out together. The two explain to a shocked Telly why color and appearance have nothing to do with friendship.

Starting this season, Sesame Street expands its street set to include the previously unseen area known as "Around the Corner." As actor and writer Sonia Manzano says about this whole new block of locations, "By expanding the street and going around the corner, we will have other places to hang out beyond the stoop of 123 Sesame Street, and we will be able to explore family issues which we think are so important to kids today." New locations include the 456 Sesame Street apartment building (housing the local home day care), the strictly Muppet-sized Furry Arms Hotel, a building that houses both a dance studio (upstairs) and thrift shop Finders Keepers (downstairs), the newsstand (eventually run by Oscar), and the park area with a playground. The original elements of the set (such as the Fix-It Shop, Hooper's Store, and 123 Sesame Street) have also been slightly expanded and touched up with new paint, giving the area a more child-friendly atmosphere. In order to accommodate all the new space, the set was relocated to Kaufman Astoria Studios in Queens, New York, where it has remained ever since.

Characters and segments[]

This season introduces new human characters and (mostly female) Muppet characters. New executive producer Michael Loman explains: "We've been criticized in the past for not having enough female puppets on the show. And I think that's an accurate criticism. And this specifically seeks to address that."^[2] The most prominent new addition to the group is Zoe, a bright orange and very outgoing monster who loves learning new things. She's usually seen in the company of either Elmo or Big Bird. An R&B trio of singing rodents named the Squirrelles also make appearances, performing a series of song spoofs. The mother of Baby Natasha, Ingrid, is introduced along with her previously unnamed husband Humphrey; the two manage the Furry Arms Hotel, run by Sherry Netherland (where Benny Rabbit is the bellhop). The adjacent day care is run by Angela, who also takes care of her six-month-old child Kayla. Her husband, Jamal, works as a park ranger. Celina owns and works at the dance studio, which encourages the viewers to join in some exercise time. Below her, Laugh-In alum Ruth Buzzi plays Ruthie, the owner of Finders Keepers, where every item has a story behind it (usually involving some nursery rhyme or fairy tale character). For the first time since season 3, child cast members are a regular staple for the show, which includes Miles and Gabi (now played by Desiree Casado), joined by new kids on the block Tarah, Carlo, Nathan, and Lonnell. Lexine, who would become a cast member later, also makes her first appearances.

Beginning with this season, letter and number segments are grouped together rather than spread out during each one-hour episode. Elements such as flying airplanes, toy clowns with horns, playing cards, and a toy factory are used for shorter animated segments dealing with letters and numbers, while math concepts are the focus on brief songs and appearances by Farmer McFay and the McDouble Twins. The recurring daytime drama "As the World Takes Turns" appears in a couple of episodes, where the cast and Muppets learn to deal with the eternal struggle that is known as cooperation.

Episodes[]

Episodes 3136 - 3265 (130 episodes)

• Episode 3136 -- Around the Corner
• Episode 3137 -- Ruthie dances
• Episode 3138 -- A day with Zoe
• Episode 3139 -- Susan and Gordon stay at the Furry Arms
• Episode 3140 -- Racism on Sesame Street; Telly and Baby Bear build an information booth
• Episode 3141 -- Oscar turns into Prince Charming
• Episode 3142 -- It rains when Telly says 13
• Episode 3143 -- Listening to WUFF radio
• Episode 3144 -- Big Bird and Luis convince Hans that he's not an ugly duckling
• Episode 3145 -- Telly goes to the Snow Ball
• Episode 3146 -- Looking for bananas; Oscar helps Ruthie
• Episode 3147 -- Mother Chicken's new nursery rhyme
• Episode 3148 -- Telly and Baby Bear's playdate
• Episode 3149 -- Davey and Joey's stories
• Episode 3150 -- Zoe spells her name
• Episode 3151 -- Elmo and Merry enjoy flowers
• Episode 3152 -- Oscar can't get the Sesame Street theme out of his head
• Episode 3153 -- Big Bird helps Jamal and Angela
• Episode 3154 -- Little Boy Blue takes his horn to Finders Keepers
• Episode 3155
• Episode 3156 -- The strange squeaky sound at the Furry Arms Hotel; Gordon tutors Carlo
• Episode 3157 -- The Amazing Mumford switches personas with a dog
• Episode 3158 -- Elmo's mini golf game
• Episode 3159 -- Zoe's aunt Chloe visits
• Episode 3160 -- Big Bird, Rosita and Elmo play family
• Episode 3161 -- Wolfgang chases Wanda Cousteau around Sesame Street
• Episode 3162 -- The Pied Piper of 57th Street
• Episode 3163 -- Kingston's day
• Episode 3164 -- Slimey's errands
• Episode 3165 -- Roxie Marie and Elmo capture a Doozy bug (repeat)
• Episode 3166 -- Buster meets Summer Squall
• Episode 3167 -- Telly waits for Radish Dude (repeat)
• Episode 3168 -- Mumford's dancing spell (repeat)
• Episode 3169 -- Playing scientist
• Episode 3170 -- Big Bird looks for someone sad
• Episode 3171 -- The Grand High Triangle Lover's success story
• Episode 3172 -- Telly and Rosita play "Follow the Leader"
• Episode 3173 -- Slimey's first day at worm school (repeat)
• Episode 3174 -- Wanda the Word Fairy visits (repeat)
• Episode 3175 -- Floyd the Fluter-Tooter needs a home (repeat)
• Episode 3176 -- Elmo stands on his head/Bob babysits Natasha (repeat)
• Episode 3177 -- Gina's sick from her job (repeat)
• Episode 3178 -- Tarah trains for wheelchair sports
• Episode 3179 -- Elmo wants to marry Gina
• Episode 3180 -- What can Natasha do?
• Episode 3181 -- Slimey's new trick
• Episode 3182 -- Telly does something original
• Episode 3183 -- Telly sees a giant number 11 (repeat)
• Episode 3184 -- Mr. Big visits (repeat)
• Episode 3185 -- Oscar uses Disappear-o (repeat)
• Episode 3186 -- Word play on Sesame Street (repeat)
• Episode 3187 -- Jamal frees a recovered bird; Telly almost frees his plant
• Episode 3188 -- Merry scares people/Chicago visits the library (repeat)
• Episode 3189 -- Around the Corner (repeat)
• Episode 3190 -- Chicago opens a juice bar
• Episode 3191 -- Wanda explores the playground
• Episode 3192 -- Watching Roxie Marie's caterpillar turn into a butterfly
• Episode 3193 -- Jack Be Nimble tries something new
• Episode 3194 -- Ruthie the babysitter
• Episode 3195 -- CinderTelly (repeat)
• Episode 3196 -- Vegetable stories, etc.
• Episode 3197 -- Telly breaks Luis's vase (repeat)
• Episode 3198 -- Elmo and Zoe do the waltz
• Episode 3199 -- Telly's fear of sliding
• Episode 3200 -- Slimey's birthday
• Episode 3201 -- Planning a world trip
• Episode 3202 -- Old King Cole, a mean old soul
• Episode 3203
• Episode 3204 -- Snuffy's joke/Ruthie's sale
• Episode 3205 -- Betty Lou and her dolly
• Episode 3206 -- Big Bird finds a wand
• Episode 3207 -- Zoe's new bed
• Episode 3208 -- Snuffy's pictures
• Episode 3209 -- Telly makes his own breakfast
• Episode 3210 -- Telly is "Yes Man!"
• Episode 3211 -- Amazing acts!
• Episode 3212 -- Zoe spends the day with Bob
• Episode 3213 -- The Sesame Street Talent Show
• Episode 3214 -- What is breakfast?
• Episode 3215 -- Betty Lou goes to day care
• Episode 3216 -- Telly's playdate
• Episode 3217 -- Biff has a bowling ball stuck on his hand
• Episode 3218
• Episode 3219 -- Slimey's hard day
• Episode 3220 -- Benny's day with Stinky
• Episode 3221 -- The M and G game
• Episode 3222 -- The Betty Lou Clinic
• Episode 3223 -- Big Bird and Snuffy do the laundry
• Episode 3224 -- Sonny Friendly's letter-sound shows
• Episode 3225 -- A cow tries different things
• Episode 3226 -- The Martians observe the street
• Episode 3227 -- Davey and Joey have a dispute
• Episode 3228 -- Big Bird is quiet
• Episode 3229 -- Little Miss Muffet's tuffet
• Episode 3230 -- A day of learning at Angela's day care
• Episode 3231 -- Telly presents "Hey Diddle Diddle"
• Episode 3232 -- Elmo, Zoe and Merry cheer
• Episode 3233 -- Cyranose falls in love
• Episode 3234 -- Telly's speech for the Grand High Triangle Lover's birthday
• Episode 3235 -- Telly and Oscar play the drums
• Episode 3236 -- Monty's coconut
• Episode 3237 -- Booby Bunny visits
• Episode 3238 -- Linda loses Barkley; Little Flo Peep
• Episode 3239 -- Zoe at day care
• Episode 3240 -- Another sunny day on the street
• Episode 3241 -- Telly and Rosita disagree
• Episode 3242 -- Oscar's Newsstand
• Episode 3243 -- Telly is Grand High Triangle Lover for a day (repeat)
• Episode 3244 -- Telly's list
• Episode 3245 -- Barkley's Birthday
• Episode 3246 -- Big Bird sings his favorite song
• Episode 3247 -- Linda and the butterfly
• Episode 3248 -- Linda runs around the block
• Episode 3249 -- Monty reads a book
• Episode 3250 -- Oscar gets a visit from his mother (repeat)
• Episode 3251 -- Wolfie learns to howl/Mr. Handford and his egg cream
• Episode 3252 -- Elmo reads things
• Episode 3253 -- The Count's Australian friend
• Episode 3254 -- A ridiculous day with Monty (repeat)
• Episode 3255 -- Herry wants to play football
• Episode 3256 -- Mr. Chatterly visits
• Episode 3257 -- Zoe pretends to be a tugboat
• Episode 3258 -- Elmo pretends to be Lincoln
• Episode 3259 -- Telly and Oscar share a magic lamp
• Episode 3260 -- Biff and Sully visit day care
• Episode 3261 -- Practicing for a marching band
• Episode 3262 -- Luis and Maria fix things
• Episode 3263 -- As the World Takes Turns
• Episode 3264 -- Big Bird's Yellow Ambition Concert Tour (repeat)
• Episode 3265 -- Elmo the magnificent/Sending a banana to the moon

Notes[]

• Episodes 3136-3200 and 3238 were shown as a part of Noggin's 123 Sesame Street package from 1999 until 2003.

Cast[]

Cast

Carlo Alban, Alison Bartlett, Lexine Bondoc, Linda Bove, Ruth Buzzi, Annette Calud, Desiree Casado, Emilio Delgado, Savion Glover, Loretta Long, Sonia Manzano, Bob McGrath, Angel Jemmott, Miles Orman, Roscoe Orman, Jou Jou Papailler, Tarah Schaeffer, David L. Smyrl, Lonnell Williams, Nathan Zoob

Muppet Performers

Caroll Spinney, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Martin P. Robinson, Kevin Clash, Fran Brill, David Rudman, Camille Bonora, Joey Mazzarino, Carmen Osbahr, Pam Arciero, Peter Linz, Noel MacNeal, Judy Sladky, Jim Martin, Bryant Young, Julianne Buescher, Bruce Connelly, Louise Gold (uncredited: Lisa Buckley, Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Alice Dinnean, John Kennedy, Jim Kroupa, Rick Lyon, Alison Mork, Brian Muehl, Don Reardon, Steve Whitmire)

Guest Stars

Maya Angelou, Garth Brooks, Michael Chang, Hillary Clinton, John Goodman, Marilyn Horne, Bill Irwin, Madeline Kahn, Little Richard, Cheech Marin, Aaron Neville, The Neville Brothers, Laraine Newman, Rosie O'Donnell

Characters[]

Humans

Gordon, Susan, Luis, Maria, Ruthie, Gina, Bob, Celina, Savion, Mr. Handford, Linda, Angela, Jamal, Gabi, Miles, Tarah, Carlo, Lexine, Kayla, Lonnell, Nathan

Muppets

Alice Snuffleupagus, The Amazing Mumford, Anything Muppets, Baby Bear, Baby Natasha, Barkley, Benny Rabbit, Bert, Betty Lou, Biff, The Big Bad Wolf, Big Bird, Buster the Horse, Chicago the Lion, Clementine, Cookie Monster, Count von Count, Cyranose de Bergerac, Dingers, Elmo, Ernie, Forgetful Jones, Frazzle, Gladys the Cow, Goldilocks, The Grand High Triangle Lover, Mrs. Grouch, Grover, Grundgetta, Guy Smiley, H. Ross Parrot, Herry Monster, Honkers, Hoots the Owl, Humphrey, Ingrid, Joey and Davey Monkey, Kingston Livingston III, Mama Bear, The Martians, Mr. Chatterly, Merry Monster, Monty, Norman, The Oinker Sisters, Oscar the Grouch, Osvaldo, el Gruñón, Papa Bear, Prairie Dawn, Preposterous, Rosita, Roxie Marie, Sherlock Hemlock, Sherry Netherland, Slimey, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Sonny Friendly, The Squirrelles, Stinky the Stinkweed, Sully, Telly Monster, Wolfgang the Seal, Zoe

Credits[]

• Executive Producer: Michael Loman
• Supervising Producer: Lisa Simon
• Directors: Lisa Simon, Jon Stone, Emily Squires, Ted May
• Head Writer: Norman Stiles
• Writers: Judy Freudberg, David Korr, Joey Mazzarino, Cathi R. Turow, Tony Geiss, Josh Selig, Lou Berger, Sara Compton, Sonia Manzano, Molly Boylan, Luis Santeiro, Belinda Ward, Nancy Sans, John Weidman, Ian Ellis James, Emily Perl Kingsley, Jon Stone (Uncredited: Christine Ferraro, G. Ross Parker, Adam Rudman)
• Coordinating Producer: Arlene Sherman
• Production Designer: Victor DiNapoli
• Lighting Designer: Bill Berner
• Costume Designers: Bill Kellard, Terry Roberson
• Muppets, Costumes, Props: Ed Christie, with Peter MacKennan, Mark Zeszotek, Laurent Linn, Mark Ruffin, Carlo Yannuzzi, Fred Buchholz, Rollin Krewson, Connie Peterson, Stephen Rotondaro
• Muppet Coordinator: Kevin Clash
• Line Producer: Yvonne Hill Ogunkoya
• Associate Producers: Carlos Dorta, Karin Young Shiel
• Music Director: Robby Merkin
• Associate Music Director: Dave Conner
• Music Coordinator: Danny Epstein
• Special Songs: Chris Cerf, Jeff Moss, Tony Geiss, Stephen Lawrence, Sarah Durkee, Paul Jacobs, Dave Conner, Joe Raposo
• Musical Arrangements and Conducting: Dave Conner, Paul Jacobs, Stephen Lawrence, Robby Merkin, Joe Raposo
• Graphic Designers: Mike Pantuso, Pete Ortiz
• Set Decorators: Nat Mongioi, Michael J. Kelley
• Art Director: Bob Phillips
• Production Supervisor: Frieda Lipp
• Editing Supervisor: Robert J. Emerick
• Associate Directors: Ken Diego, Cher Jung, Robert J. Emerick, Ted May, Arlene Sherman, Tony Siegel
• Production Stage Manager: Chuck Raymond
• Stage Managers: Chris Kelly, Hank Smith
• Curriculum Coordinator: Cher Jung
• Assistant to the Producers: Danette DeSena
• Production Assistants: Tim Carter, Heather L. Dick, Kim J. Kennedy, Melissa Dino, Karen Ialacci, Pamela Liu, Ruth Luwisch, Carol-Lynn Parente, Nina Shelton, Teri Weiss
• Children's Casting: Gabrielle Howard, Bruce Dunkins
• Production Coordinator: Zoya Kachadurian
• Script Coordinator: Thelma Moses
• Engineer in Charge: Tom Carey
• Technical Director: Ralph Mensch
• Sound Effects: Dick Maitland
• Audio: Blake Norton, Tim Lester
• Video: Dick Sens
• Camera: Frank Biondo, Dave Driscoll
• Videotape Editors: Evamarie Keller, John Tierney
• Make-Up: Joe Cuervo
• Hair Stylist: Karen Specht
• Wardrobe: Colleen Noe
• Production Accountant: Marta Palko
• Creative Consultant: Jon Stone
• Assistant Vice President, Production Research: Valeria Lovelace, Ph.D.
• Chairman, Board of Advisors: Gerald Lesser, Ph.D.
• Group Vice President Production: Marjorie Kalins
• Senior Vice President for Production: Franklin Getchell
• Taped at Kaufman Astoria Studios in New York
• Post Production: Teatown Video, Inc.

Sources[]