Gentrification Of Sesame Street Comments

From a hygienic street to Oscar the Grouch living in a recycling bin, Sesame Street today has changed from what it used to be. The gritty streets back in the late 60s when it first aired are gone; replaced by a glossy looking street, housing both original and new characters that don't quite have so many issues or the characteristic slowness many of the characters had. And it's not just the characters or the looks of the streets that have changed, it's the topics addressed, and the change in audience. The Sesame Street back in the late 60s has become increasingly more gentrified with its mellowed down characters, topics addressed, and its switch from PBS to HBO.

When Sesame Street first aired, many characters had their own quirky issues. A notable example is Oscar the Grouch. His first words on the show were: "Don't bang on my can! Go away! " ('Sesame Street Episode 1') This sums up his character all throughout the show: a grumpy Muppet with nihilistic views and an attitude that fits his namesake 'the Grouch' perfectly. A less notable example who is later removed from the show is Lefty the Left Salesman. This Muppet was known for his shady deals he always made to Ernie; approaching the latter with a secretive air around him. When reaching Ernie, he looks around, as if the police are after him. Nowadays, he can be interpreted as a drug dealer, as his actions appear dubious, but then again, nowadays, he doesn't appear anymore. However, while his Grouchiness still remains in the show, Sesame Street today focuses its attention more on certain Muppets to make them more familiar to children as they see their faces each week instead of an entire ensemble of characters. This group of characters consists of the younger Muppets, such as Elmo, Abby Cadabby, and Cookie Monster (Jusino, Teresa) . It's understandable why they want to have a consistent set of characters each week, but their large cast of characters is what set Sesame Street apart from the other children's shows. There are many characters that have their own idiosyncrasies, and to focus mainly on younger characters to appeal more to the children mellows the show, because now it turns into just any general children's show that strives to teach kids with its own minimal, stock characters.
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