Sesame Street Season 40 premiered on November 10, 2009. This date is the 40th anniversary of the show, and Sesame Workshop celebrated the occasion with a commemorative book and DVD set, as well as a week-long takeover of the Google logo.

Overview[]

The curriculum for Season 40 focuses on environmentalism and is "designed to nurture young children's appreciation and love for nature."^[1][2] The Muppets of Sesame Street encourage children to explore their curiosity in the outdoors with activities that teach simple, age-appropriate ways of showing care and stewardship for the environment.^[1] Several episodes focus on environmental issues - such as recycling or habitats.^[3] One episode focuses on Baby Bear and his family learning how to hibernate.^[4] Another episode (4187, originally planned as 4210) features Big Bird learning about migration.^[5]

A new computer-generated segment, Abby's Flying Fairy School, is added this season. Murray Has a Little Lamb and Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures return from last season and alternated with each episode. What's the Word on the Street? and The Word of the Day also return with 26 new words. Elmo's World returns for its eleventh season with only one new segment about Frogs.

Parodies[]

Parodies include "Mad Men" (based on Mad Men), "Waiting for Big" (Sex and the City), "Outdoors" (based on "I'm Yours"), "Super K Cereal" (based on Special K), and "D-Dance" (based on Apple's iPod commercial).

Show Format[]

The season introduces a new format based on typical channel programming blocks, with Murray Monster serving as a host from real-world locations, introducing the main components of the show.^[6]

• What's the Word on the Street? (30 seconds)
• Sesame Street Theme (50 seconds)
• Street Story (10 to 12 minutes)
• Celebrity Vocabulary Word (1 minute)
• Murray Tune-In (1 minute)
• Letter film (1:15)
• Abby's Flying Fairy School (8:30)
• Murray Tune-In (1 minute)
• Number film (1:15)
• Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures or Murray Has a Little Lamb (5 minutes to 6:30)
• Murray Tune-In (1 minute)
• Music video or curriculum spot (2:15)
• Elmo's World (17 minutes)
• Murray close (30 seconds)
• End credits (45 seconds)^[7]

The change in format and curriculum increased viewership (compared to February 2009 ratings) by 60%.^[8]

Episodes[]

Episodes 4187 - 4212 (26 episodes)

• Episode 4187 -- Frankly, It's Becoming a Habitat
• Episode 4188 -- The Cowmonster Pair
• Episode 4189 -- Baby Bear is Afraid of Bees
• Episode 4190 -- Wild Nature Survival Guy
• Episode 4191 -- Abby Makes the Seasons Change
• Episode 4192 -- Y a Quest? Y Not
• Episode 4193 -- Bears Try to Hibernate
• Episode 4194 -- Stinky's Annual Birthday Flower
• Episode 4195 -- Elmo Finds a Baby Bird
• Episode 4196 -- Grouch Messing Machine
• Episode 4197 -- The Cookie Tree
• Episode 4198 -- Mary, Mary Quite Contrary
• Episode 4199 -- Abby Has the Sparkle Speckle Fairy Freckles
• Episode 4200 -- The Rainbow Show
• Episode 4201 -- Amphibian Show
• Episode 4202 -- Camping Show
• Episode 4203 -- Squirmadega Car Race
• Episode 4204 -- Jack's Big Jump
• Episode 4205 -- Inspected by 4
• Episode 4206 -- Wing in a Sling
• Episode 4207 -- The Planet G
• Episode 4208 -- The Counting Booth
• Episode 4209 -- Tribute to Number Seven
• Episode 4210 -- Abby's Tricycle
• Episode 4211 -- Jack Grows His Own Beanstalk
• Episode 4212 -- Princess Show

Notes[]

• Season 40 introduces a new opening and closing theme sequence.
• Starting this season, Joey Mazzarino is the new head writer.
• This was Mike Renzi's last season as music director and the last to involve Danny Epstein, who had been an original member of the show's music team since 1969.
• In an interview with Muppet fansite Tough Pigs, writer and performer Joey Mazzarino said, "We're trying to do what we call a hidden gem in every episode. That's for you guys, the fans. Little things like Biff and Sully in a scene, or some other stuff that I won't tell you about that will be hidden in the scene."^[9]
• A parody of Jon & Kate Plus 8, featuring The Count and Anything Muppet spoofs of the family, was filmed for this season but never made it to air (most likely due to the couple's splitting up). A plot outline of the sketch was also removed from the Season 40 Press Kit "Parody Description" section. The segment was released as a bonus feature on the Best of Sesame Street Spoofs! DVD in 2011.
• Select episodes from this season can be purchased in The iTunes Store.
• This is the first season to not have any clips featuring any characters performed by Jim Henson.
• Kermit the Frog makes a surprise cameo in Elmo's World: Frogs.

Characters[]

Muppets

Abby Cadabby, Anything Muppets, Baby Bear, Barkley, Bert, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Count von Count, Curly Bear, Elmo, Ernie, Fairy Godperson, Fred the Wonder Horse, Grouches, Grover, Grundgetta, Horatio the Elephant, Jack Be Nimble, Mr. Johnson, Little Bo Peep, Mama Bear, Murray Monster, Old MacDonald, Oscar the Grouch, Ovejita, Papa Bear, Rosita, Slimey, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Stinky the Stinkweed, Telly Monster, Wolfgang the Seal, Zoe

Cameos

Kermit the Frog, Sherlock Hemlock, Bip Bippadotta, Forgetful Jones, Harvey Kneeslapper, Herry Monster, Biff, Sully, Lulu

Cast[]

• Maria: Sonia Manzano
• Alan: Alan Muraoka
• Gordon: Roscoe Orman
• Gina: Alison Bartlett
• Luis: Emilio Delgado
• Bob: Bob McGrath
• Susan: Loretta Long
• Gabi: Desiree Casado
• Chris: Chris Knowings
• Leela: Nitya Vidyasagar
• Caroll Spinney as Big Bird and Oscar

Muppets™ Of Sesame Street

Pam Arciero, Jennifer Barnhart, Fran Brill, Tyler Bunch, Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, Kevin Clash, Bruce Connelly, Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Eric Jacobson, John Kennedy, Tim Lagasse, Peter Linz, Jim Martin, Joey Mazzarino, Paul McGinnis, Jerry Nelson, Carmen Osbahr, Frank Oz, Martin P. Robinson, David Rudman, Matt Vogel, Steve Whitmire, Bryant Young

Guest Stars[]

Credits[]

• Executive Producer: Carol-Lynn Parente
• Coordinating Producer: April Chadderdon
• Senior Producer: Tim Carter
• Line Producer: Stephanie Longardo
• Producers: Melissa Dino, Benjamin Lehmann, Ronda Music Lask
• Directors: Kevin Clash, Ken Diego, Jim Martin, Ted May, Joey Mazzarino, Scott Preston, Millicent Shelton, Lisa Simon, Matt Vogel, Nadine Zylstra
• Head Writer: Joey Mazzarino
• Head Writer (Elmo's World): Judy Freudberg
• Writers: Molly Boylan, Annie Evans, Christine Ferraro, Judy Freudberg, Tony Geiss, J Milligan, Emily Perl Kingsley, Luis Santeiro, Ed Valentine, Belinda Ward, John Weidman
• Co-Executive Producer (Elmo's World): Kevin Clash
• Production Designers: Victor DiNapoli, Bob Phillips
• Project Director (Abby's Flying Fairy School): Christine Walters
• Additional Voices for Abby’s Flying Fairy School: Jeremy Redleaf, Jessica Stone
• Puppets, Costumes, Props: Jason Weber, with Connie Peterson, Rollie Krewson, Polly Smith, Andrea Detwiler, Michelle Hickey, Anney McKilligan, Lara MacLean, Chelsea Carter, Molly Light, Marc Borders
• Music Director: Mike Renzi
• Studio Music Director: Paul Rudolph
• Director of Music Operations: Danny Epstein
• Music Coordinator: Vicki Levy
• Composers: Tony Geiss, Ricky Gervais, Eric Perlmutter, Mark Radice, Kathryn Raio, Joe Raposo, JP Rende, Mike Renzi, Paul Rudolph, Bill Sherman, Russell Velazquez
• Associate Producers: Theresa Anderson, Mindy Fila, Todd E. James
• Lighting Designer: Dan Kelley
• Celebrity Talent Booker: Bella Harkins
• Child Talent: Carrie Haugh, Tiffany Clifton
• Costume Designers: Bill Kellard, Terry Roberson
• Assistant Costume Designer: Brian Hemesath
• Art Director: Bob Phillips
• Art Direction / Graphics: Rickey Boyd, Pete Ortiz
• Prop Coordinator: Keith Olsen
• Editing Supervisors: Tim Carter, Todd E. James
• Associate Directors: Frank Campagna, Tim Carter, Emily Cohen, Ken Diego, Dylan Hopkins, Benjamin Lehmann
• Stage Managers: Doug Fogel, Shawn Havens
• Production Stage Manager: Mindy Fila
• Unit Production Manager: Jared Jenkins
• Production Coordinator: Kelly Adams
• Post Production Coordinator: Joseph Hung
• Control Room PA: Leigh E. Gallagher
• Sound Effects Editor / Re-Recording Mixer: Dick Maitland C.A.S.
• Technical Director: Tom Guadarrama
• Supervising Sound Editor / Production Mixer: Roger Stauss
• Sound Editor: Chris Prinzivalli
• Cameras: Frank Biondo, Jerry Cancel, Shaun Harkins
• Senior Video: James Meek
• Tape: Ernie Albritton
• Utility: Keith Guadarrama, Mike McCormack, Gordon Price, Chuck Tutino
• Boom: Dan Guachione
• Stagehands: Steve Dannenberg, Russell Hooton, Tony Santoro
• Editors: Rafael Parra, John Tierney, Chris Reinhart
• Assistant Editor: Jenna Deangelis, Rachel Julkowski
• Supervising Sound Editor / Re-Recording Mixer: Michael Barrett
• Supervising Music Editor / Re-Recording Mixer: Jim Czak
• Music Editor: Bill Moss
• Make Up: Jane Di Persio
• Hairstylist: Jackie Payne
• Wardrobe: Christine Ryan
• Scenic Artists: Jeff Czaja, Margaret Ryan
• Script Supervisors: Lisa Hollander, Syndi Shumer
• Script Coordinator: Lynda Holder-Settles
• Production Secretaries: Anthony Apruzzese, Susan Buice, Geri Cole, Jane Lee, Carla Lopez De Azua, Shevaun Gray, Ashmou Younge
• Manager of Production Accounting: Kalombo Tshimanga
• Vice President of Education and Research: Rosemarie T. Truglio, Ph.D.
• Sesame Street Education and Research Team: Takiema Bunche Smith, M.S.Ed., Mindy K. Brooks, M.A., David I. Cohen, Jennifer Kolter, Ph.D., Jane Sun Park, M.A., Evangelean Pope, Jennifer R. Schiffman, M.S.Ed., Autumn P. Zitani Stefano, M.A.
• Abby's Flying Fairy School Characters Designed by Peter de Sève
• Special Thanks to Creative Bubble, Celefex, Hyperactive Pictures, Misseri Studio, Speakeasy FX, Trollback + Company
• Taped at Kaufman Astoria Studios in New York

Sources[]

See also[]

• Sesame Street: 40th Anniversary

External links[]

• Season 40 press kit (archive link)