Cookiehood
Wednesday, April 9
CookiehoodSo far this week, I’ve pretty much been only paying attention to the street story in each episode — which, in the new and even more improved 2003 format, means about the first fifteen minutes of the show. I’m going to do that again today.
That’s because the street story is most of the new material this year anyway. Lots of the segments that are airing in this week’s episodes look like repeats of last year’s segments to me — the Letter of the Day, the Number of the Day, the Spanish Word of the Day, Elmo’s World of the Day — as far as I can tell, they’re using last year’s stuff. Which is fine, because it looks like they’re taking all that energy and time, and putting it into making some really fun street stories this year.
Last year, the Big Format Change was to consolidate the street scenes that used to air in segments throughout the hour, and turn them into one big story block in the middle. This year, they’ve gone a step further, and they’re starting off with that big story block. They’re leading with the big meat of the episode, basically, and then it kind of dribbles off into some songs and the Number of the Day, and then on from there. Basically, it looks to me like they’d be just as happy doing a complete overhaul and dumping all the inserts, and just doing a fifteen-minute daily show that’s all street story.
And that might not be a bad idea, now that I think about it. I know there are Sesame fans who are nostalgic for the way the show used to be — long psychedelic cartoons about the letter V and what have you — but this short-story format actually turns out to be pretty neat.
Like in today’s episode, which starts with Cookie Monster singing about today being “Cookie Day!” — and he’s sure he’s going to get some cookies. He runs across Gordon and a little girl named Sydney, who are playing some kind of “guess the pattern” game with chocolate and vanilla cookies. (This apparently passes for entertainment for the residents of Sesame Street.)
Cookie Monster wants to eat the cookies, obviously, but they make him promise not to eat them until they’re done with their so-called “game.” He promises — but while everybody’s back is turned, a mysterious blue furry arm appears and grabs all the cookies. Gordon and Sydney are annoyed — assuming that Cookie ate everything before they finished their game. He protests, but they don’t believe him, and he doesn’t get any cookies. “Oh, the disappointment!” he moans. “Oh, the heartbreak!”
But he gets another chance, when he finds Big Bird and Snuffleupagus playing another loser game — making shapes out of cookies. Again, he promises not to eat the cookies while they’re playing — but when nobody’s looking, that same mysterious furry arm steals the cookies. Obviously, Big Bird and Snuffy blame Cookie, who still claims he’s innocent. “Me telling the truth!” he screams. “Me not take cookies! Me falsely accused!”
I think you can see where this is going, right? It happens one more time, with Maria sending a tin of shortbread cookies to her aunt in Puerto Rico. Cookie promises not to eat them — and once again, they’re stolen by the mysterious cookie thief.
Finally, Cookie has a complete breakdown, and Gordon, Big Bird and Maria try to find out why he’s so upset. After all, he’s the Cookie Monster, why shouldn’t they think that he took the cookies? Then, Cookie goes for the Emmy, delivering his big speech:
“Yeah, me love cookies — yeah, me Cookie Monster — but me GLUTTON… not LIAR! Me always tell truth! Me admit, yeah, sure, me WANT to take cookies… but if me SAY me no take cookie, ME NO TAKE COOKIE!”
Now, I’ve been watching Sesame Street for, what, thirty-odd years now, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen that kind of deep statement of belief from a Sesame character before. You can’t get to that kind of deep level in one-minute scenes scattered throughout the episode; you need some time to develop an emotional moment like that.
And then the whole thing gets even better. Everybody apologizes for not believing him — but then they wonder: If Cookie Monster didn’t take the cookies, then who did?
… And with a clatter of hooves and a cry of “WHOA, Marian,” who should arrive but Cookie Hood! “I take cookies from people who have too many, and give them to people who don’t!” Cookie Hood is played beautifully by Jerry Nelson, and he’s a wonderful surprise. Everybody harshes on him: Taking something that doesn’t belong to you is stealing! “Even… cookies?” asks Cookie Hood. He apologizes: “I only wanted to help people who didn’t have cookies… I didn’t mean to steal! Honest, old chap.” He gives back Maria’s cookie tin. He offers to buy Cookie Monster some more cookies from Hooper’s Store — “I just got my allowance!”
Then Cookie Monster and Cookie Hood sing the “Cookie Day!” song, and go off to buy cookies. And later on, we get to see them singing a funny song about how to say “cookie” in different languages around the world.
Now, I don’t need to tell you that that story absolutely rocks, and I would hold it up against any vintage Sesame story you care to name. It’s got mystery, it’s got humor, it’s got emotional depth, it’s got like three different pro-social messages. Plus, you get a whole new wacko character that we’ve never seen before, and you get to watch Cookie Monster being funny for fourteen straight minutes.
Me like new street stories. Me think new street stories are delicious.
by Danny Horn
