Sesame Street Fairytale Fun DVD Review

Michael Wermuth - "Fairytale Fun" is the latest Sesame Street DVD release, themed around fairy tales and nursery rhymes. Included are four street stories. First, Elmo and Zoe help Mother Goose (played by Samantha Bee) write some new poems.

Next, after being read the story of "The Frog Prince", Abby Cadabby thinks Oscar might really be a prince and attempts to kiss him, which Oscar obviously doesn't want. Then, Hansel and Gretel plan a playdate with Big Bird, but since they have to meet their parents at the subway, they need to make a trail from the subway to Big Bird's nest... and they keep making new trails after it keeps getting eaten or blown away.

And finally, Jack from "Jack Be Nimble" attempts to jump over eight candle sticks... But becomes afraid to do so. I had seen all of these street stories except for the Hansel and Gretel one, and it's a lot better than I had expected. The other street stories are great as well, especially the one with Oscar and Abby.

In addition to those street stories, the main program includes three Sesame Street News segments, with Kermit reporting on a princess who describes her ideal husband, Prince Charming falling asleep after kissing Sleeping Beauty, and Jack Be Nimble going under and around before jumping over the candlestick. Other segments include a 1970s segment where an Anything Muppet Mother Goose attempts to write "The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe" with help from the old woman and her kids, and a "Healthy Fairytale Moment" involving Hansel and Gretel.

All of the bonus features revolve around "Cinderella." First up is the 1999 television special CinderElmo, which is a very great special. Next is another Sesame Street News segment, "Cinderella's Fairy Godmother". And finally, we get an episode of Abby's Flying Fairy School, "The Cinderella Challenge."

I highly recommend this DVD. All of the street stories are great, there's a good number of classic clips (mostly with Kermit the Frog), and a great bonus special.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com