Parents' Guide to Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration

Movie NR 2018 49 minutes
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Common Sense Media Review

Polly Conway By Polly Conway , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 4+

Cute musical special is nostalgic fun for fans of all ages.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 4+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 5+

Based on 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration is a special hosted by actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Known to Sesame Street inhabitants as "Mr. Joe," Gordon-Levitt is thrilled to finally visit the street he's spent so much time watching on TV. Together, they revisit classic songs like "The People In Your Neighborhood" and "It's Not Easy Being Green." The whole crew is there, from Maria and Luis from the original cast to newer additions like Elmo and Abby Cadabby (even Roosevelt Franklin and Guy Smiley make appearances). His biggest dream? To get a group photo next to the classic Sesame Street sign. The problem? It's disappeared!

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 2 ):
Kids say : Not yet rated

This lively special has lots of nods to the original viewers of Sesame Street, who are all grown up, but it's a fun adventure for the new generation, too. Kid viewers (though they may not know or care who Norah Jones or Nile Rodgers are) will love watching the gang's mishaps as they try to find the iconic sign. And grown-ups will enjoy the jokes, including one where Cookie Monster is teaching Sterling K. Brown his cookie-eating technique. After the crumbs fly, Brown regretfully says "I don't think I got any in my mouth." "That happens," says Cookie. A duet between Elvis Costello and Kermit the Frog may bring tears to fans' eyes, and there's an ultra-cool remix of the classic "Loaf of Bread" sketch. This isn't a clip show only featuring classic sketches and animations, but an all-new visit to the 50-year-old Street.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the longevity of Sesame Street. What do you think has kept it popular for so many years?

  • Which puppet is your favorite? Why do you like them the best?

Movie Details

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