Whilst it might not have had the same cultural impact in the UK as in the US, Sesame Street is one of those rare TV programmes which is universally remembered with fondness. Loved by young and old alike, not only did it provide (almost transfixing) entertainment for young minds, it also did a great job of educating generations of eager and curious children. There has been nothing else quite like it, either before or since.
It all began back in 1966 when Joan Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett wanted to create a children’s TV show which would combine education and entertainment. Sesame Street was first broadcast in the US three years later. With the driving force of Jim Henson, John Stone and Frank Oz, amongst many others, it went on to become a phenomenon around the world. Street Gang: How We Got To Sesame Street charts this magical journey.
Street Gang: How We Got To Sesame Street is as lovely as you’d expect, but it’s also very moving, extremely funny and decidedly sweet. This is not just a standard blow-by-blow account of the history of the show. Marilyn Agrelo’s documentary does a lot more and in a way that is as entertaining as the colourful characters themselves. Street Gang: How We Got To Sesame Street feels like a breath of fresh air. A film which will make you laugh and cry.
Street Gang: How We Got To Sesame Street is released on Digital Downloads in the UK on 31 January.
