Episode list

As Sesame Street enters its eighth year, Hooper's Store enters its twenty-fifth. That's right. It was two and a half decades ago that Mr. Hooper opened his store, and he throws a party inside it to celebrate, though Big Bird thinks at first his surprise involves a hot air balloon. While all this is going, a guy very much like Charlie Chaplin comes in second place with an elusive exit sign. A song about touching and feeling is sung over footage of people coming into contact with various textures. Three little men sing about how they love polishing on their home, namely a capital I in the center of the sky. While moving a piano, Biff struggles to play it and talks to Sully about practicing, but Sully isn't the one who needs it. The familiar sketch with two girls playing with their doll house is shown. Edith-Ann of "Laugh-In" fame refuses to count for five for us (though, as usual, she's glad to razz), and Ernie convinces Bert to play a rhyming game with him. Cookie Monster goes to the library and asks for a box of cookies, failing to understand that there aren't any, no matter how annoyed the librarian gets. Finally, song and dance monster Stuie, accompanied by his back-up singers, the Aristocrats, sings about how much he loves his maroon and yellow fur. This episode is sponsored by the letter I and the number 2.

Gordon is practicing his guitar playing. Oscar thinks he can help him practice for the annual Grouch Talent Show. Oscar whips out his ratty guitar and manages to play a perfect melody, which isn't what he wants at all. Gordon helps him practice sounding worse and worse. Eventually, Oscar smashes the guitar and plays the wreckage.

Scanimate kids intro into playing in the rain. Bob helps a child get properly dressed to go out in the rain to meet Big Bird. A girl lying in bed imagines seeing cracks in the wall turning into animals and a monster. A toymaker makes an airplane out of wood. Muppet and Kid Moment - Herry and Laurie identify different shapes.

In the early hours of the morning, Mr. Hooper groggily and crankily opens Hooper's Store for the day. Bob and Count von Count follow in, also in rotten moods. They all didn't get much sleep last night, which leaves them tired and irritable. Big Bird bounds into the store in a jolly mood to order some birdseed. He earns some nasty stares from everyone and thinks they're mad at him. Mr. Hooper explains why they're not feeling their best and Big Bird leaves them alone for now. As he heads back to his nest, he sees Gordon coming by. He makes sure Gordon slept well so he can loudly tell him "Good morning!" A horse falls apart into a jigsaw puzzle.

Oscar's TV is busted, only showing picture and no sound. He frets missing his favorite programs on Grouch TV, until he remembers that Linda can read lips and help transcribe the shows for him. She shows him signs for different types of weather so he'll know them when she signs them. "The Grouch Weather" with Dr. Frank Freeze comes on, but Dr. Freeze's large, bushy mustache hides his mouth, thus preventing Linda from being able to read his lips. "Alphabet Imagination": A female voice quickly recites the alphabet followed by a male voice narrating each letter in a series of psychedelic vignettes. Maria and the kids (including Joey) put together a fractured B.

The cast sings "Surprise." A man saws a letter E through the wall. Alien Alphabet. What if we celebrate Valentine's Day with chickens instead of hearts? Paper-cut triangles fade into live-action shots of triangle-shaped things. "Seven Song (Song of Seven)"

Mr. Hooper entrusts Big Bird to watch a bucket of water while he goes inside the store to get a sponge and squeegee. While he's gone, a man with a camel stops by and asks Big Bird if he can get some water. The camel drinks up all the water and they leave the bucket empty. Just then, it rains into the bucket long enough to make it full. Needless to say, Mr. Hooper doesn't believe Big Bird's story about what just happened. Donnie Budd sings about three trios of animals who live on a fat lady's lap. Artist: Bud Luckey. Sesame Street News Flash: Humpty Dumpty has fallen off a wall, and Kermit interviews one of the king's horses. Humpty is put together again, but then Kermit gives him a congratulatory slap on the back, and he falls off the wall again.

Mr. Hooper is having trouble with a geometry problem for his night school homework. Bob offers a solution he thinks will work. Gordon comes in and demonstrates the way he thinks will work instead. Mr. Hooper resolves to solve the problem both ways, then compare with the answer in the back of the book. A kitten is knittin' a kerchief, a kite, and a polka-dot mitten.

Susan wants Gordon and the kids to guess the item that she's bought; it turns out to be a camera. She gathers them for a group photo. Find the camouflaged parrot. Voice: Paul Dooley. Lefty the Salesman wants to sell Ernie a painting of a tree, which he says is a picture of four elephants. Ernie doesn't see the four elephants, so Lefty offers to show him the elephants if Ernie will buy the picture for a nickel. Lefty points out the elephants, which are actually spaces in the tree's branches. Ernie shells out for the picture. Ernie wants to pull the same trick on Bert, but Bert notices the elephants right away. Song: "1-2-3-4-5!"

At Hooper's Store, David and Maria talk about a movie they recently saw, The Ketchup Men from Mars. David loved it, but Maria hated it. They ask Mr. Hooper for his opinion on it, but Mr. Hooper would rather not take sides, pointing out that their opinions are both valid. EXIT. Vaudeville duo Herman Happy and Stanley Sad sing a song about how they live up to their names. Muppet and Kid Moment - Bert tells John-John that he's lost his paper clips, and he feels sad. He asks John-John to show how he looks when he feels sad. Then Bert feels angry about losing his paper clips, and John-John acts out that emotion. Bert remembers where he left his collection, and John-John acts happy, too.

Buffy sings "My Jim Dog" with a Muppet dog. D is a very useful letter -- there are animals, jobs, and hobbies that begin with D. Ernie pretends to be a dog and a duck. Bert then pretends to be a train, and does it so well that a train conductor and passengers come through the apartment. Song: Joe Raposo sings "Frog Struggle Song." Maria and David look for each other in the park, but have trouble finding one another. The concepts of above and below are demonstrated. Super Grover: Janet Fringle needs help carrying many boxes. Super Grover suggests gluing them together, but she eventually figures out that taking them one at a time will work.

Mr. Snuffleupagus encounters Big Bird practicing his baton twirling for the bird and animal parade next week. Big Bird teaches him how to march, and they march past the arbor, but Snuffy goes off in the wrong direction, so the adults don't see him with Big Bird. Sand M/m. Over (silent film). A man invites an M to dinner. The M is very appreciative, and makes "Mmmmmm" sounds. It eats all of the food at the table, and winds up eating the screen. Artists: The Hubleys.

It's twilight on Sesame Street. Luis fills a large bucket with water to rinse it out, while Mr. Hooper brings out a bowl of water to wipe down a table. They both clear the area, when Mr. Snuffleupagus wanders by. He's getting ready for bedtime, but his mommy forgot to get him a glass of water. He intends on visiting Big Bird for a drink, when he spots the containers of water left behind in the yard. He slurps up the bowl of water, but needs more, so he drinks all the water n the bucket. Still thirsty, he takes the most water from the pool in Oscar's trash can. Oscar pops up and declares he's been robbed. Luis and Mr. Hooper rush over and find his claims silly, until they discover the water they left out has disappeared as well.

Luis describes the sounds of tools and appliances in the Fix-It Shop. Big Bird comes in with a broken radio that makes more funny sounds. The Typewriter: K is for Key. Luis describes the sounds of tools and appliances in the Fix-It Shop. Big Bird comes in with a broken radio that makes more funny sounds. The Typewriter: K is for Key. Russian nesting dolls 10-1. Four firetrucks, telephones, ships and men file into a large contraption that produces 4s.

Big Bird tries to surprise Maria, David and Bob, but it doesn't work. Two red curtains are dropped to reveal a number 5 covered in colorful dots that vibrate and disperse. Bob, Maria and David muse about Big Bird's attempts to surprise them, and they all decide to surprise him themselves. Joe Raposo sings "Look at This" over footage of something - can you guess what it is? Things that begin with G.

In the early hours of the morning, Luis strolls over to the Fix-It Shop and discovers the door is already unlocked, then hears a crash from within. He suspects a robber is in the store and calls the police. Two officers show up to catch the culprit, which turns out to be Maria, who also got in early to do some work. C is for clipper - and captain, crew, cargo, cookies, cantaloupe, cabbage, candy, cake, and corks that the crew eats (some by mistake).

Oscar is unenthusiastic by the way Winnie Wiggins has been keeping 123 Sesame Street in tip-top shape. Thus, he has a bouquet of old, smelly flowers he intends to give her, thinking such a kind act will persuade her to grant him a favor - namely, to stop fixing things and let the building fall into disrepair. She accepts the flowers, but angrily refuses to do anything Oscar requests of her. She forces the flowers back on him, but he insists she keep them for yelling at him the way she did.

Following the events of the previous episode, Big Bird attempts to replace the fallen tree on the street. He knows that trees grow from acorns and has placed one on the ground, commanding it to grow. Maria and David break it to him that not only does it need to be planted, but trees take years to grow; this directly impedes Big Bird's plans for a picnic under the tree tomorrow. He goes off to sulk, while David wonders what they can do to remedy this.

Big Bird watches as Susan starts to replace her car's flat tire. She realizes her spare tire needs more air, so she goes to fetch a tire inflator. While she's gone, Mr. Snuffleupagus shows up and fills the tire himself, with his snuffle. Big Bird shows him that the spare is supposed to be the same size as the other tires, so he makes two more tries inflating it. A man talks about the letter J with a jack-in-the-box, whose lid ends up crushing him.

Luis sings "I'd Like to Know You Better." They'd play with me if I had - Ernie and Bert - Ernie answers the telephone. Bert overhears the conversation, which involves a baseball game, a rainy day, and a gorilla stealing a bologna sandwich. When Bert asks who just called, Ernie says it was a wrong number. "Ten Turtles". Artist: Bud Luckey.

Maria and David wait for Big Bird on a subway platform, having already missed two trains because of his tardiness. Big Bird finally arrives, unable to find much of his beach accouterments for their trip. David doesn't see why he'd need such things - they're only going to the Bronx. Maria tells David he'll see when they get there and assures Big Bird that her friend has the things he'll need. Their uptown train arrives and they all board. In lieu of the normal opening theme sequence, we instead see footage of the train heading uptown scored by a funky, transit-inspired arrangement of the "Sesame Street Theme."

Oscar the Grouch sings "A Beautiful Day", about the cold and nasty winter weather on Sesame Street. Grover the Salesman: Grover wants to sell Kermit the Frog some earmuffs, but Kermit doesn't have ears, so Grover gives Kermit some big human ears.

Cookie Monster tells Maria he's just been hired as a baker's assistant, but he's wearing a baker's hat over his eyes. He waits for the baker, when someone comes by with a white coat, who says he helps people feel better (a doctor). Another person comes by, holding a tire, which Cookie Monster assumes is a giant cookie, but this person is a gas station attendant. A third person comes by, saying that he mixes flour, sugar and milk into dough, then puts it in an oven. Cookie Monster thinks that sounds boring, but this person turns out to be the baker.

Finally, Gordon and the woman pass each other on the street and do a double take. It's been so long since they've seen each other, that they didn't recognize one another. Gordon introduces his sister Olivia to his neighbors. An anthropomorphic cloud blows a wild wind disturbing some farm animals. Muppets Kermit at Home: Grover is outside in the snow, freezing. He keeps knocking on Kermit's door, asking how to get warm, and Kermit keeps telling him to come inside. Grover, missing the point, tries ideas of his own to get warm, but they don't work. Finally, Kermit tells Grover that if he wants to get warm, he should come inside. Excited, Grover pulls Kermit aside and slams the door, locking Kermit outside. Grover goes to sleep in Kermit's armchair while the frozen frog scrapes at the window.

Gordon greets Mr. Hooper in front of Hooper's Store and says he's looking for his little sister Olivia who's coming to visit him and Susan on Sesame Street today. Mr. Hooper gets Gordon's description of her and says he'll keep an eye out. Inside the Fix-It Shop, a woman asks Luis if he's seen a black man with a beard and a big afro, but Luis doesn't know anyone by that description.

Linda is in a rotten mood today. Maria invites her to do some activities to cheer her up, such as getting coffee or seeing a movie. Instead, she joins Oscar for a performance of "I Don't Wanna." Linda shuts down Oscar when he invites her to the dump and he sighs, "I think I'm in love!" Ernie and Bert - As Bert takes a nap, Ernie tells the viewer how he knows that Bert is asleep - thus waking Bert up, just to tell him it's time for his nap.

Big Bird sings "Wonderful Me." Two cavemen argue, each chanting "Me!" A large monolith bearing the word ME puts fear in both of them. A man writes the word ME in the snow. Music: Joe Raposo. Sand G/g. Muppets Game Show: The Remembering Game - Guy Smiley hosts Cookie Monster and Bill Smith who have to match two pictures.

Maria takes notice of Oscar's newly-beautified trash can, decorated with flowers, a clean picket fence and a welcome mat. She rings the calm-sounding doorbell, and a neatly-dressed Oscar politely answers. Oscar then explains that he's preparing for a visit from his brother Ernest. Oscar holds a grudge against Ernest for being the favorite kid in the family, so he plans to act nice and un-grouchy as a way of getting even with him. A blue man (voiced by Casey Kasem) explains that "Q" starts the word "quarter."

At the Fix-it Shop, Maria has a headache while studying. The Count gives her a few helpful tips, counting each one as he lists them off. Maria believes the Count is only doing this so he has something to count and doesn't care about her issue at all. She tells him to leave, stating it might make her feel better. Q for Quiet. Artist: John Korty.

At the Fix-it Shop, Maria has a headache while studying. The Count gives her a few helpful tips, counting each one as he lists them off. Maria believes the Count is only doing this so he has something to count and doesn't care about her issue at all. She tells him to leave, stating it might make her feel better.

Big Bird learns from a Jiffy construction worker that a 20-story apartment building is scheduled to be built in ten days. He excitedly tells Gordon, Susan and Linda, then realizes where it's going to be built: his nest area. P is for Puppy.

Oscar the Grouch spots Gordon, Susan, and Olivia walking down Sesame Street and tells the viewer it's about time Olivia's visit with her brother comes to an end because, although they haven't met yet, he's heard about how nice she is. Susan and Gordon retire for the night, but Olivia says she's going to stay up a bit longer, when Oscar greets her and begins to introduce himself. Olivia has heard about him and his reputation, so she cuts off his welcome saying she's not going to fall for whatever trick she assumes this grouch has up his sleeve, and really lays into him before dismissing herself and going inside. Oscar changes his tune with the viewer; he's going to like having her around after all.

Cookie Monster sees Mr. Macintosh peddling his produce cart around, but Cookie reminds the viewer that he prefers cookies. He imagines himself in Mr. Macintosh's place, now running a cookie cart. However, "Mr. Monster-Intosh" doesn't like that customers actually take the cookies away, leaving none for him to eat. Mr. Mac snaps Cookie back to reality. Cookie, now feeling hungry, settles for eating some fruits and vegetables and starts devouring the contents of the produce cart. A small man and his assistant Dudley attempt to demonstrate both the capital and lower-case letter D.

During the "Sesame Street Theme" (mixed with a whistling march), the cast (Bob, Gordon, Susan, Mr. Hooper, Big Bird, Denise, and Anthony, carrying Oscar's trash can) appears hiking through the woods. The gang finally arrives at a clearing, which Bob cites as the perfect campsite; Oscar's response to his new surroundings is a sarcastic "Whoop-dee-do." The grown-ups feel ready for dinner, but Big Bird doesn't see a stove anywhere; he's told they're going to build a fire. Big Bird tells Susan how dangerous fires can be, but she explains how useful it can be for cooking when handled safely.

Judy Collins stops by Hooper's Store for some lunch. David notices that her voice sounds a tad hoarse. She agrees and claims that she still has to practice for a concert she's performing tonight. Bob suggests some hot tea with lemon will soothe her throat, while Maria insists she needs hot milk and honey. David gives her both, which each seem to work a little. David thinks she could use some ice cream instead and serves her a bowl. Soon after, Judy's voice is back in its normal condition, only now she's no longer in need of lunch. Things that begin with N: nail, nest, net, notebook, needle, noodle, nuts, napkins, nose. (Don't make noise at night). The letter N is nice.

Luis catches David on his way to the mailbox in front of 123, and adds some items to David's already big load. They give the mail to a jolly postman, who opens the mailbox and is overjoyed at how much mail he gets to collect and sort. Film "I Am a Letter" - Vocalists sing a song describing the process of how mail is sent. (re-edited with a new song track)

Oscar reads to Bob from the Grouch Book of the number 6 is shown in a variety of ways. Joe Raposoiddles. The punchline of each joke is the same, irritating Bob further and further. The Queen of Six explores her garden. Children and animals numbered 1-12 race in a marathon. The #9 runner wins. Kermit's Lectures: Kermit talks about hair. According to Kermit, "Hair is a part of you. It is not a part of me, because I am a frog." He points out that some people have hair on their heads, while others have it on their faces. But if you have hair all over your body -- like Beautiful Day Monster, who emerges brushing himself and singing "A pretty girl is like a melody ..." -- then you're a monster.

Susan greets Big Bird walking down Sesame Street in a slump because he wanted to talk to Luis's grandmother on the phone in New Mexico, but he couldn't think of anything to say. He's told that he was just shy, and she sings to him "Everyone Feels a Little Shy Sometimes". Ernie and Bert - It's a sunny day at the beach, and Bert remembered to bring everything. Ernie, however, only brought an umbrella in case it rains - which it does.

Mr. Hooper struggles to fill orders in Hooper's Store. He explains to Maria that David called out sick, so he's hired someone from a temp agency to help out for the day. He continues to rush around when a woman comes in and tries to get his attention. He asks her to wait her turn as he continues; the woman patiently continuing to intercede. Finally he slows down long enough for her to introduce herself: her name is Mrs. Sharp and she was sent by the temp agency in response to Mr. Hooper's request for help.

Mr. Hooper struggles to fill orders in Hooper's Store. He explains to Maria that David called out sick, so he's hired someone from a temp agency to help out for the day. He continues to rush around when a woman comes in and tries to get his attention. He asks her to wait her turn as he continues; the woman patiently continuing to intercede. Finally he slows down long enough for her to introduce herself: her name is Mrs. Sharp and she was sent by the temp agency in response to Mr. Hooper's request for help. Bert tells Ernie that if he can clean the messy apartment in fifteen seconds or less, he will give Ernie his dessert, ice cream and cookies.

Bob wakes up early, opens his window, and invites the viewer to identify the sounds of the city in the morning. A cat makes noise with a telephone, typewriter, trumpet, and piano. When the cat leaves, the devices come to life, and when he comes back, they all sound at once, frightening the cat.

At Hooper's Store, David fills a jar with dry beans for a contest: whoever guesses the number correctly wins a free lunch. Maria guesses 2,000. Just then, Big Bird arrives to watch the store while David studies, but can't find anything to serve the customers. He notices the jar of dry beans, and gets inspired. A man saws a letter E through the wall.

Bob invites Oscar to play a "freeze" game with him and the kids, where all of them pretend to be animals until he says "freeze". Ernie eats one of the two pieces of chocolate cake that Bert was saving for their dessert. Bert sees Ernie holding a fork in one hand and a napkin with some chocolate on it in the other--and in front of him is a plate full of chocolate-cake crumbs. When Bert accuses Ernie of eating the cake, Ernie tells Bert that a monster came in, ate Bert's cake, and framed Ernie. Bert doesn't believe Ernie's lie. But when Bert leaves the room, Beautiful Day Monster comes in and does exactly what Ernie told Bert happened to the first piece. Ernie tries to explain, but Bert says, "I don't want to talk about it."

A film shows parts of a flower. Music: Vivaldi's Concerto for lute, 2 violins and continuo in D Major II - Largo. Arthur Ashe: keep practicing and working hard in tennis. A ship captain orders the numbers 1-20 into a boat - which promptly sinks. Artist: Harvey Kurtzman.

During the "Sesame Street Theme" (mixed with a whistling march), the cast (Bob, Gordon, Susan, Mr. Hooper, Big Bird, Denise, and Anthony, carrying Oscar's trash can) appears hiking through the woods. The gang finally arrives at a clearing, which Bob cites as the perfect campsite; Oscar's response to his new surroundings is a sarcastic "Whoop-dee-do." The grown-ups feel ready for dinner, but Big Bird doesn't see a stove anywhere; he's told they're going to build a fire. Big Bird tells Susan how dangerous fires can be, but she explains how useful it can be for cooking when handled safely.

Herry Monster feels a big sneeze coming on, so Mr. Hooper gives him ten tissues. A tough guy named Tough Eddie accidentally knocks over Bert's sand castle while he's sleeping. Ernie points that out to Eddie, and Eddie tells Ernie, in a threatening tone of voice, that he's "got something" for Bert. It turns out to be an ice cream cone.

Big Bird has a special welcome prepared for David's grandmother Harriet, who is coming to visit today - a banner reading "Welcome Grandma," some balloons and a trumpet fanfare. However, David, Luis and Susan are all too busy getting their own things ready for Harriet's visit. Harriet finally arrives and helps Big Bird set up the banner. She even shows him how to properly play a fanfare on the trumpet. This alerts David, who rushes out to meet his grandmother. He asks who helped Big Bird after all and the bird cunningly remarks, "Oh, just a friend who happened to be visiting..."

Sesame Street News Flash: Humpty Dumpty has fallen off a wall, and Kermit interviews one of the king's horses. He is put together again, but then Kermit gives him a congratulatory pat on the back, and he falls off the wall again. C for Cake. Everybody loves cake.

Luis finds Oscar using an old CB radio, which Oscar has repurposed as a GB radio (GB for Grouch Band). Using the nickname "Bum Steer," he communicates with fellow Grouch "Rotten Egg" about trading some trash. "Rotten Egg" turns out to be radioing him from right behind his can. S is for snow, Santa, and sleigh.

Bob sings a country/western song called "Boy from Indiana". I've got a mind: squares make a box. Artist: Cliff Roberts. A girl invites the listener to "Swing Up High." Music: Joe Raposo. "Poverty U". Lefty sells Ernie an invisible ice cream cone; Ernie pays for it with an invisible nickel.