Sesame Street

- Season 12

(1980)

Big Bird goes to school with Kathy for Visitors Day. Hilarity and learning ensue.

Today, two new people visit the street: the Count's fifth cousin, Countess von Dahling, who makes it rain whenever she counts, and Cowboy X, now in Muppet form, who learns that X is actually a letter of the "al-fee-bet".

Ringmaster Big Bird presents his acts to a crowd of Olivia, Mr. Hooper and Luis. Daredevils Frankie, James and David walk across the tightrope without using a net (though he urges the crowd to imagine it's actually up in the air). Barkley the Wonder Dog is next, but he doesn't seem to get the idea. Big Bird rallies the kids on the other side of the rope and call him over, thus making it look like he's crossing the rope.

Bob sings "Have a Nice Day." The Two-Headed Monster shares a bathtub and help each other get clean. They are discouraged when they are finished and drain the tub, but find joy in drying. A man jumps up and down on a trampoline. Artist: Tom Gabbay.

Linda is back from a trip to Japan with the National Theatre of the Deaf and she tells her friends all about her experience.

Big Bird asks Maria, Luis, Gordon and Olivia to hold some random items as he fetches others. Maria figures out that all the items are circus-related. Big Bird explains that P. T. Bunkum, of the Bunkum and Ballyhoo Circus, is in town. A roof finds its way to the top of a house.

Oscar wonders what he should have for lunch, but ultimately thinks it doesn't matter what he eats. This prompts Gilbert and Sullivan to explain the importance of a healthy diet with a street-wide song about foods ("You Are What You Eat"). Violet climbs a vine with V words.

Luis welcomes the viewer as he opens the Fix-It Shop for the day. Poco Loco already knows the topics for today - the letters Y and W and "surprise," though he's not sure what the latter means. Luis gives an explanation and soon, Poco starts surprising him.

Gordon and Susan make their way to Big Bird's nest for a pretend tea party and assume Big Bird's imaginary friend, Mr. Snuffleupagus, will be there too. At the party, they address the empty seat as Snuffy and pretend to give him some tea, though Big Bird is left wondering who they're talking to.

Deena is spending the night with Maria- and boy does Maria have her work cut out for her!

Ernie is planning to go to the library, when he hears on the radio that it might rain. So he gets out his umbrella, and puts on his raincoat, rain hat, and galoshes. Then, in case it floods, he takes a bag of groceries and a life preserver. Finally, he makes Bert go to the library with him, so he won't be stranded in the flood without him.

Mr. Hooper welcomes the viewer, and is about to explain the word "closed" when Big Bird interrupts him. Big Bird assumes Mr. Hooper is going to talk about the letter L, the alphabet, and rectangles, all of which have to do with the sign -- but Big Bird can't see the word "closed" until Mr. Hooper points it out.

Telly is worried that the rain will never stop. Olivia explains to him why we need rain. The rain stops, and then Telly worries that it won't rain again. Melvin the Moving Man. Billy Jo Jive and Sunset help out Wrong Way Willie, a kid who gets many things wrong (such as wearing a football outfit on the way to play basketball).

Big Bird is upset about being unable to fly. Poco Loco suggests he could flap his wings, but that doesn't work. They look up in the sky at an airplane, and Big Bird suddenly gets inspired and runs off. A boy needs a letter U to complete the word UP.

Big Bird joins his friends for a picnic up on the roof. Sesame Street is brought to you today by the letters O and Q and by the number 5.

Big Bird can't stand the mess his nest area is. Susan suggests he throw out items he no longer needs, but Big Bird has a reason for keeping everything. "Alphabet Imagination": A female voice quickly recites the alphabet followed by a male voice narrating each letter in a series of psychedelic vignettes.

Susan and Mr. Hooper discuss how it's Big Bird's turn to feed Barkley; they hope he doesn't forget. Over at his nest, Big Bird feels as though he's forgotten something. He looks around and sees some clues - a bone, a dog food bag, a bowl and some biscuits. When Susan arrives with Barkley, Big Bird believes he has the items to discuss the letter B. He also notices Barkley looks hungry and suggests someone should feed him.

Telly Monster reads the BUS STOP sign and Gordon explains its purpose. Telly notices buses passing right by without stopping. He frantically waves and yells to get the next incoming bus to stop. The driver is not amused that Telly isn't going to board. Telly vows to stay put and ensure all the other buses stop at the sign.

Oscar lets the viewer in on a trick he's about to pull on Olivia - he has an ordinary pitcher of regular grape juice, but the glass he has is full of holes. Olivia suspects something is up and correctly discovers the glass is rigged. Maria comes by and sips from it, getting juice all over her; she blames Olivia.

Bob meets Ferlinghetti Donizetti, a hep cat who rhymes everything in their conversation.The Typewriter: N for Nose. Grover watches as Ernie loads various things into a machine that start with M and N. The machine then displays the letter it begins with. Since Grover is a monster, he decides to go in the machine, causing a mess.

Oscar the Grouch greets the viewer very early in the morning and explains that it's his favorite time of day because no one else is awake yet to ask him to play games or sing songs. He revels in the sound of a passing garbage truck, but cringes at the tweets of birds waking up - which makes him grouchy. When Big Bird wakes up in his nest and states how beautiful the morning is, Oscar retreats to the depths of his trash can.

Ernie won't stop saying how thirsty he is, no matter how many glasses of water Bert brings him. Even after he's finished, he still won't stop saying "Boy, was I thirsty." Oscar has built an elevator in his trash can to take him up and down. Olivia notes that it moves very slowly. Oscar sets it to fast, sending him flying up out of the can.

Deena wants to play with Barkley, who is currently resting. She wakes him up and assumes his growling means he's pretending to be a ferocious lion. Gordon tells Deena that she should leave Barkley be while he tries to sleep. She plays with the sleeping dog anyhow, making him "Sleeping Beauty" as she blows kisses to try and wake him up.

Oscar asks Susan why he's not feeling so well, especially in his stomach. She learns he hasn't eaten anything all day and recommends having a meal. Oscar thinks about having sardines with chocolate sauce and now Susan is the one with the sick feeling in her stomach.

Today is Granny Bird's birthday and Big Bird has a gift for her. He asks Gordon to help wrap it, until it's revealed the gift is a live goldfish. Gordon tells Big Bird he can't put this in the mail, so Big Bird gives him the fish as a birthday gift and dashes off to find something else for Granny Bird.

Mr. Macintosh has to go downtown, but needs someone to look after his produce cart. Big Bird volunteers, although he has no idea what he's supposed to do. A man gets a letter C in the mail. Fish swim around. Music: Joe Raposo. An Anything Muppet boy and girl have a conversation using the letters of the alphabet.

Maria gets impatient as Telly comes back, now with a muffler and earmuffs (with some snow gear for Maria as well). He also brings a first-aid kit in case one of them trips and scrapes their knee. Maria asserts today is a nice, sunny day, prompting Telly to run off again.

A princess claims that the man she intends to marry has small ears, bulgy eyes, and a funny voice, wears a hat and coat, and is a frog. Kermit the Frog is the only one who fits that description, so she kisses him and, in a puff of smoke, she turns into a frog. Kermit invites her to "the hop", and she accepts.

Countess Dahling von Dahling arrives on Sesame Street with Masha, her dog. Gordon is reluctant to let her count him and the kids, citing the rain that always occurs when she finishes. The Countess assures him she will immediately put a stop to it by counting backwards. She counts the five people in the yard, then counts backwards to stop the rain. As she prepares to go, she counts their goodbyes, leaving them stuck in a downpour.

At the Fix-It Shop, Luis shows Elmo the word "casa" which is Spanish for "house". Elmo mumbles his acknowledgement which turns into a questioning mumble. Luis assumes he's asking to learn how to write it, so he spells the word out on a piece of paper. Elmo mumbles quizzically again, so Luis explains that he just has to practice writing it over and over again. Elmo mumbles his understanding; Luis says that should keep him busy for a while.

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".

Oscar recites a tone poem to Luis and Olivia, "Ode to the City." The poem describes the various noises he enjoys, which are audible to the grown-ups and drive them away. I - ice cream. The kids form a capital I. Capital I, he's quite a guy. A scuba diver swims away from.

Mr. Hooper gives Olivia four dollars to take a cab so he doesn't have to carry a heavy crate, despite her claiming she only needs to go two blocks. She calls for a taxi anyhow and Oscar pulls up in the Sloppy Jalopy. Olivia really doesn't want a taxi now, but Oscar promises to bump off on the cost of the ride. He allows a cheaper and cheaper ride until the ride costs zero dollars at all. Olivia hops in, but the car stalls and falls apart. "You get what you pay for," says Oscar.

Telly Monster's latest worry is that it will stay dark forever and the sun won't rise again. Gordon acknowledges how silly this is, but Big Bird easily falls for the paranoia. Y for Yak Artist: Jeff Hale. He, She and It.

Linda acts out different emotions for Bob and the kids to guess. Oscar wants them to scram, but this makes Linda angry and she furiously signs at him, driving him into the can. "Boy, what a Grouch," remarks Oscar. Vitamins give vim, vigor and vitality to a droopy V. John Hubley.

Olivia makes her way to the roof of 123 Sesame Street, which is full of various plants. She hears Big Bird, but can't see him. She hears him talking to somebody and assumes it's actually Mr. Snuffleupagus. Instead, he's talking to a palm tree to help it grow. A red man tries to get apples from a tree by himself, while a yellow man builds a ladder.

Ernie asks Bert to keep an eye on his pyramid of blocks. The Count walks by, and counts the blocks, moving them out of the pyramid shape. Then he counts them again, putting them back into the pyramid. Bert yells at the Count for moving Ernie's blocks, so the Count counts the blocks again, taking the pyramid apart.

Telly Monster is building a castle of blocks in the arbor, but he's afraid to put the last one on for fear that it will fall. Gordon approaches and asks if he can help, and together they sing "Lending a Helping Hand." Two hippie kids wonder how to make their droopy plant grow.

Bob returns from his concert tour and Big Bird reports he did a good job watching his apartment while Bob was gone, with some help from Mr. Snuffleupagus. They arrive at Bob's place to find everything is missing. Big Bird explains that he and Snuffy got bored while watching the stuff, so they brought it all to Snuffy's cave while they played there. Bob is instead convinced somebody broke in and stole everything. He resolves to call the police, despite Big Bird's protests.

Oscar calls over Gordon, Susan and the kids to judge his "Oscar the Grouch Look-a-Like Contest." Three Grouches, including Osvaldo, el Gruñón, are assembled and they compare how they look to Oscar. Osvaldo resembles Oscar the most, so the judges suggest he be the winner. Oscar, however, assumes the role as entry #4 and declares himself the winner, since no one looks more like him than himself. The adults and kids all leave, while the Grouches propose doing the trick again next week.

Big Bird and the kids jump rope in front of Hooper's Store, but Mr. Hooper tells them they're blocking the way for potential customers. They crowd into the hallway next door to jump rope there, but Maria points out they're in the way of people who need to get inside. They move into the Fix-It Shop, where Luis also tells them it's no place for jump roping. Big Bird can't think of anywhere else they can go, especially because it's going to rain soon. Luis recalls when he was a kid, they had a clubhouse to play in. Big Bird declares he and the kids will make one too.

Big Bird and the kids jump rope in front of Hooper's Store, but Mr. Hooper tells them they're blocking the way for potential customers. They crowd into the hallway next door to jump rope there, but Maria points out they're in the way of people who need to get inside. They move into the Fix-It Shop, where Luis also tells them it's no place for jump roping. Big Bird can't think of anywhere else they can go, especially because it's going to rain soon. Luis recalls when he was a kid, they had a clubhouse to play in. Big Bird declares he and the kids will make one too.

Big Bird sees Grandma Grace putting a young girl's hair in cornrows. He learns about how it's a concept been passed down through history and even wants his feathers cornrowed as well. 4 people, 4 wheels, 4 doors, and 4 windows make a carpool.

Kermit tests two blindfolded monsters and asks them which number they're feeling. Herry Monster minus his blindfold describes how he knew the number was a five and in the process breaks the five into pieces. Cookie Monster attempts to feel the number and Kermit tells him that he can't since its broken. Cookie Monster devours the pieces and tells Kermit it tastes like a five. Five fantastic floating fools fall from the big blue blimp.

Oscar has entered Slimey in a "Special Pet" contest and asks Susan to talk with the judge when he arrives, since Oscar isn't one for pleasantries. The Muppet judge, however, finds Slimey isn't all that special when compared to other animals, even after Susan pleads his case. Oscar appears from his can to give the judge a piece of his mind. The judge thinks Oscar is a pet, and a very loud, disagreeable one at that. He awards Oscar the blue ribbon instead.

Telly Monster is supposed to introduce today's number, but has forgotten what it is. Big Bird brings in his "Number of the Day Machine" to help, but Telly is certain he'll break it somehow. They start counting up and once they reach 6, the machine does its usual fanfare. Big Bird celebrates, while Telly takes this to mean the machine's coming apart.

In the premiere edition of Ask Oscar, Telly Monster reads a letter from Yucchina Blechman of Sandusty, Ohio, who wishes to know about on and in. Oscar thinks Telly should help with the demonstration. He produces a box, which he puts on his head, then has Telly put his head in the box. He repeats this using a bucket, to Telly's chagrin. Telly wishes to switch roles in the proceedings. Oscar puts some ripped-up newspaper in a box, then throws the pieces on Telly.

Big Bird has purchased a cabbage from Hooper's Store and drags his wagon of things to meet Mr. Snuffleupagus at Snuffle Cavern. He shows David and Maria the things he'll bring, including a muffler (to keep warm in the drafty cave), Radar, and a large set of directions to Snuffy's place. Two lines intersect at the middle of the screen and have an argument; they cooperate by making a cross.

Oscar intrudes on today's day care activities, where the kids sculpt with clay. Bob observes what everyone has made. Oscar shows him the various things he made, which are all just flattened objects. Three balls try to match three holes. A boy puts a red and green monster together using a diagram.

Mr. Snuffleupagus sees Linda sitting out in the yard and decides to go speak to her. Since she's facing away from him, he receives no response when he tries making conversation. He fears that she doesn't like him, but Big Bird clarifies that she couldn't hear him. Big Bird goes over and makes contact with some basic signs to demonstrate, but Snuffy runs off to learn sign language before Linda can see him.

A woman arrives on the street and meets Big Bird. She only speaks Spanish, so he goes back and forth between the brownstone and Hooper's Store, where Mr. Ortiz just happens to be working today. Mr. Ortiz translates some words Big Bird hears from the woman regarding someone she's visiting - he's her brother with blue eyes, named Geraldo.

Big Bird uses a screen to show over and under by placing his head over and under it. He finds going under very straining, until Olivia points out his feet can illustrate that. Big Bird misunderstands and does a headstand, making his head under and his feet over.

Luis awaits the arrival of Dr. Nobel Price, who has another new invention to show off. Dr. Price, however, feels his latest project is already a failure. He unveils his creation - "woodies," a bunch of wooden objects of different shapes. The kids recognize them as blocks and play with them. Dr. Price, however, can't see their value as playthings and considers carving them into toothpicks instead.

Oscar, carried by Bruno the Trashman, reports for the Wide World of Grouch Sports, covering a Grouch race on Sesame Street. Competitors Gordon, Susan, Luis, Maria and Mr. Hooper disagree over who will win as Olivia snaps photos. The racers take off, as Grundgetta reports from another block nearby as the runners pass her.

Big Bird gets up early to make sure he's the first one up on Sesame Street. He looks out to see who gets up next by seeing whose apartment lights go on - Bob follows first, then Gordon and Susan, followed by Bert and Ernie, Maria and finally Oscar the Grouch. Big Bird starts feeling the affects of getting up too early and becomes the first one to go back to sleep.

Luis and Olivia greet the viewer on a very hot day on Sesame Street. Olivia comments that it's so hot, one could fry an egg on the sidewalk; Oscar does just that. I Thought a Thought - about small things. A man thinks about small things, and lists them. A sea monster thinks it is small, especially when compared to its father. Artist: Cliff Roberts.

Maria helps Oscar check to see if Slimey has everything he'll need for his stay at Camp Squishy for the summer. As Slimey trudges off, Maria asks why he's leaving now - it's winter. Oscar explains that with all the stuff Slimey has to carry, it'll take him until summer to reach camp.

Cookie Monster goes to the bakery for a special birthday cookie. The baker lists all the ingredients of the cookie, as Cookie visualizes it. The visualized image looks so delicious that he eats it. A girl gets a pair of earrings, intercut with shots of other people's earrings. A man displays the capital and lowercase A, and explains what an alligator is.

Big Bird introduces "Action Alphabet Time" on Sesame Street. Linda pushes in a giant letter J, then acts out various J words for the others to imitate (jumping, juggling and jogging). Mr. Hooper brings the tired participants some juice. A little man misplaces his J under his hat.

Everyone plays a game in pairs trying to carry a ball in unique ways, such as having it pressed between their chests or in their legs. Toothpaste March and Artist: Ray Favata. Captain Breakfast unsuccessfully encourages a little girl to eat breakfast, the most important meal of the day.

A supermarket worker stacks 12 cans, which keep collapsing every time someone grabs one. Gordon sings "I'm Happy I Grew Up to Be Me" to a young girl (played by Roscoe Orman's own daughter Rashida). "I in the Sky" skit, A boy and a dog fight over a letter "I."

A father explains to his son why it is important to wear a seat belt when riding in a car. Artist: Cliff Roberts. Here is Your Life: A loaf of bread is profiled. "Poverty Q": A figure demonstrates Q words, despite the unruly stem of his letter Q that keeps detaching itself. Artist: Cliff Roberts.

Oscar the Grouch pulls up on the block in his new taxi, which is a ratty-looking cab. Gordon points out that nobody in their right mind would want a ride in his taxi, which is already falling apart. Oscar drives off, leaving Gordon in a cloud of exhaust. Sign Sounds: TAXI.

Olga the lonesome robot. Muppets: Ernie gets Bert to participate in a rhyming game, but Ernie ends the game just as Bert is starting to enjoy it. Oscar call out for his neighbors to see "the creepiest, crawliest show on Earth." David, Olivia and Mr. Hooper gather as Slimey the Great makes his entrance. Oscar introduces three tricks Slimey will do - a somersault, climbing a pole and jumping into a bowl of mud. The last trick is Oscar's favorite, as it results in everyone receiving a face full of mud when Slimey lands.

Leslie Mostly interviews Kermit the Frog in his home, where he discusses the jobs he wanted to have before becoming a reporter. Circle In Space (with voiceover by Northern Calloway). Mr. Hooper blends the word PET and Barkley jumps on him. Maria assumes a safe spot away from Oscar's trash can to blend the word WET. Oscar appears from behind his can and squirts her with a water gun.

Luis, Olivia and Gordon hear honking sounds coming over near Oscar's trash can. They find Oscar in his Sloppy Jalopy, with the Count parked in his Countmobile ahead of him. Oscar wants to move ahead, but the Count is blocking his way. Thus, he honks the horn and yells, which the Count then counts. The two don't want a solution, both having a great time. The grown-ups distract them and they start the process all over again.

Forgetful Jones needs something to ride around the ranch. Clementine gives him clues: It has four legs and a bushy tail, eats hay, and neighs. It's his horse Buster, who arrives with the jeep. Two scribbles are hesitant to let a tall green one join them, until it protects them from the rain.

Biff is teaching Big Bird about carpentry. Big Bird's brought his tools, but since he wasn't sure what he needed, he brought 4 hammers. As Biff leaves to get his tools, David, Maria and the kids pass by and borrow them all. Biff returns, lacking a hammer of his own, but aware of Big Bird's stock. Big Bird points out they're all gone, but he knows where to borrow one.

On a boring day, two hipsters sing "Meet Me at the Bus Stop" and decide to do so. A man displays his invention, the A-box, which only takes the letter A. A red man tries to get apples from a tree by himself, while a yellow man builds a ladder.

A man encounters someone with a DANGER sign hanging on the end of his nose, and doubts there's any danger until the character sneezes.On a boring day, two hipsters sing "Meet Me at the Bus Stop" and decide to do so. Cartoon A man displays his invention, the A-box, which only takes the letter A.

A boy tries dealing with various leaks in a dike. When plugging and buckets don't work, he fetches an adult who patches up the holes with cement. A man encounters someone with a DANGER sign hanging on the end of his nose, and doubts there's any danger until the character sneezes.

Cat / fat / hat / sat / rat / bat / scat / splat / flat / pat. Voice: Daws Butler. Leslie Mostly interviews The Amazing Mumford from his home. He shows her a trick that turns him into a giant rabbit, which is easily is able to rectify. As he disappears, Leslie discovers she's been turned into a rabbit.

Sesame Street News Flash: Dr. Nobel Price reveals Slushabouts, but Kermit explains they're just galoshes. A toothbrush talks to a mouth about what could happen if not taken care of. A kid narrates footage of a termite colony. Telly Monster and Itzhak Perlman play Beethoven together -- Telly on the tuba, and Perlman on the violin.

Grover the Elevator Operator: Only five people are allowed on the elevator at one time, so Grover counts out five passengers. But then he's not allowed on the elevator himself; he would make six. Roxanne and Violet Gorflatch are alike in many ways, but different in others.

Oscar has interest in becoming a photographer and asks Olivia for her professional opinion of his pictures. Despite the poor quality of the printing and unconventional subject matter (rusted cars and a trash basket, among others), Olivia thinks he has real potential, which discourages him from going professional. A domestic cat paints various wild feline versions of himself on his owner's canvas.

A little girl sings "The Alphabet Song," while continually admonished by an adult in voice-over. Maurice Monster is puzzled by the nursery rhyme in his book. Bob points out that he's reading the words backwards. Capital I, he's quite a guy.

Sesame Street News Flash: Kermit the Frog reports on Rapunzel, who has been locked in a tower by the wicked witch. Prince Charming comes to rescue her by asking to let down her hair, and she literally does - by having her hair fall off her head.

Everyone imagines themselves 100 years ago in Grace's grandmother's cabin, which had a fireplace to provide light and heat. They don't have any wood for the fire, until Herry Monster arrives with an entire tree. Arthur and Annie look for the letter A, while a shadowy figure observes all the A words they say. Features the voice of Jim Thurman.

Everyone imagines themselves 100 years ago in Grace's grandmother's cabin, which had a fireplace to provide light and heat. They don't have any wood for the fire, until Herry Monster arrives with an entire tree. Arthur and Annie look for the letter A, while a shadowy figure observes all the A words they say. Features the voice of Jim Thurman.

Bert has a present for his Aunt Matilda, but Ernie thinks that the present is for him, so he makes several guesses about what it is first, then unwraps it. Kids count from 1 to 10, then 10 to 1, as the numbers are displayed over colored lights. Big Bird guards the front door of Hooper's Store, which has just been painted. Mr. Snuffleupagus recommends using a sign alerting folks of the wet paint instead and goes off to make it. Big Bird waits for an hour until Snuffy returns with a long note asking people to avoid the door.

Sherlock Hemlock sings "X Marks the Spot!" Olivia notices Oscar the Grouch in the midst of a funk. He explains that he feels rotten because everyone is having fun, but because he doesn't like that sort of thing, he feels different and left out. Olivia shows him it's okay to be different. Oscar is now mad that Olivia ruined his perfectly rotten mood.

Bob works on his stamp collection, when Big Bird arrives. He cites how clumsy Bob can be and brings some pillows he can wear in case Bob drops something on himself. He also brings a telephone to call a doctor, and finally Susan in case he can't reach a doctor right away. Bob pounds the table insisting he's fine, when it collapses on him, cueing Susan to help.

Big Bird finds it fun to talk loud and decides to spend the day doing so. He makes his way to Hooper's Store, drowning out everyone else's conversations with his loud talking. Big Bird thinks everyone can compensate by talking just as loudly, but David has him imagine how poorly things would go if they did. Big Bird decides to speak at a whisper now, which David can barely hear.

Big Bird, Olivia, Bob, Mr. Hooper and the kids welcome all the new viewers with the "Hello Hello Hello Song." Cartoon- Pat the Pilot skywrites a letter P with her plane. Artist: John Korty. A stick describes the meals it eats throughout the day to become a thicker stick, followed by nine hours of sleep to become a boy.

The kids help Luis move some lumber in the Fix-It Shop. Poco Loco watches, appearing as though he wants to participate. Telly Monster enters and is permitted to help by holding some boards as Luis nails them. Poco tickles Telly in the process, causing him to drop the boards and lose his nerve. Luis catches onto Poco, who admits he feels left out. Luis points out that if Poco wants to help, all he has to do is ask. Poco asks if he can help and Luis confirms. However, Poco doesn't actually want to help - he just wanted to know if he can.

Telly Monster sings "If Buses Didn't Run" as he watches Gordon at the bus stop. Once the bus actually arrives and Gordon gets on, Telly's worry shifts to whether Gordon got on the right bus or if he'll ever return. Pinball Number Count #9 Animation by Jeff Hale.

Oscar, aided by his cameraman Frankie, hosts "Grouch Breakfast on the Air" at Hooper's Store. His surprise guest is Mr. Hooper, in that it is a surprise to him that he is a guest on the show. Oscar helps remind Mr. Hooper to do various things to prepare breakfast, causing each item to be ruined, making it the perfect Grouch breakfast.

Oscar's trash can area has now been converted into a fast food establishment - "Colonel Oscar's Eat and Beat It (Over 0 Sold)." He boasts that his joint is the best and will soon be franchised across the country. Luis is doubtful, even after hearing two Grouches sing the restaurant's jingle. Luis scans the menu for something edible - taco royals (tacos with ice cream), a Big Muck and finally, the special thirty-second lunch: a bowl of soup, hamburger and milk. Luis orders the special, wondering if it can really be made in just thirty seconds. Oscar instructs Luis to ...

Oscar wakes up Buffy and the animals to do their morning exercises. Oscar then gets everyone ready for a jog around the block, which is done by having Bruno the Trashman carry the can as he jogs around the block. A female head is drawn as its voice-over lists its parts, ending with earrings that "do nothing" .

Oscar wakes up Buffy and the animals to do their morning exercises. Oscar then gets everyone ready for a jog around the block, which is done by having Bruno the Trashman carry the can as he jogs around the block. A female head is drawn as its voice-over lists its parts, ending with earrings that "do nothing" .

Oscar is about to toss a tin can on the sidewalk, which he loves the sound and sight of. He anticipates how Bob and Olivia will react, believing they'll somehow turn the tables on him and make him think they like having a can on the sidewalk. He thinks they'll then shower him with balloons, flowers and kisses. Bob and Olivia finally stop by and are baffled as Oscar refuses to throw the can down and talks about their celebration.

David, Maria, and the Kids notice a large arrow on the floor of Hooper's Store, with a message telling them to follow it to a big surprise. The arrow points to another and another, leading them across Sesame Street and finally ending at Big Bird's nest. There, Big Bird greets them with a basket of fruit and offers them a fresh treat.

Oscar and Osvaldo, el Gruñón try to think of a game to play, while Telly Monster is around to make sure it's quiet to prevent waking up Buffy inside the can. Telly thinks they pretend to be farmers, which is a quiet business. However, the Grouches wake up Buffy as they pretend to be the farm animals.

Bert sings "I'm Square," an ode to the things he loves that others find dull. Two men work at a manhole; one is tired of the same day-in-day-out routine of it. The other says the boss has planned a surprise for them. A jack-in-the-box pops from the manhole.

At Hooper's Store, David says hello to several kids who walk by, but they don't respond. They're all wearing shirts with the letter U on them, and they're headed for Oscar's trash can. Frustrated at being ignored, David walks over to Oscar looking to find out what's going on. Oscar explains that he's rallied the kids to wait for Bruno to take them to Camp Uglyyucchy. When asked, Oscar says that Buffy is sleeping in the Grime Room in his can, but David expresses concern that she may not want to go to the grouch camp. Bruno leads Oscar the the kids off, singing "We're ...

Oscar has bought an old victrola from the annual Grouch Junk Festival. He think's it's junky because with no electric plug or batteries, it won't work at all. However, Mr. Hooper points out that this record player works by using a crank and starts turning it, playing an upbeat dance tune. Soon, he and Maria start dancing to it while Oscar hopes for a refund.

Oscar needs a rotten piece of wood from the Fix-It Shop. The one provided by Maria is too long and Oscar uses Slimey to measure it to the right length (five Slimeys long). Afterwards, Maria invites Slimey to stay, sensing his talents are much better suited at the shop than Oscar's place.

Buffy tries to run to the store, but forgets her bag in Oscar's trash can. Oscar refuses to get it once she uses the word "please." This soon erupts into an argument between the two, where Buffy admits she dislikes when Oscar yells. She strikes a deal with him - she agrees not to say "please" as much and be loud sometimes, as long as Oscar keeps down the noise and says "please" once himself.

Mr. Hooper takes a phone call from the pay phone in Hooper's Store; it's his younger brother, Arnold in Chicago. He asks how the family is and wants to know when he'll see him next. Arnold replies, he'll see him next when he looks out the window. Mr. Hooper does, and sees his brother speaking on a phone next to Oscar's trash can. Shouting for joy, Mr. Hooper rushes over to his brother, who explains that he wanted his visit to be a surprise.

Susan stops by Oscar's trash can to see Buffy and Cody. She yells into the can, but is met with a sign popping up from inside reading "NO." This happens more and more, frustrating Susan further. Oscar finally emerges to point out that Buffy and Cody aren't home; they're in the yard. Cartoon Pinball Number Count #7 Artist: Jeff Hale.

Ten little Greeblies (bug-like creatures) keep getting separated from their group, teaching a lesson in counting backward. The word ICE is formed with ice cubes, which melt. 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.

Olivia sees Big Bird and Barkley at the curb near the bus stop. Big Bird says he's bringing Barkley to the vet for a check-up. Olivia reminds Big Bird that he shouldn't cross the street without the help of a grown-up and pulls him away when a bus comes by. Big Bird explains that he was supposed to take that bus to the vet's, but since it's gone, he'll have to walk. He then asks Olivia to help him cross the street.

Jeffery tells Olivia a monster is chasing him, which she interprets as fear. Olivia tells him a story about a brave little girl who found out how nice monsters are, even when everyone else was afraid of them. As it turns out, Jeffery is playing hide-and-seek with a monster.Telly Monster listens to the commotion of Oscar and Buffy's morning routine. Telly worries about Buffy's well being, but she assures him she's fine - "It's just another morning at Oscar's." A moving truck takes the number 8. Little Chrissy and the Alphabeats sing "Exit" as the audience leaves the ...

Jeffery tells Olivia a monster is chasing him, which she interprets as fear. Olivia tells him a story about a brave little girl who found out how nice monsters are, even when everyone else was afraid of them. As it turns out, Jeffery is playing hide-and-seek with a monster.

Mr. Snuffleupagus is competing in the Great Snuffleupagus Derby, named such because the winner gets a derby hat. He wears a sheet with the number 9, indicating his spot in the race. He asks Big Bird to watch his bucket of orange juice so he can have a refreshing drink as he passes by mid-race. The derby begins and Snuffy takes off. Big Bird sees other Snuffleupaguses pass by, thinking they're Snuffy, until he sees they're not wearing his number. Big Bird eventually drifts off to sleep, just before Snuffy arrives and slurps down the juice. Big Bird stirs and thinks ...

Oscar calls folks over to see him perform Grouch feats of magic. However, nobody finds any of his so-called tricks impressive (pulling a shoe from his hat, after putting it in, pulling a hat from the shoe and pulling the lining from the hat). After an unsuccessful attempt at pulling Fluffy from the hat, Oscar manages to pull a skunk from his hat, driving everyone away.

Mr. Snuffleupagus tells Big Bird about his first day of Snufflegarten, where they learned the important skill of underlining. Snuffy brought his workbook over so Big Bird can learn too. Big Bird does an exercise where he underlines images of objects one can eat. Big Bird is proud of Snuffy for learning so much today, but Snuffy claims he feels proud for the both of them.

Ernie explains to the audience how people have two of everything: "Let's see, we've got two eyes, and two ears, and two noses..." "Hey, you ding-a-ling!" Bert interrupts. "You've only got one nose." Ernie promptly pulls Bert's nose off, sticks it to his own face, and keeps counting. "Two noses, and two eyes, and two ears - too bad!"

Ernie and Bert - Ernie shows drawings to Bert, and Bert has to guess what happened. Ernie has a drawing of an empty bird cage with an open door (the bird flew away), and a man lying on the ground with a banana peel next to him (he slipped on it). Then Ernie shows Bert an empty page. The answer to that one is that there was a cow eating grass, but the grass is all eaten now and the cow went home. Cartoon- The Typewriter: E-Ear.

Poco Loco hangs out in Big Bird's nest area by himself and answers the ringing phone. The call is from Mr. Snuffleupagus, who only manages to say "Oh dear, I wonder where Bird is..." before hanging up. Poco is able to imitate Snuffy's voice perfectly. Big Bird approaches his front door and hears Poco's Snuffy imitation, thinking it's the real Snuffy. He brings Maria and David over to finally meet him, only to find Poco. They both realize they've been set up again, but do wonder where Poco picked up the voice from.

Olivia will be watching over a friend's parakeet and Luis has picked it up for her. Poco Loco does not take to this strange, new bird, even when Luis encourages him to give a simple greeting. While Luis goes to get Olivia, Poco makes an attempt to break the ice and starts cracking up as the parakeet starts telling him bird jokes. Fisherman Jones demonstrates in, on and under with the help of a big fishy.

Big Bird tells the viewer to sit quietly so they won't disturb David as he studies. Big Bird starts getting antsy and opts to stand quietly, then walk and hop as quietly as he can, though this still distracts David. He finally relents and offers to do some activity with Big Bird, who instead now feels like sitting quietly and reading.

Oscar pens a letter regarding the city trash pick-up, as the trash was collected before he had his chance to rummage through and collect anything. He isn't sure who it should be addressed to, when Gordon states that the mayor is the one in charge of the whole city. "Who put him in charge?!" Oscar asks before learning about the election process. He decides right then and there to run for mayor of New York City, and promises a city even dirtier than before. He kicks off his campaign by tossing his crumpled letter on the sidewalk to start the littering process.

Anything Muppets tell Grover in song how to plan for a career; unfortunately, all Grover wanted to make up was his mind - regarding which of two ice cream cones to eat first. By the time said song is finished, both cones have completely melted. Big Bird suggests asking Luis for a raise in rhyme: "A brand new suit costs a lot of loot, so whaddaya say, will you raise my pay?"

Oscar is happy because today, Buffy and Cody are heading back to Hawaii and no longer are staying in his can (allowing his pet pig Spot to get back their room). Telly Monster, on the other hand, hates goodbyes and is sad to see Buffy leave. Buffy shows him one good thing about goodbyes - receiving a hug and kiss, which he enjoys. I Love You, in American Sign Language Artist: Steve Finkin.

Gordon, Maria and Linda present a WALK sign in their own ways (English, Spanish and sign language). After Big Bird asks how they'd describe a duck-like walk he does, the grown-ups, kids and Big Bird do various types of silly walks. Big Bird goes to fetch Mr. Snuffleupagus, who does the silliest walk of all. Everyone else silly-walks over to Hooper's Store before Snuffy arrives. He does his silly walk for Big Bird, who finds it very funny.

Big Bird and Mr. Snuffleupagus prepare for their trip to the park. Big Bird doesn't feel like walking and has a new way to get there - Snuffy will blow strongly as Big Bird holds his kite. The wind will propel Big Bird (on his skates) into the sky and he'll fly to the park. Snuffy starts inhaling, but holds off as the Grouchketeer band marches past. He holds off again to confirm where the two will meet once Big Bird lands - at the merry-go-round in fifteen minutes. He creates a large wind that rolls Big Bird into the arbor, where he crashes. Snuffy runs off to the ...

Sesame Street News Flash Kermit the Frog interviews the Invisible Man, who tap dances for him, and later introduces his family which crowds Kermit. All that is seen of the Invisible Man and his kin are their hats. Slimey emerges from his own, miniature can and spots a butterfly nearby. He begins following it as it flutters around the street. Oscar comes up for breakfast and thinks Slimey has gone missing. Olivia and Linda offer to help rally some friends to help look, while Oscar considers calling the police.

David, Maria and Oscar the Grouch imagine how Gordon would look with various different hairstyles. In response, Gordon imagines them all shaved like him. In stop-motion, blocks stack and arrange themselves to form zoo cages, arches, and a whole city. Artist: Al Jarnow.

Gordon phones the Hooper's Store, ordering a big meal to be ready in just three minutes. Big Bird doesn't think David can prepare the food in a short amount of time. David sings "There's Nothin' You Can't Do" as he gets everything ready. The store then gets another call from Grover, ordering an even bigger meal.

When the contraption lands on the ground, its lid opens, and a gray grouch wearing a helmet peers out. They both realize, to their delight, that they are grouches. The gray grouch introduces himself as Othmar, from the planet Zircon. Linda, Olivia and Luis arrive on the scene, and realize that a grouch from Outer Space just landed. Linda shows them how to sign "get lost," and Othmar suddenly feels optimistic about his surroundings.

Timi introduces Big Bird to her sister, Holly. Big Bird messes up her name, calling her Molly and Polly, among other names. Timi, Holly and Linda stress the H sound to ensure Big Bird remembers. He finally gets her name right, but addresses her as Isabelle as he exits.

Gordon describes what a surprise is as he sets out a sweet potato pie on the windowsill, which he intends to surprise someone with Guy Smiley hosts Here is Your Life, surprising Oak Tree with the story of his life. The guests include Granny Fanny Nesselrode, who planted the tree as an acorn, Cloud and Sun, who gave the tree rain and sunshine, and Marty Table and Sarah Chair, who were made from the tree's friends.

The Count is in distress - one of his bats, Cynthia, has gone missing. Everyone searches the street for her and eventually discover she got trapped in the mailbox when David mailed a letter. Cartoon- Seven animals in a tree. Artist: Owe Gustafson.

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". A voiceover lists many R words.

The cast tries to keep out of the blazing hot sun. Big Bird tries to find someone to judge a race between himself and Snuffy, and ends up finding a very special visitor to the street.