Sesame Street Discovers America

Sesame Street Discovers America was a proposed prime time Sesame Street special that was developed in the early 1990s. Intended to coincide with the quincentennial anniversary of Christopher Columbus' infamous voyage in 1492, the special would educate viewers on the inhabitants and cultures of North and South America prior to colonization. The special would also have tied into the show's curriculum on race relations established in Season 22.
Preparations began in 1990, with financial grant proposals to the National Endowment for the Humanities detailing the plans and goals for the special. From there, the CTW team intended to spend the fall production period of the show researching and preparing the curricular goals for the special, as well as retesting existing Sesame Street inserts about past historical events (such as "The American Revolution" sketches) to properly gauge children's understanding about history and the passage of time. 
Following research, the proposals state the special would head into the scripting stage in February 1991. Full production, with in-studio and on-location shoots, would then take place between May and August. Finally, it was planned for the special to air on PBS in 1992, followed by a home video release. Tony Geiss wrote a number of outlines and full scripts for the special, but ultimately it never came to pass. Season 23, airing that fall, instead tackled some of the curricular topics of the special by putting a particular emphasis on the life of Native Americans.
==Plot outline==
This outline is based on the second draft of the full script for the special.
The special opens on a human couple, Harry and Ruth, who hail from the year 2192. They're using their time-traveling recreational vehicle (or "time rover") to vacation in 1492 and witness Christopher Columbus arrive at the island of San Salvador. However, their time-indicating dial appears to be stuck and they decide to land and ask for directions.
The couple lands on modern-day Sesame Street (on Columbus Day), where Gordon is telling Big Bird, Elmo, Telly Monster, the Count, and Ashika (a young girl suggested to be Gordon and Susan's niece) about the holiday and Columbus' journey. Upon meeting the time travelers, the youngsters are very eager to go with them on their trip, but Gordon doesn't allow it. He relents that the group, including Maria, can simply look around the time rover.
Once inside the craft, they meet Billy, a robot who can answer any of their questions. Telly accidentally presses a button on the dashboard that starts up the time machine and sends them on an unstoppable path to their destination of 1492. During the flight, the Count counts the years as they go backwards in time (noting the slight crash the craft seems to take when it reaches 1929, and exclaiming "That's the spirit!" when passing 1776).
Big Bird and Ashika test Billy out by asking him more about Columbus' expedition and how people were able to get to North America in the first place. His implanted screen shows them animated sequences illustrating his historical information. After explaining how some humans arrived from Asia to pursue wooly mammoths, we see Snuffy and his mommy portraying mammoths in Alaska, singing a short song about themselves. They dash off when some Anything Muppet hunters arrive, confused about their new whereabouts.
The gang manages to arrive in 1492. The Count shifts gears from counting years to counting indigenous people he spots out the window. Over by the "beam down area," Telly and Elmo muse about being on the ship with Columbus, when Telly again hits a button by accident and the two are teleported from the time rover onto the Santa Maria. Unfortunately, Harry cannot bring them back, as they hit the "One Way" transport button. They instead plan to meet up with them at San Salvador by getting there a day earlier, but the rover's computer doesn't recognize such a place. Harry is certain they can find the land on their own, even though Ruth reminds him that he previously caused them to miss the Gettysburg Address by one day.
On the Santa Maria, Elmo and Telly are given proper uniforms and try to tell Columbus that he won't actually reach the East Indies as he plans, but he naturally doesn't believe them. Back in the skies, the time rover gets a flat tire, forcing them to land in an area that will later become New Mexico. Billy shows them some animated scenes of the life of the Pueblo Indians residing in the nearby village. 
While repairs are made to the rover, Big Bird and Ashika venture out to find something to eat and run into a village boy, Eagle Tail. He brings them back to his home (though Big Bird has a hard time scaling the many ladders). As they dine, Eagle Tail and his sister Blossom Petal argue over whether men or women do more work around the pueblo. After the meal, Eagle Tail declares the two visitors friends and they sing a song about the many things they can do on a pueblo. They then learn a friendship dance before having to board the time rover again. Big Bird asks for directions to San Salvador, but the locals have never even heard of an island before.
Back on the Santa Maria, Telly and Elmo grow impatient waiting to reach America. Up above in the crow's nest is the ship's lookout Jose, who bears a striking resemblance to Grover in appearance and incompetence level as he tries to spot land (believing a whale and an eyelash on his spyglass lens are land).
In the rover, the gang flies over Tenochtitlan and Billy gives another history lesson about the location and its people. Upon landing, Harry is eager to start shopping in the very large marketplace. Big Bird is impressed by the fact that cocoa beans are used as currency in this time (pointing out that money literally grows on trees). Two children, Seven Rabbit and Three Flower (named for the days they were born), run into Big Bird on their way to school and believe he’s a magical being from the Sun, citing his yellow plumage and falling from the sky in “a canoe.” He’s further surprised by the diverse produce they have, wondering how they got it before Columbus arrived. Gordon and Maria tell him these foods are native to the area and sing a song about the many food items we owe today thanks to the pre-colonial Americans.
Two children alert everybody of the arrival of the emperor. A local parrot warns Big Bird that the emperor has a particular interest in feathers. The Emperor (suggested to be played by Anthony Quinn) is brought in on a golden litter, along with assorted servants, including his nephew that resembles Luis (and catches Maria’s eye). The Emperor greets the new strangers and the Luis-esque servant produces a map to help them find San Salvador, but it’s not notated anywhere. As a consolation, he offers them gifts in exchange for Big Bird, wishing to have his feathers. He’s negotiated down to taking just half his plumage, when the kids from earlier inform the Emperor of Big Bird’s origins from the Sun. He releases the bird, provides him with a special gold chain, and asks him to request some blessings from the Sun. Big Bird, in return, hands him one of his feathers before the group heads out. The Emperor demands his nephew now find another bird like that.
Back on the seas, Telly and Elmo further their attempts to tell Columbus about America. They boast that in 500 years, not only will there be a full-fledged country there, but Columbus will be honored with a national holiday and Columbus Circle, then the two sing a song about the wonders of Columbus, Ohio. The captain reacts by asking a fellow sailor to keep these two new recruits out of the sun. 
The Time Rover’s motor begins to overheat, forcing the group to make a stop in Canada while it cools down. Ruth proposes they take the opportunity to have their picnic. Big Bird takes notice of the village and Billy dispenses information about the denizens of the area - the Iroquois Indians. They then find a picnic spot, where Harry and Ruth gleefully dine on their futuristic, rice-cake looking foods - irradiated pigweed cakes (in both orange and crab flavor), which are appealing to nobody else.
Big Bird and Ashika have wandered off in search of something edible, and start chowing down on some berries from a bush. From up above, two kids keep watch on the crops and tell the time travelers to leave their crops alone, then invite them back to the village for a proper meal. The gang dines with the Iroquois locals, who wrap up the meal with a story of how bears lost their bushy tails. As they part, one of the elders tells them that their people trade songs. Rather than teach them “The Computer Waltz” as Harry suggests, Big Bird teaches everybody "Sing." The Iroquois kids join in their own native language.
Night begins to fall and most of the gang is falling asleep; the Count continues to count Indians in his semi-conscious state. Big Bird can’t sleep, however, fretting over the status of Elmo and Telly. On the Santa Maria, the monsters fear that they’re lost and will never get home. Elmo seeks comfort from Columbus, who tells him through song how following the stars helps him find his way and prevents him from being afraid. Elmo then repeats the verses to Telly, who is glad they’re not lost; he’s now anxious over how long the journey is. Maria sings one last verse of the song to Big Bird in the time rover. 
Billy delivers a lecture on the lives of the North American Eskimos, as the time rover flies over the tundra. Harry wants to ask a passing dog sled for directions, but Ruth takes matters into her own hands and pilots the time rover southward.
Back on the high seas, Columbus’ crew starts to grumble (in Stan Freberg fashion) about the month-long trek so far. Columbus assures the crew everything is fine and they have enough food to last a year. He opens a door to the galley, where a distant relative of Cookie Monster is chowing down on the provisions. The crew panics, so Columbus promises they’ll turn back for Spain if they don’t reach land in three days. Elmo and Telly hope they find land by then.
In the time rover, the gang has yet to reach San Salvador. Harry and Ruth don’t know what to do, as they’ve asked everybody in the time period. Big Bird suggests Columbus didn’t land in San Salvador after all and they finally get the idea to consult Billy on the matter. He tells them that the area Columbus will land was known as Guanahani at the time, only later being renamed after his arrival. With a confirmed location, they tell the computer to take them there and the rover takes off into hyperspeed.
On the Santa Maria, Jose/Grover converses with a seagull when he realizes the bird is typically found near land. Sure enough, he peeks through his spyglass and spots land up ahead! Columbus declares the land as the Indies and the people they see on the shores (the Tianos) Indians as well, but Telly insists on the modern terminology. They finally see their friend by the time rover nearby. As they take off back to the present day, Ruth reminds Elmo and Telly that their friends won’t have missed them; they’ll arrive back the moment they left.
Sure enough, the time rover appears on Sesame Street just after it disappeared earlier. The credits begin as the gang disembarks with various items they collected on their adventure - Gordon presents Susan with the Aztec chain, and Big Bird gives Snuffy an avocado. Harry and Ruth set off for their own time, promising to return so they can celebrate Independence Day in 1776. However, on their way back, Harry realizes he’s left their house keys behind at the pueblo.
==Sources==
*Tony Geiss papers at the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University
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Category:Unfinished Sesame Street Projects
Category:Unfinished TV