Season 22 (1990-1991)

thumb|300px|Gordon meets Oscar's "charming" mother.
thumb|300px|Credit crawl for season 22.
Sesame Street Season 22 aired from November 12, 1990, to May 10, 1991.
==Overview==
The show begins a four-year treatment about race relations, getting along with others, and appreciating everyone's similarities and differences.Truglio and Fisch. G is for Growing. p. 33The New York Times: Reviews/Television; 'Sesame Street' Talking About Race, From A to Z Dulcy Singer, the show's executive producer, said about this season's theme, "We're recognizing and celebrating cultural differences - talking about color of skin, hair texture, situations where a child might be left out from a group because of his color."The Milwaukee Journal: 'Sesame Street' celebrates our differences Examples include one episode where Elmo is excluded from a game because of the color of his fur until one blue monster decides to give him a chance. In another episode, Big Bird and his friends are inspired to draw a rainbow made up of people and Muppets with varying skin, fur, and feather tones. The songs "Skin" and "No Matter What" also emphasize the similarities and differences in people, and the Kids Far and Wide series uses animations to explore other cultures around the world.
A particular emphasis is placed on race relations with the African-American community. Film segments include a Caucasian boy watching his dark-skinned friend partake in a capoeira dance class, a light-skinned girl visiting her friend Ieshia and observing how their hair and what they eat is different, and a boy from the city visiting his friend in the country. For the season premiere, Whoopi Goldberg teaches Elmo how his fur and her hair are different, but makes each of them special and proud of who they are.
Two week-long story arcs are featured during season 22 which emphasize the importance of community outreach and cooperation. When Hooper's Store falls apart due to a careless accident by Biff, the Sesame Street gang works together to help Mr. Handford (now played by David L. Smyrl) and Gina renovate the long-standing landmark. Later in the season, Gordon shows how one person can make a difference by getting everyone to help in cleaning a trash-loaded vacant lot into a community garden.
==Characters and segments==
This is the final year with teenage characters Mike, Alex, and Jelani, but also the beginning of the tap-dancing virtuoso Savion in a recurring role; after making some guest appearances he will become a cast member next season. Season 22 also introduces Telly Monster's passion for triangles, so much so that he is a member of the Triangle Lovers Club, led by the Grand High Triangle Lover who is always assisted by his noisy flunky Norman. A couple of characters introduced the previous year are tried out with bigger starring roles, namely the small but boisterous Merry Monster and the cantankerous Benny Rabbit, who despises the cute persona that most bunnies are associated with. Oscar the Grouch gets a visit from his nagging and criticizing mother (showing the rotten apple doesn't fall far from the tree), and Natasha's father leaves Maria in charge of his child, who has just started to crawl and can outrun any of her babysitters. Country singer Polly Darton introduces her back-up group the Git Along Little Doggies, and near the end of the season, Luis meets fairy tale characters Baby Bear and Goldilocks when the former brings his wee little chair to the Fix-It Shop for repairs.
Cecille the Ball makes her debut in four segments animated by Will Vinton's studios, while the Pixar animation studios provided inserts featuring Luxo Jr.. Colonel Travel spins the globe and takes viewers around the exotic lands of England, New Zealand, and Canada. The "Kid Portrait" segments featured children drawing pictures of their friends, helping to further the lessons on race relations. Sesame Street's original goals of teaching letters and numbers haven't been forgotten, as shorter subject pieces feature counting sequences by Sally Cruikshank and capital and small letters being displayed on the surfaces of planets in outer space.
==Episodes==
Episodes 2746 - 2875 (130 episodes)
* Episode 2746 -- 22nd Season premiere; Grouch Appreciation Day
* Episode 2747 -- Bob throws a party
* Episode 2748 -- Little Bird looks for a home
* Episode 2749 -- Dan the clarinet player learns how to read
* Episode 2750 -- Telly gets a furcut
* Episode 2751 -- A day in the laundry room
* Episode 2752 -- Elmo and Gordon make cookies/Snuffy does magic
* Episode 2753 -- The Mouse tries other nursery rhymes
* Episode 2754 -- Placido Flamingo's Animal Opera
* Episode 2755 -- The city helper's surprise prize
* Episode 2756 -- Oscar drives Gordon to the basketball game
* Episode 2757 -- A new plant at the library
* Episode 2758
* Episode 2759 -- Elmo's Rangers
* Episode 2760 -- Oscar Says
* Episode 2761 -- A rainy day on Sesame Street (repeat)
* Episode 2762 -- Oscar's phone system/Elmo imitates his friends (repeat)
* Episode 2763 -- Oscar leads the Grouchytowners on a tour of Sesame Street (repeat)
* Episode 2764 -- Jamie Lee Curtis visits (repeat)
* Episode 2765 -- Snuffleupagus picnic in Central Park (repeat)
* Episode 2766 -- Elmo's dinosaur (repeat)
* Episode 2767 -- The Wide World of Sesame Street covers Linda (repeat)
* Episode 2768 -- Wigwamm-froo-SMOSSmee-Sreep! (repeat)
* Episode 2769 -- Hatching an egg (repeat)
* Episode 2770 -- Big Bird's Sesame Street map (repeat)
* Episode 2771 -- Bob tries to read (repeat)
* Episode 2772 -- Gina babysits Irvine (repeat)
* Episode 2773 -- An artsy day on Sesame Street (repeat)
* Episode 2774 -- Rudder Rabbit visits/Barkley's doghouse (repeat)
* Episode 2775 -- Good Day Sesame Street (repeat)
* Episode 2776 -- Oscar tells the story of the "Knights of the Broken Table"
* Episode 2777 -- Telly looks for the Muffin Man
* Episode 2778 -- Big Bird's taxi
* Episode 2779 -- Big Bird makes a magazine / Cowboy X vs. Cowboy O
* Episode 2780 -- Telly loves triangles
* Episode 2781 -- Telly loves Oscar
* Episode 2782 -- Telly Monster follows Gordon to school for a "Wide World of Sesame Street" report
* Episode 2783 -- Big Bird and Snuffy go shopping with Maria and Luis
* Episode 2784 -- Snuffle puppet show
* Episode 2785 -- Talking about love
* Episode 2786 -- A television birthday card for Gordon (repeat)
* Episode 2787 -- Gordon has a headache (repeat)
* Episode 2788 -- Barkley's bathtime (repeat)
* Episode 2789 -- Hiroshi paints Oscar (repeat)
* Episode 2790 -- A visit from migrating birds (repeat)
* Episode 2791 -- Hooper's Store falls apart
* Episode 2792 -- Designing the new store
* Episode 2793 -- Construction on Hooper's
* Episode 2794 -- Waiting for Hooper's Store to re-open
* Episode 2795 -- Hooper's Store re-opens
* Episode 2796 -- Telly wants to be like Bob
* Episode 2797 -- Oscar's mother visits
* Episode 2798 -- The Count counts stars
* Episode 2799 -- Oscar's animal stampede
* Episode 2800 -- The Dawg Family moves to Sesame Street
* Episode 2801 -- Preston's gift for Mike
* Episode 2802 -- Sheryl and her wheelchair
* Episode 2803 -- Finding 40 parts of the body
* Episode 2804 -- Telly stands still
* Episode 2805 -- A Sesame Street rainbow
* Episode 2806 -- Uses for an oatmeal box
* Episode 2807 -- Telly joins Jelani and Company
* Episode 2808 -- Getting exercise
* Episode 2809 -- The Count gets the counting flu
* Episode 2810 -- Telly the Dad
* Episode 2811 -- Celebrating the letter K
* Episode 2812 -- The Count's binoculars
* Episode 2813 -- Gina buys fish
* Episode 2814 -- Big Bird and Snuffy's dispute
* Episode 2815 -- Meet Benny Rabbit!
* Episode 2816 -- Telly follows an ant
* Episode 2817 -- Remembering times of sadness
* Episode 2818 -- Sonny Friendly's many game shows
* Episode 2819 -- Oscar and the word man
* Episode 2820 -- Miles' grandparents visit
* Episode 2821 -- Everyone prepares for the big hurricane
* Episode 2822 -- The Old Woman Who Lives in a Shoe's house arrives on Sesame Street
* Episode 2823 -- Telly hosts "The Wide World of Numbers"
* Episode 2824 -- Elmo and the Beanstalk
* Episode 2825 -- Noel Cowherd visits
* Episode 2826 -- Experiences with the sky
* Episode 2827 -- Snuffy wants to recycle
* Episode 2828 -- Telly gets some hair
* Episode 2829 -- Oscar makes Telly angry
* Episode 2830 -- Oscar loses his voice
* Episode 2831 -- Preston's caps
* Episode 2832 -- Elmo takes tap lessons
* Episode 2833
* Episode 2834 -- Forrest Wimbledon plays at Birdland
* Episode 2835 -- Big Bird's Birthday or Let Me Eat Cake
* Episode 2836 -- Cleaning the lot, part 1 – Gordon wants city hall to clean a littered lot
* Episode 2837 -- Cleaning the lot, part 2 – Gordon organizes everyone to clean up the lot
* Episode 2838 -- Cleaning the lot, part 3 – Gordon's plan to turn the lot into a garden
* Episode 2839 -- Cleaning the lot, part 4 – Planting a garden in the lot
* Episode 2840 -- NYC Mayor David Dinkins honors Gordon with a good citizens' award
* Episode 2841 -- Elmo looks for newspapers to recycle
* Episode 2842 -- Telly and the Balloon
* Episode 2843 -- Elmo wants to go miniature golfing
* Episode 2844 -- Peck at Birdland
* Episode 2845 -- The Adventures of Super Telly!
* Episode 2846
* Episode 2847 -- Savion teaches tap dancing
* Episode 2848 -- Elmo and friends play Wubbaball
* Episode 2849 -- Elmo plays "Three of These Things"
* Episode 2850 -- Savion collects used shoes
* Episode 2851 -- Natasha crawls away
* Episode 2852 -- Elmo pretends to be a Grouch
* Episode 2853 -- Telly and Oscar write
* Episode 2854 -- Playing football/Meet Merry Monster
* Episode 2855 -- Tim Robbins stars in Prairie Dawn's pageant
* Episode 2856 -- Snuffy's Spanish puppet show
* Episode 2857
* Episode 2858 -- Telly and the brick
* Episode 2859 -- Elmo borrows Radar from Big Bird
* Episode 2860 -- Elmo's imagination hat
* Episode 2861 -- Big Bird yells "TOOTHPASTE"!
* Episode 2862 -- Savion gives tap lessons
* Episode 2863 -- The story of "The Grouches Who Lost All Their Pickles"
* Episode 2864 
* Episode 2865 -- Elmo's STOP sign
* Episode 2866 -- Telly the clown/Baby Bear's broken chair
* Episode 2867 -- Elmo fills in for Little Jerry
* Episode 2868 -- Grundgetta refuses to talk to Oscar
* Episode 2869 -- Slimey and the Worm Scouts
* Episode 2870 -- City-wide water shortage
* Episode 2871 -- The Grand High Triangle Lover visits Telly
* Episode 2872 -- Ticklish lectures with Telly Monster
* Episode 2873 -- Barkley's lost ball
* Episode 2874 -- A day at Birdland
* Episode 2875 -- 22nd season finale; La Grouchiata
==Notes==
* Starting this season, cold open scenes are used to set up the story lines of several episodes. This method would continue through Season 29.
==Cast==
;Cast
:Alison Bartlett, Lisa Boggs, Linda Bove, Eugene Byrd, Alexis Cruz, Emilio Delgado, Loretta Long, Sonia Manzano, Bill McCutcheon, Bob McGrath, Roscoe Orman, Ward Saxton, David L. Smyrl, Lillias White (Uncredited: Donald Faison, Savion Glover, Miles Orman, Gabriela Rose Reagan)
;Puppet PerformersFor only this season, as well as for concurrent productions during 1990-91, the Sesame Street Muppets are referred to in credits as "Sesame Street Puppet Characters." The Muppet Performers themselves are credited as "Puppet Performers."
:Caroll Spinney, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, Martin P. Robinson, Kevin Clash, Camille Bonora, Fran Brill, David Rudman, Pam Arciero, Jim Martin, Judy Sladky, Fred Garbo, Bryant Young, Rick Lyon, Joey Mazzarino, Carmen Osbahr (uncredited: Kevin Carlson, Ed Christie, Barry Link, Peter MacKennan, Kathryn Mullen, Mark Zeszotek)
;Guest Stars
:Marv Albert, María Conchita Alonso, Candice Bergen, Lee Chamberlin, Ray Charles, Chubby Checker, Glenn Close, Bill Cobbs, Tyne Daly, Geena Davis, Bo Diddley, David Dinkins, Roger Ebert, Wilhelmenia Fernandez, Frances Foster, Ernesto Gasco, Whoopi Goldberg, Jeff Goldblum, Kadeem Hardison, Phil Hartman, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Bo Jackson, Victoria Jackson, Waylon Jennings, Kid 'n Play, Robert MacNeil, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Bobby McFerrin, Rhea Perlman, Lou Diamond Phillips, Tim Robbins, Julia Roberts, Steven Schub, The Simpsons, Gene Siskel, Jeff Smith, Randy Travis, Tracey Ullman, Blair Underwood, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Robin Williams
===Characters===
;Humans
:Gordon, Susan, Maria, Luis, Linda, Bob, Uncle Wally, Gina, Miles, Mr. Macintosh, Gabi, Mr. Handford, Mike, Savion, Jelani, Alex, Lisa, Lillian, Duane
;Muppets
:Alice Snuffleupagus, Anything Muppets, the Amazing Mumford, Athena, Baby Bear, Baby Natasha, Barkley, Benny Rabbit, Bert, Betty Lou, Biff, Big Bird, Big Jeffie, Bruno the Trashman, Buster the Horse, Chicago the Lion, Chip and Dip, Clementine, Cookie Monster, Count von Count, Dingers, Don Music, Elmo, Ernie, Flo Bear, Fluffy, Forgetful Jones, Gladys the Cow, Goldilocks, The Grand High Triangle Lover, Mrs. Grouch, Grover, Grundgetta, Guy Smiley, Herry Monster, Humphrey, Honkers, Hoots the Owl, Mr. Johnson, Juliet, Irvine, Little Bird, Little Chrissy, The Martians, Merry Monster, Norman, The Oinker Sisters, Oscar the Grouch, Placido Flamingo, Polly Darton, Prairie Dawn, Preston Rabbit, Ruby, Rudder Rabbit, Shelley the Turtle, Sherlock Hemlock, Simon Soundman, Slimey, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Sonny Friendly, Stella, Sully, Telly Monster, Two-Headed Monster, Vincent Twice, Watson, Wolfgang the Seal
==Credits==
*Executive Producer: Dulcy Singer
*Producer: Lisa Simon
*Directors: Jon Stone, Lisa Simon, Emily Squires
*Head Writer: Norman Stiles
*Writers: Judy Freudberg, Nancy Sans, Tony Geiss, Jeff Moss, Cathi Rosenberg-Turow, David Korr, Belinda Ward, Lou Berger, Sonia Manzano, Josh Selig, Sara Compton, Luis Santeiro, John Weidman, Molly Boylan, Emily Perl Kingsley, Mark Saltzman, Jon Stone (uncredited: Tom Dunsmuir,writer for "Pavlov's Waiter" sketch ; per Season 22 spreadsheet David Johnson,writer for Episode 2852; per script Jerry Juhl,writer for "Space Lab-1" sketch ; per Season 22 spreadsheet Robert Kelly,writer for Episode 2778; per script Jocelyn Stevensonwriter for "The Legend of Big Mouth"; per Season 22 spreadsheet)
*Supervising Film Producer: Edith Zornow
*Coordinating Producer: Arlene Sherman
*Associate Producer: Karin Young
*Puppets, Costumes, Props: Caroly Wilcox, Ed Christie, with Mark Zeszotek, Paul Hartis, Barry Link, Peter MacKennan, Connie Peterson, Stephan Rotondaro
*Music Coordinator: Danny Epstein
*Associate Music Director: Dave Conner
*Special Songs: Chris Cerf, Jeff Moss, Tony Geiss, Stephen Lawrence, Cheryl Hardwick, Sara Durkee, Paul Jacobs, Alan Menken, Dave Conner
*Production Supervisor: Frieda Lipp
*Editing Supervisor: Robert J. Emerick
*Associate Directors: Ted May, Eulogio Ortiz Jr.
*Production Designer: Victor DiNapoli
*Costume Designer: Bill Kellard
*Graphic Artist: Mike Pantuso
*Set Decorator: Nat Mongioi
*Art Director: Bob Phillips
*Production Stage Managers: Chet O'Brien, Ric E. Anderson
*Stage Manager: Mortimer J. O'Brien
*Curriculum Coordinator: Diane P. Mitchell
*Assistant to the Producers: Danette DeSena, Carol D. Mayes
*Production Assistants: Cher Jung, Tim Carter, Gabrielle Howard, Leslie Brothers, Christine Ferraro
*Script Coordinator: Thelma Moses
*Children's Casting: Kim Wilson
*Unit Manager: Eleanor McIntosh
*Technical Director: Ralph Mensch
*Lighting Director: Bill Berner
*Sound Effects: Dick Maitland
*Audio: Blake Norton, Tim Lester
*Video: Martins Gaujenieks, Dick Sens
*Cameras: Frank Biondo, Dave Driscoll
*Videotape Editor: Evamarie Keller
*Electronic Maintenance: Rolf Wahl
*Make-Up: Lee Halls
*Hair Stylist: Karen Specht
*Wardrobe: Grisha Mynova, Colleen Noe
*Assistant Vice President, Production Research: Valeria Lovelace, Ph.D.
*Vice President, Production Research: Bettina Peel
*Vice President for Research: Keith Mielke, Ph.D.
*Chairman, Board of Advisors: Gerald Lesser, Ph.D.
*Vice President for Production: Franklin Getchell
*Facilities by Unitel Video, Inc.
==Sources==
Footnote
__NOWYSIWYG__
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