Episode 847 (Sesame Street): Difference between revisions
[[Oscar the Grouch]] develops a crush on the Wicked Witch, who disguises herself as a human woman and returns to Hooper’s Store. The Wicked Witch attempts to get the broom, but David confides in Maria that he believes the woman is actually the witch. David says he will set the broom down if the lady asks for it nicely. She does, with difficulty, and as she picks up the broom she transforms back into a witch. She says that she is going to fly back to Oz and never see Sesame Street again. While on her way back to Oz she says “look, no hands”, and lets go of the broom, which falls back down to Sesame Street.
[[Oscar the Grouch]] develops a crush on the Wicked Witch, who disguises herself as a human woman and returns to Hooper’s Store. The Wicked Witch attempts to get the broom, but David confides in Maria that he believes the woman is actually the witch. David says he will set the broom down if the lady asks for it nicely. She does, with difficulty, and as she picks up the broom she transforms back into a witch. She says that she is going to fly back to Oz and never see Sesame Street again. While on her way back to Oz she says “look, no hands”, and lets go of the broom, which falls back down to Sesame Street.
==Background==
Hamilton reprised her role as the Wicked Witch in several television appearances. She made guest appearances as the witch and herself on ”[[Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood]]” three times in 1975 and 1976, prior to the airing of the ”Sesame Street” episode. In those episodes, her character interacted with the residents of the [[Neighborhood of Make-Believe]], though she was not wearing the complete green make-up that she would wear in the ”Sesame Street” episode. [[Fred Rogers]] had wanted to dispel children’s fears and explain that the witch was an imaginary character. Out of costume, Hamilton explained the psychology of her character and why children needn’t be afraid of a television witch.{{cite news |last1=Faraci |first1=Devin |title=The Time The Wicked Witch Of The West Was Too Scary For SESAME STREET |url=https://birthmoviesdeath.com/2013/02/25/the-time-the-wicked-witch-of-the-west-was-too-scary-for-sesame-street |work=Birth.Movies.Death. |date=February 25, 2013 |language=en}} Later in 1976, Hamilton appeared as the Wicked Witch in the ”[[The Paul Lynde Halloween Special]]”.{{cite book |last1=Greene |first1=Heather |title=Bell, Book and Camera: A Critical History of Witches in American Film and Television |date=2018 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-1-4766-3206-3 |page=139 |url=https://www.google.com.ar/books/edition/Bell_Book_and_Camera/9pxWDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PT147&printsec=frontcover |language=en}}
During the ”Sesame Street” episode, David offers the Wicked Witch a cup of coffee. She refuses, saying that she “can’t stand the stuff”; at the time, actress Margaret Hamilton had been appearing in commercials for [[Maxwell House]] coffee as a storeowner named Cora who only sold that particular brand coffee in her shop.{{cite news |last1=Potempa |first1=Philip |title=Wicked Witch of the West not always a fright sight |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/ct-ptb-potempa-witch-st-1029-20171027-story.html |work=Chicago Tribune |date=October 27, 2017}}
Planning and research for the Children’s Television Workshop included the development of affective goals for ”Sesame Street”’s curriculum. Despite the plot of the Wicked Witch episode, planners generally preferred to have actors display stereotyped emotions rather than using skits that might evoke children’s emotional responses, with the concern that children might be frightened or saddened while caretakers are not immediately available.{{cite book |last1=Morrow |first1=Robert W. |title=”Sesame Street” and the Reform of Children’s Television |date=2008 |publisher=JHU Press |isbn=978-1-4214-0710-4 |url=https://www.google.com.ar/books/edition/Sesame_Street_and_the_Reform_of_Children/-zkP3nC8zQEC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PT120&printsec=frontcover |language=en}}
== Release and controversy ==
== Release and controversy ==
[[File:Angry_parent_letter_for_Sesame_Street_episode_847.jpg|left|thumb|A letter written by one of the parents, who stated that their child were frightened by the appearance of the Wicked Witch and her antics. More like these were sent to the creators and producers.]]
[[File:Angry_parent_letter_for_Sesame_Street_episode_847.jpg|left|thumb|A letter written by one of the parents, who stated that their child were frightened by the appearance of the Wicked Witch and her antics. More like these were sent to the creators and producers.]]
Episode 847 aired in the United States on February 10, 1976, at 4:30 PM as the 52nd episode of ”Sesame Street”backlash…
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