Ideas Showcase - 123 Sesame Street
Posted by FlagsNZ,
I think it would be hard to find someone who hasn't watched at least one episode of Sesame Street in the last 50 years. This television-based education programme premiered on November 10, 1969
Although Sesame Street is American based it has a global reach. The 123 Sesame Street Ideas project is sure to tug at the heartstrings of millions of people who grew up watching the educational television show and global, cultural phenomenon.
Read on as I describe this fantastic Ideas project in more detail.
123 Sesame Street
The incredibly detailed Ideas project is based on 123 Sesame Street, the centrepiece building of the show.
It features rooms from the different eras of Sesame Street - from Bert and Ernie's apartment in the 1970s to Elmo's World in the 1990s and beyond.
The build
The designer, Ivan Guerrero (known as bulldoozer21 at LEGO Ideas) used LEGO Digital Designer to create the project. He then used Photoshop to create details such as faces, artwork, and decals.
The building is clearly based on a New York City brownstone apartment block.
It would look at home alongside the 75827 Ghostbusters Firehouse Headquarters, and it would comfortably sit alongside any of the Modular Buildings.
Ivan Guerrero has updated his design, and in the latest version, it uses 2,945 pieces. This is just inside the 3,000 part limit for an Ideas project.
Minifigures
The project has a total of 14 minifigures:
Big Bird, Count von Count, Gordon, Susan, Bob, Bert and Ernie.
Oscar the Grouch, Cookie Monster, Prairie Dawn, Elmo, Grover, Sully and Biff.
(Read below as Sully and Biff may have been sacrificed in an update)
There are also small characters such as Slimey, Dorothy the Goldfish, Rubber Duckie, and the Twiddlebugs.
The Grover minifigure can be transformed into Super Grover - his semi-secret superhero identity, with the additional helmet and chest plate.
Bert’s head can swivel to reveal a version of him with his nose missing.
One of the most challenging parts of designing 123 Sesame Street was creating minifigures to look like the puppets.
Keeping in line with LEGO Ideas’ guidelines, Ivan had to be creative in picking out hair pieces and accessories for the characters. He also had to research on new parts, which were not previously included in LEGO Digital Designer.
He continues to update his minifigure designs to create screen-accurate representations of the characters.
Play features
The items in the set, from paintings to musical instruments, are all based on actual props used in various Sesame Street sketches.
In fact, you can also spot some fun references to Sesame Street songs, such as I Love Trash, Pinball Number Count, The People in Your Neighborhood, and One of These Things.
The updated model has an improved rooftop area, a Number Count Pinball Machine, and a number counting clock.
In an update, Barkley and Twiddlebugs were added while Biff and Sully were removed to try to reduce the minifigure count.
The Twiddlebugs are made using the microfigs part.
Removing the back of the model reveals quite a lot of detail inside the Sesame Street apartment.
The designer
Ivan Guerrero is a commercial filmmaker who is also part owner of a chain of comic book stores in the Philippines. He has designed other Jim Henson-inspired LEGO sets for LEGO Ideas such as the Labyrinth and the Muppet Show.
123 Sesame Street is, by far, Ivan's most successful Ideas project.
"I grew up on Sesame Street. They were some of my first teachers. They taught me how to read, write, count and laugh," says Ivan.
"I'm sure millions of people around the world have had the same experience that I did. With the 50th anniversary of the show happening this year, it's a great time to feel nostalgic," Ivan added. "If there's one thing that both LEGO and Sesame Street share, it's using imagination to develop one's creative skills."
In his 90 second video, Ivan showcases his fantastic Sesame Street model.
You can see Ivan's passion for comic books and his flair in graphic design in these comic strips he has created to help tell the story of his Ideas project.
There are more of these comic strips on the project's Updates Tab.
Mini-builds
Ivan has included several instructions of some mini-builds that cannot be included in the Ideas project: it would take the piece count above the 3,000 upper threshold.
If these mini-builds were included there would be too many parts in the project.
He has placed instructions for the mini-builds on the project's Updates Tab.
Go to the Ideas project If you want the instructions for the Countmobile.
Unusual facts about Sesame Street
Over the last few weeks, Ivan Guerrero has added several interesting pieces of information from the Sesame Street archives. Did you know, for example, that James Earl Jones - the voice of Darth Vader - appeared in episode 2 in the first series of Sesame Street?
Inserts of the actor reciting the alphabet and counting numbers appeared in the unbroadcast test pilots and profoundly influenced the show's pedagogical models. These inserts were later included in first season episodes, beginning with episode 0002.
To celebrate 50 years of life on the "street", these 50 interesting Sesame Street facts were made using LEGO. Check them out on the Updates Tab of this Ideas Project.
Add your support
123 Sesame Street currently sits at over 9,400 Supporters with 234 days to run before it expires.
Let's help get this project to the 10,000 Supporters milestone before the 50th anniversary of the show's premiere on November 10, 2019. That's only 196 days away.
Supporting Ideas projects has become very simple - you only need an active LEGO account. And then click "Support." The three marketing questions have been gone for some time now!
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54 comments on this article
I like it, but I'm not sure of the wisdom of such a large build for a set based on a kids' program.
Interesting idea and very well done all the images, renders, etc.
But the minifigs just doesn't work without the use of new moulds, sincerely.
Wow. What an amazing bunch of work that has been put into this project. I am impressed. Don't care much if it gets produced, but Ivan deserves the support. Keep up the good work and thanks for the plug as I would have never seen this.
You can tell a lot of love and hard work was put into this. However, I very much doubt that this will be released as an official set as it won’t sell well because of the small target audience. Great idea though and best of luck!
Lovely looking set, very well thought out and planned, but it's a mistake to create a set that appeals only to adult collectors, while the target audience for Sesame Street would be better suited to simpler 4+ or even Duplo toys. There's no way a kid of Sesame Street age would cope with a 3k piece set.
Hi everyone! This is Ivan. Thank you all for the feedback. I really appreciate all your comments. Just to explain the design a little bit further. This set was designed specifically for the 50th anniversary of Sesame Street. There are books, documentaries and several products coming out this year, specially created for adult fans of Sesame Street… people who grew up watching the show for the last 50 years. There are millions of people who have fond memories of the show and have wanted to own a set like this.
In addition to being a filmmaker, I am also part owner of a chain of comic and collectible stores. We have had several great selling Sesame Street products that adult collectors go after, including vinyl figures, shirts and more. Not only am I passionate about the characters, as a retailer, I have had experience with the adult collectors market for a product like this.
On one hand, I can see how a set of this size wouldn’t be suitable for Sesame Street’s target audience. On the other, we’re talking about a show that’s crossed over with (or paid heavy tribute to) both Game of Thrones AND Stranger Things, so maybe this set has slightly more overlap than we may think.
This is a great idea! I will definitely be supporting this product as I was brought up with the show and also my siblings. This show means a lot to our family. Even though it is targeted at adult collectors, it could also open up a new door for LEGO too? There could be a duplo line, or even a juniors line! But they would definitely need new head moulds for the monsters and also big bird would need a completely new mould in general. But great set, would love to see it in my lego display! My siblings would go wild! Best of luck!
My parents banned me from watching sesame Street after I started pronouncing 'zed' as 'zee'.
Part of the problem for me with this is the limited appeal. Outside of the USA, its broadcast in very few countries, and here in the UK its not been on TV screens here for nearly 20 years. So while I know what it is, the target audience here aren't going to have a clue about the main street. For the vast majority of the world, its Kermit, Fozzie and Gonzo etc that are the bigger cultural icons then Grover and Big Bird.
Also as mentioned, a kids not going to want such a complicated build. As an adult, its not something that's fondly remembered by me enough to justify paying out for, or wanting such a set on display.
Also, I agree about the minifigures. Without making new moulds, the muppets just don't work as minifigures to me.
Also that said its very well done and the creator is clearly very passionate about it. I just can't see it doing well or being picked up, especially when it comes to the licensing issues it'll have.
^ I concur with that: I was a kid in the 60s/70s and I don't think I ever watched a single episode. Perhaps because it was broadcast on a commercial channel?
I don't recall my daughters watching it in the 90s either.
That the creators do not take it badly, but for me absolutely zero appeal. I would never buy it.
If LEGO® produced it, I think it would the end of set 21308 (Adventure time).
This is a beautiful project with extraordinary details. Perhaps it's a good omen that Lego just made a rubber duckie piece:)
I’d buy it. Even in Australia Sesame Street was and is to my knowledge broadcast every weekday morning, and certainly formed part of my childhood.
Erm, for those who says there's limited appeal; Just because it wasn't aired in your country doesn't mean it wasn't aired in most other countries. It's been aired in over 100 countries in some way. I'd think it's a lot more popular than the Ninja turtles. :-)
Even though its target audience is most likely smaller than with the Simpsons I think people here shouldn't underestimate Sesame Streets popularity. There's not many people who don't know Bert and Ernie. And as for new molds for the heads; the made those for the Simpsons and the Ninja Turtles as well. I think this is a fantastic idea, I support this one!
"I think it would be hard to find someone who hasn't watched at least one episode of Sesame Street in the last 50 years."
*raises hand*
Why don’t we all support this guy’s valiant effort and let Lego sort out the rest? Why tear apart one of the better thought out and organized projects on ideas because of petty things like “ too many pieces for a child set”
That is clearly a Lego concern. So support the idea and let Lego figure it out from there.
There was some sesame street in Israel in the 90's.
However I don't consider that nostalgic in any way. The idea is good, buy let's face it: how bad can a build with so many pieces be?
and the Minifig selection is too huge, even if LEGO would make this a set most fans would cry because "the original idea was so much better with more figs". Also new moulds are needed.
All in all I like it, but I don't see that ever becoming official.
No interest whatsoever.
Every time I see an article or blog post for 123 Sesame Street, I'm floored: What, how has this not already reached 10k?
I think this might have more appeal than one might think.
The educational aspect is totally in line with LEGO ethos as well.
As for the build, sure a 5 year old will not have the patience for it (at least mine don’t) BUT they have hours of fun playing with every modular that I have built.... win/win adult/kids
Supported. Sesame Street was a daily part of my life in the 70s here in the US.
Technically speaking Kermit was on Sesame Street in its early seasons. But including him would complicate the licensing since he and the other Muppets are owned by Disney, and not the same company that owns the other Sesame Street characters.
Any Lego fan in their 40s and living in the UK who had access to a television would have grown up with Oscar the Grouch, Bert and Ernie, Big Bird etc
Exciting project this one
Like most ideas projects it will have those that love it and those who think meh!?!
The only thing I liked about Sesame Street was Oscar the Grouch telling everyone how lame they were.
Big bird should have had an afro in yellow or something brick built
I would get this. Not only b/c I love Henson's imaginative universe, but because the building itself would look nice with the Modular city, too.
I would pay for the Pinball Counting machine alone.
I wholeheartedly support this set. I've been a fan of Sesame Street since it taught me to read in the 70's. Though I don't keep up with modern episodes, the classic characters, especially my buddies Ernie and Bert, will live on in my heart forever.
It was on ITV from 1971 till the 80s the on Chanel 4 till 2001
So Huw you and your kids would have been able to watch easily. You just didn’t.
I loved it as a kid. Watched it with my mum, need a Snuffleupagus though.
I like the design of it, but I'm not really in favor of Sesame Street.
The Dutch version has some different aspects to it compared to the American one so I can't really relate to this set as a whole.
For example Big Bird (Pino) in my country is blue with orange beak/feet.
(apparently they had to change the colors to be allowed to use the character in the dutch version)
The other muppets seem to use the same colors however.
Also many different human actors over the years.
Why all the hate? I mean, Sesame Street is a cultural icon now. You don't have to have watched it to know what it is or appreciate the effort someone's put into this.
I have no idea who Gordon, Susan or Bob are because my country's version used Dutch actors and like I said, if a show runs 43 years in my country they do change over time.
Beside the recolored Big Bird (Pino- since 1976) Dutch version had mostly it's own Muppets in most of the show, a Dog (Tommie - since 1976), a Mouse (Inieminie - since 1980), and some others that were added later.
I rarely have seen the show at all since the 2000s even while it's still being made and aired to this day on Dutch TV in 2019. (120 new episodes a year)
There still are cameos in educational videos of Count Zero/Oscar/Elmo/Bert+Ernie/Grover/Kermit and others, but they are mostly shown in their own small short videos during the show.
I watched it as an '80s kid in the Netherlands where it has been broadcast since 1976 (and still is). As TeriXeri mentioned, it has its own street though and some characters are a bit different.
I was only a big fan of Bert and Ernie and would love to own their apartment and minifigs. Not sure I could justify such a big purchase for that, but I certainly appreciate the amount of effort that has been put into this project. It certainly deserves to get to 10k so I have supported it. Best of luck to the creator!
Sigh.. Great ANOTHER Ideas set to want to buy if it gets selected. I would be very very surprised if this does not get tapped to be an officially Ideas set. Great job!!
Man this is such a blast from my past.
I know the whole alphabet, and I still watched that James Earl Jones clip to the end!
I support this. It’s an extremely well thought out and beautifully designed set. It’s not my job to work out the logistics of it actually becoming a set. And it’s far better than a lot of the stuff people peddle on Ideas.
This is amazing work. Lego sets are a family project for us, my daughter is 3. While she doesn't have quite the skills to put things together herself, she loves to sort the pieces and hunt them for me. This would be the perfect set for us. It is so beautiful and would look great on display on the building alone.
The Jim Henson productions in general are something that surprises me why, in general, we don't have them in Lego at all. I've always wanted a Muppets theme, but Sesame Street is a great start. Can't have any less appeal then some of the IPs they have done; may be even more. Supported it, and I sure hope this makes it as a set!
What a lovely detailed interview. More like this please!
The comments here are surprising. Sesame Street's target audience has been children for the past 50 years- the majority of people who have watched and loved Sesame Street are now adults. They have started having their own kids.
I don't know about you guys, but when I build a big set, my kid goes nuts. Especially if it's something familiar to him. He loves helping me, even though it's above his ability level. What better way to get better at it? It's bonding time for us.
Day one purchase.
Tremendous appeal for many.
Remember that Lego has fan bases for adults as well as kids. This set is not supposed to target a 3, 4 or 5 year old ... Lego would likely create Duplo or 4-plus sets for those demographics. Rather, this set I believe is supposed to target ADULT BUILDERS who likely grew up with the show.
I guess if I’d have done this set, I’d have included a second building to include the iconic Hooper’s Store. But that might be a subsequent or sister release.
I love it. One of my favorite shows in the 70’s. I would have to get parts for the extra builds, also.
I feel their might of been a toy like this made years ago (not of LEGO of course).
If you want a laugh search "Unnecessary Censorship" and "Sesame Street". You might get to see a new side of you "favorite characters".
I like this, there is one thing. What about the 'Yip Yip Martians'? The Yip Yips and the telephone.
The build is top-notch, Ivan did a great job. However, I'm a bit concerned about the cross-demographic appeal of SS and Lego since it looks like it would be a $100+ set. It's too sophisticated for KFOLs who watch Sesame Street and I'm not certain whether Modular fans would buy it given the differences in aesthetic. The large door (although faithful to the show, perhaps) is out of scale for Modular.
Would love this to be made to go with the modular range, looks excellent.
Had never heard of ‘Adventure Time’ or ‘Steamboat Willie’, this is much better then either of those sets.
Want!
Marketing 101: Know Your Customers
It is a beautiful piece of work. Unfortunately, limited market size.
Ideas has been quiet recently. There are a few interesting designs up there, but nothing like what we were getting a couple of years ago.
Their update today (Tuesday, April 30) indicates they broke the magic 10,000 vote barrier. Congratulations.
I know it’d probably be a little scaled down so’s we can include the building for Hooper’s Store, but that’s for TLG to decide. I’d see that building with the store, the businesses run by Luis and Maria (fix-it ship and/or copy/mailing/FedEx type) and apartments for Bob, and Luis and Maria
Again, I see this appealing primarily to AFOL, that group who watched “Sesame Street” Which is OK, as it’d fit well with the modular builds. Not a kid’s toy ... Lego would probably cone up with more kid-friendly (buildable) sets.
Love this set, but then again I love Sesame Street. I think the piece count could be reduced significantly by reducing the SNOT all over. It’s OK and in my opinion preferred to show a stud or two. Besides the increased ability to position things securely around the build as you add on or play, it just looks more like a traditional LEGO Set.
Would like to see it get into a group to be decided upon, and depending on its competition would like to see it win. It’s cool.
Don’t think it is going to be a real set, to big and would have too many new mini figures
Has anyone found the Countmobile instructions? I can't locate them on the Updates tabs.