The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo | |
---|---|
Genre | |
Based on | Sesame Street by Joan Ganz Cooney Lloyd Morrisett Muppet characters by Jim Henson |
Presented by | Ryan Dillon |
Starring | Ryan Dillon David Rudman Jennifer Barnhart Peter Linz Eric Jacobson Stephanie D'Abruzzo Matt Vogel |
Narrated by | David Rudman |
Opening theme | "It's Elmo" (instrumental break) by Mama Bear and the Monsters |
Ending theme | "Night-Night (aka. Elmo's Goodnight Lullaby)" by Elmo (season 1) "It's Elmo" (season 2) (instrumental break) |
Composers | Bill Sherman Joe Fiedler Ryan Shore |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 2 |
No. of episodes | 29 |
Production | |
Running time | 15 minutes |
Production company | Sesame Workshop |
Original release | |
Network | HBO Max |
Release | May 27, 2020 – December 30, 2021 |
The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo is an American late-night talk show hosted by the Muppet character Elmo. [1] It is a spin-off of Sesame Street and was developed exclusively for the HBO Max streaming service. The series, consisting of 13 episodes, debuted on HBO Max on May 27, 2020. The first three episodes were available at launch, after which new episodes were premiered weekly. [2] Each episode runs for 15 minutes. [3] In March 2021, the series was renewed for a second season which premiered on September 30, 2021, when the show moved to the service's Cartoonito section. [4] [5] However, in August 2022, the series was removed from HBO Max. [6] The series aired on PBS Kids from February 10, 2023, [7] to May 10, 2024. [8]
The host of the late-night talk show series is the Muppet character Elmo. The American program's main curricular goals are centered around children's bedtime routines, of which each episode demonstrates a different aspect. [2] The program focuses primarily on long-form, in-depth celebrity interviews, designed to help younger viewers connect with others on a deeper level. [9]
The format of the program changed to a game show for the second season, which is alternatively titled The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo: Game Edition. Real kid contestants play games and compete in challenges with celebrity guests. [10]
The Israeli version adds Moishe Oofnik, the Yiddish-influenced curmudgeon famous from Sesame Street's Israeli adaptations, as Elmo's sidekick. [9]
Season | Episodes | Originally released | ||
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First released | Last released | |||
1 | 13 | May 27, 2020 | August 6, 2020 | |
2 | 16 | September 30, 2021 | December 30, 2021 |
No. overall | No. in season | Guest | Musical guest | Original release date [12] | PBS Kids air date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Jimmy Fallon | Kacey Musgraves | May 27, 2020 | February 10, 2023 | |
Before bedtime, Elmo takes on the role of talk show host. For his first episode, Elmo's guests are Jimmy Fallon and Kacey Musgraves, who sings a classic Sesame Street song. | ||||||
2 | 2 | The Jonas Brothers | The Jonas Brothers | May 27, 2020 | March 31, 2023 | |
The Jonas Brothers drop by Elmo's show to compete in a Silly Freeze Dance contest and sing a song about tooth-brushing. Abby Cadabby's magical fix causes havoc in the control room for Bert and Ernie. | ||||||
3 | 3 | John Mulaney | Lil Nas X | May 27, 2020 | February 17, 2023 | |
Elmo looks inside some goody bags before challenging guest John Mulaney to a nail-biting tricycle race and dueting with Lil Nas X. Ernie leads a backstage tour in the middle of the show and Cookie Monster gets a special visitor. | ||||||
4 | 4 | Batman | Pentatonix | June 4, 2020 | March 10, 2023 | |
Batman (Victor Joel Ortiz, uncredited) plays a contest of Beach Ball Ballyhoo with Elmo until the Bat Signal appears on the curtain. In search of a perfect bedtime story, Elmo welcomes acapella group Pentatonix, who perform a medley of lullabies. Rosita looks for three sheep so she can tell her favorite bedtime tale and sings a goodnight song. | ||||||
5 | 5 | Nature Nick | Jordin Sparks | June 11, 2020 | February 24, 2023 | |
Animal Trainer Nature Nick brings some animal friends on-set to help teach Elmo about nocturnal creatures. Jordin Sparks sings one of her favorite preschool songs, the "Itsy Bitsy Spider", and shares her favorite thing about night-time. Correspondent Grover goes to Sesame Street to investigate whether the sun should be in bed and to investigate whether it is night. | ||||||
6 | 6 | Miles Brown | The Joyous String Ensemble | June 18, 2020 | March 17, 2023 | |
Elmo competes in a nursery rhyme rap battle contest with Miles Brown and the Joyous String Ensemble play a medley of familiar Sesame Street tunes. Cookie Monster babysits his little niece, who runs around the studio before her bedtime. | ||||||
7 | 7 | Blake Lively | Dan + Shay | June 25, 2020 | April 7, 2023 | |
Elmo and Cookie Monster talk about weird dreams before Blake Lively returns to Sesame Street for a contest of "Cookie Monster Says". Duo Dan + Shay perform "I Don't Want to Live on the Moon". Oscar the Grouch prepares to get his chance in the spotlight for "Trash Talk". | ||||||
8 | 8 | John Oliver/Kwame Alexander | Sofia Carson | July 2, 2020 | April 21, 2023 | |
Elmo finds out which animal John Oliver would be and they compete in the world's slowest and most dramatic race. Sofia Carson sings a lullaby to Elmo and Kwame Alexander recites an impromptu poem about Elmo. | ||||||
9 | 9 | Hoda Kotb | Ben Platt | July 9, 2020 | May 5, 2023 | |
Elmo learns about Hoda Kotb's morning routine and challenging her to a contest of "Hot Potato". Ben Platt sings "C Is For Cookie" in a duet with Cookie Monster. Grover offers to pack Elmo's backpack for school. | ||||||
10 | 10 | Mykal-Michelle Harris/Jonathan Van Ness | H.E.R | July 16, 2020 | April 14, 2023 | |
Elmo brings in "monster makeover specialist" Jonathan Van Ness to unleash the gorgeous monster inside Sesame Streeter Alan (Alan Muraoka), before Elmo and Cookie unveil hair and makeup transformations of their own. Mykal-Michelle Harris gives hosting a whirl and faces off with Elmo in a "No Laugh Challenge", and H.E.R. performs a song about her beautiful, versatile hair. | ||||||
11 | 11 | Andy Cohen | Josh Groban | July 23, 2020 | March 3, 2023 | |
It's time for Elmo's show, but his first guest, Grover is nowhere to be found! Not to worry, Andy Cohen steps in to do his best impression of the MIA monster Grover, while Josh Groban takes Oscar's lead in singing a "trashy" refrain. | ||||||
12 | 12 | Olivia Wilde | Sara Bareilles | July 30, 2020 | March 24, 2023 | |
The Count helps Elmo keep an eye on the clock in preparation for jammie time. Elmo welcomes Olivia Wilde for a contest of "Teddy Bear Dress Up." Musical guest Sara Bareilles brings out two of her besties (Mona Tavakoli and Choska Potter) -- plus an extra special Sesame Street friend Big Bird -- to help her perform her very own version of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." | ||||||
13 | 13 | Jason Sudeikis | Ciara | August 6, 2020 | April 28, 2023 | |
Elmo isn't timid about an important part of his bedtime routine: potty time (party time)! After he challenges Jason Sudeikis to a round of the "Silly Dance Game" contest, Ciara stops by to share an inspiring musical message called "Believe In Yourself". Meanwhile, Grover shakes things up as he plays usher. |
No. overall | No. in season | Guest | Musical guest | Original release date [12] | PBS Kids air date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
14 | 1 | Drew Barrymore | Keedron Bryant | September 30, 2021 | June 2, 2023 |
15 | 2 | Seth Meyers | Kelly Rowland | September 30, 2021 | June 30, 2023 |
16 | 3 | Brady Noon | WanMor | September 30, 2021 | May 12, 2023 |
17 | 4 | Amber Ruffin | Bebe Rexha | October 7, 2021 | August 25, 2023 |
18 | 5 | Jenna Bush Hager | Sophie Fatu | October 14, 2021 | August 18, 2023 |
19 | 6 | Ames McNamara | Leslie Odom Jr. | October 21, 2021 | May 19, 2023 |
20 | 7 | Dani & Dannah Lane | AJR | October 28, 2021 | August 4, 2023 |
21 | 8 | Rohan Chand | Kane Brown | November 4, 2021 | June 16, 2023 |
22 | 9 | Busy Philipps | N/A | November 11, 2021 | July 14, 2023 |
23 | 10 | Aidy Bryant | Hello Sunday | November 18, 2021 | August 11, 2023 |
24 | 11 | MacKenzie Hancsicsak | Juanes | November 25, 2021 | July 28, 2023 |
25 | 12 | Swayam Bhatia | Tori Kelly | December 2, 2021 | July 7, 2023 |
26 | 13 | Shahadi Wright Joseph | Madison Reyes | December 9, 2021 | June 23, 2023 |
27 | 14 | Tamron Hall | Brandon Niederauer | December 16, 2021 | June 9, 2023 |
28 | 15 | Big Bird (Matt Vogel) | Kelvin Dukes | December 23, 2021 | July 21, 2023 |
29 | 16 | Isaiah Russell-Bailey | James Monroe Iglehart | December 30, 2021 | May 26, 2023 |
In Southeast Asia, the series is aired through HBO Go and episodes are released alongside their HBO Max releases in the United States. In Canada, the series premiered on Treehouse TV on September 5, 2020. [13] [14] In New Zealand, the series premiered on TVNZ OnDemand on January 8, 2021. [15] The show began airing on Cartoon Network in the United States on January 28, 2022, under the Cartoonito brand.
The series made its public television premiere on February 10, 2023, [7] on the PBS Kids 24/7 channel, where reruns aired until May 10, 2024. [8] Each broadcast included one 15-minute episode of the show, followed by PBS Kids short series, such as City Island and Jelly, Ben & Pogo , to fill the remaining time of the half-hour timeslot.
Sesame Workshop announced the production of an Israeli adaptation of the series, titled The Talk Show with Elmo (תוכנית האירוח של אלמו), which is slated to premiere on Hop! Channel in October of the same year. 14 episodes have been produced. [9]
The pilot show was directed by Benjamin Lehmann and was produced in January 2019, [16] [17] and features special guest Kacey Musgraves performing "Rubber Duckie". [18] Full production of the series took place in November and December 2019. [19]
In addition to Musgraves, confirmed guests were Jimmy Fallon, the Jonas Brothers, John Oliver, an uncredited actor Victor Joel Ortiz portraying Batman, Jason Sudeikis, Kwame Alexander, Sara Bareilles, Miles Brown, Ciara, Andy Cohen, Dan + Shay, Josh Groban, Mykal-Michelle Harris, H.E.R., Hoda Kotb, Lil Nas X, Blake Lively, John Mulaney, Pentatonix, Ben Platt, Jonathan Van Ness, Olivia Wilde and Sofia Carson. [20] [21] On March 29, 2021, HBO Max renewed the series for a second season. [4]
The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo received positive reviews. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gave the first season of the show an 81% "fresh" rating based on 16 reviews with an average rating of 7/10. The critical consensus is: "With great guests, fun games, and a lot of silly songs, The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo is a fitting bedtime show for tots that parents may even enjoy as well". [22] Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean rating out of 100, assigned a rating score of 70 based on 8 critic reviews, meaning favorable reviews for the first season. [23]
The show has been reviewed by The Hollywood Reporter , Variety , The Week , and Comic Book Resources among others. [24] [25] [26] [27]
Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | GLAAD Media Awards | Outstanding Children's Programming | The Not-Too-Late Show With Elmo | Won | [28] |
2022 | 1st Children's and Family Emmy Awards | Outstanding Preschool Series | The Not-Too-Late Show With Elmo: Game Edition | Nominated | [29] |
Sesame Street is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation, and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop and was created by Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett. It is known for its images communicated through the use of Jim Henson's Muppets, and includes short films, with humor and cultural references. It premiered on November 10, 1969, to positive reviews, some controversy, and high viewership. It has aired on the United States national public television provider PBS since its debut, with its first run moving to premium channel HBO on January 16, 2016, then its sister streaming service (HBO) Max in 2020.
Elmo is a red Muppet character on the children's television show Sesame Street. A furry red monster who speaks in a high-pitched falsetto voice and frequently refers to himself in the third person, he hosts the last full five-minute segment on Sesame Street, "Elmo's World", which is aimed at toddlers. He was originally performed by Kevin Clash. Following Clash's resignation in late 2012, Elmo has been performed by Ryan Dillon.
Big Bird is a Muppet character designed by Jim Henson and built by Kermit Love for the children's television show Sesame Street. An eight-foot-two-inch-tall (249 cm) bright yellow anthropomorphic bird, he can roller skate, ice skate, dance, swim, sing, write poetry, draw, and ride a unicycle. Despite this wide array of talents, he is prone to frequent misunderstandings, on one occasion even singing the alphabet as a single word. He would refer to grocer Mr. Hooper as "Mr. Looper", among other mispronunciations. He lives in a large nest behind the 123 Sesame Street brownstone and right next to Oscar the Grouch's trash can. In Season 46, the nest sits within a small, furnished maple tree, and is no longer hidden by used construction doors. He has a teddy bear named Radar.
The preschool educational television program Sesame Street was first aired on public television stations on November 10, 1969, and reached its 54th season in 2023. The history of Sesame Street has reflected changing attitudes to developmental psychology, early childhood education, and cultural diversity. Featuring Jim Henson's Muppets, animation, live shorts, humor and celebrity appearances, it was the first television program of its kind to base its content and production values on laboratory and formative research, and the first to include a curriculum "detailed or stated in terms of measurable outcomes". Initial responses to the show included adulatory reviews, some controversy and high ratings. By its 40th anniversary in 2009, Sesame Street was broadcast in over 120 countries, and 20 independent international versions had been produced. It has won eleven Grammys and over 150 Emmys in its history—more than any other children's show.
Rosita is a Muppet character on the children's television series Sesame Street. Fluent in both American English and Mexican Spanish, she is the first regular bilingual Muppet on the show. Rosita comes from Mexico and likes to play the guitar.
Richard Hunt was an American puppeteer, best known as a Muppet performer on Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock, and other projects for The Jim Henson Company. His roles on The Muppet Show included Scooter, Statler, Janice, Beaker, and Sweetums and characters on Sesame Street included Gladys the Cow, Don Music, and Forgetful Jones.
Vila Sésamo is a Brazilian co-production of the first preschool television programme Sesame Street. As of 2009 it airs on TV Rá-Tim-Bum. As of 2016, similar to Plaza Sésamo, new seasons air under the title Sésamo. The series debuted on October 12, 1972, moving from TV Cultura to SKY Play on June 25, 2020.
David Rudman is an American puppeteer, puppet builder, writer, director, and producer known for his involvement with the Muppets and Sesame Street. Rudman currently performs the roles of Scooter, Janice, and Beaker for The Muppets Studio, which were all originated by Richard Hunt, as well as Cookie Monster and Baby Bear on Sesame Street.
Cookie Monster is a blue Muppet character on the PBS/HBO children's television show Sesame Street. He is best known for his voracious appetite and his famous eating catchphrases, such as "Me want cookie!" As his name suggests, his preferred food is cookies, though he eats almost anything, including inedible objects. Chocolate chip cookies are his favorite kind. His speech is often grammatically nonstandard; for example, he always uses "Me" to refer to himself in place of "I", "My", and "Mine". Despite his voracious appetite for cookies, Cookie Monster shows awareness of healthy eating habits for young children and also enjoys fruit and vegetables.
Sesame Street is an American children's television series that is known for its use of format and structure to convey educational concepts to its preschool audience, and to help them prepare for school. It utilizes the conventions of television such as music, humor, sustained action, and a strong visual style, and combines Jim Henson's Muppets, animation, short films, humor, and cultural references. The show, which premiered in 1969, was the first to base its contents, format, and production values on laboratory and formative research. According to researchers, it was also the first to include a curriculum "detailed or stated in terms of measurable outcomes".
Joseph Mazzarino is an American puppeteer, writer, director and actor. He is best known for his roles on Sesame Street as Murray Monster, Stinky the Stinkweed and other Muppets, and being Head Writer and Director on Sesame Street, winning 22 Emmy Awards for his work.
The Furchester Hotel is a puppet series that aired on CBeebies. It was the second British-American spin-off of Sesame Street that the BBC had made after Sesame Tree 6 years before. The show ran on CBeebies on 26 September 2014. The show aired in 2016 on Sprout until March 2, 2019.
Esme & Roy is an animated children's television series created by Dustin Ferrer and Amy Steinberg. The series is produced by Sesame Street producer Sesame Workshop and Canada-based animation studio Nelvana, in association with Corus Entertainment.
Cartoonito is a brand name used by Warner Bros. Discovery for a collection of television networks and programming blocks aimed at preschool children. The name combines the "cartoon" with the Spanish suffix "ito", meaning "small".
Sesame Street: Elmo's Playdate is a 2020 television special which was produced as an extension of Sesame Workshop's Caring for Each Other initiative in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. The special follows Elmo and other Sesame Street characters having a virtual playdate, along with a few celebrity guests. HBO and WarnerMedia's parent company, AT&T, was the program's sole sponsor, with United Health Care sponsoring the PBS Kids broadcast.
Mecha Builders is an animated children's television series and a spin-off of Sesame Street that began production in May 2020. The series is produced by Sesame Workshop and Guru Studio.
Cartoonito is a programming block that airs on weekday mornings. It premiered on September 13, 2021, on Cartoon Network, and a dedicated section on the streaming service Max. Cartoonito targets a preschool audience around 2 to 6 years old. Cartoonito marks the first dedicated preschool block on Cartoon Network in over fifteen years.