The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo

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The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo
The Not Too Late Show with Elmo poster.jpeg
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 originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes29
Production
Running time15 minutes
Production company Sesame Workshop
Original release
Network HBO Max
ReleaseMay 27, 2020 (2020-05-27) 
December 30, 2021 (2021-12-30)

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]

Contents

Premise

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]

Cast and characters

The Israeli version adds Moishe Oofnik, the Yiddish-influenced curmudgeon famous from Sesame Street's Israeli adaptations, as Elmo's sidekick. [9]

Episodes

SeasonEpisodesOriginally released
First releasedLast released
1 13May 27, 2020 (2020-05-27)August 6, 2020 (2020-08-06)
2 16September 30, 2021 (2021-09-30)December 30, 2021 (2021-12-30)

Season 1 (2020)

No.
overall
No. in
season
GuestMusical guestOriginal release date [12] PBS Kids air date
11 Jimmy Fallon Kacey Musgraves May 27, 2020 (2020-05-27)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.
22 The Jonas Brothers The Jonas Brothers May 27, 2020 (2020-05-27)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.
33 John Mulaney Lil Nas X May 27, 2020 (2020-05-27)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.
44 Batman Pentatonix June 4, 2020 (2020-06-04)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.
55Nature Nick Jordin Sparks June 11, 2020 (2020-06-11)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.
66 Miles Brown The Joyous String EnsembleJune 18, 2020 (2020-06-18)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.
77 Blake Lively Dan + Shay June 25, 2020 (2020-06-25)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".
88 John Oliver/Kwame Alexander Sofia Carson July 2, 2020 (2020-07-02)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.
99 Hoda Kotb Ben Platt July 9, 2020 (2020-07-09)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.
1010Mykal-Michelle Harris/Jonathan Van Ness H.E.R July 16, 2020 (2020-07-16)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.
1111 Andy Cohen Josh Groban July 23, 2020 (2020-07-23)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.
1212 Olivia Wilde Sara Bareilles July 30, 2020 (2020-07-30)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."
1313 Jason Sudeikis Ciara August 6, 2020 (2020-08-06)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.

Season 2 (2021)

No.
overall
No. in
season
GuestMusical guestOriginal release date [12] PBS Kids air date
141 Drew Barrymore Keedron Bryant September 30, 2021 (2021-09-30)June 2, 2023
152 Seth Meyers Kelly Rowland September 30, 2021 (2021-09-30)June 30, 2023
163 Brady Noon WanMorSeptember 30, 2021 (2021-09-30)May 12, 2023
174 Amber Ruffin Bebe Rexha October 7, 2021 (2021-10-07)August 25, 2023
185 Jenna Bush Hager Sophie FatuOctober 14, 2021 (2021-10-14)August 18, 2023
196Ames McNamara Leslie Odom Jr. October 21, 2021 (2021-10-21)May 19, 2023
207Dani & Dannah Lane AJR October 28, 2021 (2021-10-28)August 4, 2023
218 Rohan Chand Kane Brown November 4, 2021 (2021-11-04)June 16, 2023
229 Busy Philipps N/ANovember 11, 2021 (2021-11-11)July 14, 2023
2310 Aidy Bryant Hello SundayNovember 18, 2021 (2021-11-18)August 11, 2023
2411MacKenzie Hancsicsak Juanes November 25, 2021 (2021-11-25)July 28, 2023
2512Swayam Bhatia Tori Kelly December 2, 2021 (2021-12-02)July 7, 2023
2613 Shahadi Wright Joseph Madison Reyes December 9, 2021 (2021-12-09)June 23, 2023
2714 Tamron Hall Brandon Niederauer December 16, 2021 (2021-12-16)June 9, 2023
2815 Big Bird (Matt Vogel)Kelvin DukesDecember 23, 2021 (2021-12-23)July 21, 2023
2916Isaiah Russell-Bailey James Monroe Iglehart December 30, 2021 (2021-12-30)May 26, 2023

International broadcast

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]

Production

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]

Reception

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]

Accolades

YearAwardCategoryNomineeResultRef.
2021 GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Children's ProgrammingThe Not-Too-Late Show With ElmoWon [28]
2022 1st Children's and Family Emmy Awards Outstanding Preschool SeriesThe Not-Too-Late Show With Elmo: Game EditionNominated [29]

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