PBS Kids has posted preview clips of the new version of Sesame Street’s funkier, more Morgan Freeman-y older cousin, The Electric Company, set to debut in January. Thankfully, they didn’t just go all ’70s-wakka-wakka-funk-retro in an attempt to replicate the original, but instead, use the show’s hip, fast-paced style to create some pretty cool new stuff, like the technological, Matrix-inspired segments featuring beatbox wizard Shock, and the cute/funny, two-dimensional animation bits between The Odd Couple. I always loved The Electric Company when I was a kid (especially Freeman’s DJ Mel Mounds, embedded below), and I think it’s awesome that a new generation of kids will grow up with its quirky brand of edutainment.
So what were your favorite Electric Company bits? You psyched to see the new one? Think it’ll succeed?
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To me, the 4 to 6 pm hour on PBS in the late 70s was a TV programmers dream lineup for the kids! You couldn’t beat that powerhouse lineup of Sesame Street, Mister Rogers and The Electric Company! It was the “Oprah” of its time for the kids between 1976 and 1979. I liked the Spend-spend-spend skit when Morgan Freeman lashes at his son on spending too much on materialistic things like toys. He didn’t hold up on his son in that skit! The music was so funky and danceable on that show. Or the “Tilt” skit where that group is singing on a moving pinball machine, trying to get away from the ball. It was a fun show–they were more toward prefixes and suffixes of words on that show, such as -tion. The plural parts of single words.
I remember Morgan Freeman played Spider Man on the show and when he had his arm in a cast it was funny to see Spider Man with the cast on his arm.
Is that Irene Cara?
I was a HUGE fan of Easy Reader (another Morgan Freeman character) – man, I loved that show!
I loved Easy Reader! And yes, that’s Irene Cara…and Rita Moreno.
If only that had been around during my formative years.
http://backorforth.blogspot.com
Morgan Freeman, Rita Moreno, Irene Cara — now that is all Oscar-winning children’s entertainment!
I also loved spiderman – and the talking heads. That was electric company right? The heads that sounded out words?
Electric Company was the best thing I ever watched as a kid. Buy the DVD sets… Well worth it!
Jennifer of the Jungle & Paul the gorilla
Fargo North, Decoder
Letterman
the Blue Beetle
Easy Reader
The Director
J. Arthur Crank
Spiderman
Pandora
The Short Circus
Now THIS was a show that entertained and educated. Too bad there weren’t more shows like The Electric Company.
I LOVED THE ELECTRIC COMPANY. HEY YOU GUYS!!!!. I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE ORIGINAL SHOW BACK ON PBS. DONT FORGET CARLOS ON THE SHOW!
Absolutely my favorite PBS show while growing up in the 70’s. To this day, whenever I see Morgan Freeman and Rita Moreno on screen, I always think of them from this show. And, lastly, I’ll never forget the melodic sounds of “Whimper … and WHINE WHINE WHINE!!!”
“IT’S THE PLUMBER! I’VE COME TO FIX THE SINK!!!”
And I had a HUGE crush on Judy Graubart.
Rita Morano as the director. MAKE-UP! Wack!
Also Morgan Freeman as Easy Reader. Much cooler than Mounds.
G
Easy Reader of course – and Picture Pages with Bill Cosby as well!
Preston, I totally agree with you! SS, Mister Rogers & Electric Company (I have the theme in my head). I remember the first time I saw West Side Story and yelled to my mom, Anita was the lady from Electric Co! Pure kid entertaintment yet you learned something too. Also living in the Boston area I loved Zoom too! We are going to Zoom Zoom Zoom a Zoom.
Irene Cara first appeared on the Electric Company. I think that she was 13 at the time. Then she went on to star in Sparkle. There are too many to think of but “Make-Up!!” was too funny!
My earliest memories of Spider-Man come from the Electric Company.
“Spider-Man, Spider-Man, Nobody knows who you are!”
When will they bring back “3-2-1 Contact?”
Electric Company was always my fave show growing up in the 70s…it had the COOLEST theme music! I loved the pinball machine “cartoon” that they would show….it looked psychedelic and a female voice would sing the numbers 1-12 as this ball went through all of these different psychedelic looking places. Does anyone else remember that?
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