Elmo and Mark Rober’s Merry Giftmas

This marks the first holiday special of Sesame Street since the beloved series transitioned to Netflix. In this episode, Elmo and his friends, including the popular YouTube engineer Mark Rober and his team from Crunch Labs, embark on a journey to craft unique holiday gifts for one another. But some are questioning whether the show’s content feels a bit too simplistic, perhaps even naive, given its current direction.

Key Points: As the holiday season unfolds on Sesame Street, Elmo (voiced by Ryan Dillon) and Abby (Leslie Carrara Rudolph) embrace the concept of “Giftmas,” emphasizing the importance of giving gifts to express love for friends and family. Abby mentions the joy of the first snowfall, yet Elmo isn’t convinced it’s cold enough for that.

They decide to exchange gifts with Cookie Monster (David Rudman), who’s dreaming of taking gingerbread cookies into space, and Grover (Eric Jacobson), who hopes for a photo op with Santa.

Elmo enlists the help of his friend, former NASA engineer Mark Rober, who’s quite the sensation on YouTube and the founder of Crunch Labs.

Red Monster feels anxious about creating the perfect gift for Abby. Mark takes him up to the Crunch Lab headquarters via an elevator decorated with chickens, confetti, and Christmas trees. They try to brainstorm the ultimate gift, but interruptions sneak in as Cookie, Abby, and Grover join them. Soon, Big Bird (Matt Vogel) and Oscar (also Eric Jacobson) pop in too. Mark teams up with designer Bam Sinhasane to help Abby build a snowball catapult, while “Science Bob” Pflugfelder assists Cookie with a night vision camera and Grover’s gingerbread rocket, which actually aims for space.

As Elmo starts losing hope that any gift will come together, Mark reassures him that “failure is a wonderful thing.” They sing about the importance of failure, explaining that engineers encounter failures regularly. Each setback is a stepping stone toward finding a solution.

Which show do you remember? Certainly, Elmo and Mark Rober’s Merry Giftmas is a clever addition to the Sesame Street lineup.

Featured Performance: Mark Rober has been in front of the camera for quite a while, and it’s enjoyable to see him interact, albeit a little awkwardly, with the Muppets. It showcases his roots as an engineer.

What age group is this aimed at? Like much of today’s Sesame Street offerings, this special targets preschoolers, though the simple science concepts behind the gift-making may also engage slightly older kids.

Our View: While there are well-known critiques of the current version of Sesame Street, the creators still manage to craft shows that are enjoyable for both kids and adults alike. Elmo and Mark Rober’s Merry Giftmas is one such example.

Sure, the focus on the “core four” characters—Elmo, Abby, Cookie, and Grover—can lead to an overload of cheerful, sing-song moments, overshadowing the clever, non-pandering content that the series was once celebrated for. However, it was refreshing to see Big Bird and Oscar get some screen time. Here’s hoping that Ernie and Bert can have more than just a cameo in future specials!

Rober’s clear explanations of scientific principles were engaging and accessible to all but the youngest viewers. Speaking from my background in computer engineering, I found his message about embracing failure particularly resonant. It’s a valuable lesson that extends beyond engineering—applicable to art, mechanics, and other problem-solving aspects of life. This is an important message for young children to absorb.

Our Call: Let’s tune in. Elmo and Mark Rober’s Merry Giftmas blends Rober’s enlightening Crunch Labs lessons with the usual delightful fun from the Sesame Street crew. It would be great to see more of the ensemble beyond just the “core four.”