Vegetable Soup - Nick Knacks Episode

[@TheSchmuck2]

Thank you so much. I had no idea this show was so great. I really appreciate this. Your social and political context means a lot.

[@carmineknight9123]

This is, in my opinion, by FAR the best of Nick Knacks so far, Greg. The amount of extraneous, tertiary detail that's still relevant does a BEAUTIFUL job of framing this series around its time period, and, just to name one example that hits me more personally, illuminating the hard work of a woman struggling in the business, in a show that's ABOUT prejudice and discrimination, among SO much else. Every bit of this has been a joy, and I could not agree more at how important shows like this are - now more than EVER. Incredible work. I hope this video helps bring this forgotten treasure back into the light to some degree.

[@JMFabiano]

I met Bette Midler at a Barnes and Noble signing, she remembered Woody and recognized a reproduction I made as a gift.

[@PIEGUYRULZ]

Wow. I had no idea Nick ever aired such a poignant, meaningful show. Thanks for another great episode. As far as dismissing the puppets.... honestly it all depends on where it comes from. I wouldn't expect random people on the internet to do anything more than take random jabs at what they find creepy from the past. I do agree that it dismisses a lot of the value that the show had, but not everything needs to be a serious discussion.Though, I agree more of it would be nice. Granted if these were people with followings or held themselves to any critical standards.... yeah you're completely right, that level of hyperbole is not helpful in any way.

[@only257]

I showed this video to my family member believe or not they said they saw it on pbs in the 70s they didn’t know it aired on Nickelodeon ☺️

[@animefan25]

33:50 A "What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up" segment that feature the actual music director for the show itself.

[@JanieJane96]

I remember watching this show in school in second grade (1985-86). I LOVED Outerscope. The puppets did not creep me out or give me nightmares. However, I had no idea this show was about racial and cultural tolerance. That totally went over my head at the time. Thank you for making this - I thought I was the only one who remembered this show. :)

[@AYATOLLAHBEATS]

Nope🙂i watched this all the time with my little sisters growing up in Queens NYC👍👍👍

[@Tacom4ster]

Ha throwing shade at Nostalgia Critic shallowness Maybe your best episode

[@unclelou4839]

'Nostalgia Critic' is a hack and a joke. A whiny, annoying misogynist, as well.

[@Tacom4ster]

@@unclelou4839 misogynistic? Eh think your just being hyperbolic, I mean maybe lazy for not canning Justin earlier

[@Tacom4ster]

@ULGROTHA I would just use the word "cowardly"

[@Clay3613]

@ULGROTHA Get that crap out of this channel.

[@Clay3613]

@ULGROTHA Doug, Rob Walker and Brad Jones are the only people still technically affiliated with CA. Channel Awesome had been dying for nearly three years, get over it and move on. Your false moral outrage and hashtags help nobody.

[@animefan25]

The first season of Vegetable Soup is currently on KZbin.

[@WeirdoOfWeirdos]

We need this show in reruns, NOW!!!

[@animefan25]

For now, season one of the series is currently on KZbin.

[@ClaudeLv250]

The prejudice horns killed me.

[@Kozakology]

I heard about your show on "What A Cartoon". I've been going through episode by episode, but this was the first episode that I sincerely watched every second. This is a great retrospective and I wish that the Veg soup would be remade. I will be encouraging my students to investigate the show even more. Thanks for all that you do!

[@packgrog]

Holy crap, this video is EXCELLENT. Thank you for this. Beautifully done homage to truly important show that far too few people have seen, clearly. Timely and terrifying.

[@thebunnyfoofoo]

UPDATE 12/7/2021 children are still being separated from their parents in "pods" that were made to house 32 people but held more than 500 kids. Just gotten worse since 8/7/2018.

[@kappappa]

What a wonderful little profile of this show and what it stood for. One of your best.

[@borpflop2201]

I subscribed (and pledged to the patreon) after the AVClub linked this last month, and I have to say I'm impressed to the point that I'm kind of baffled this channel isn't more popular. Like, as you dig back through the archives, it's not all equally engaging, but the stuff from the last couple years- and this series in particular- is very impressive. Original research! Unearthing lost figures in entertainment history! A visual presentation that isn't actively off-putting! This is probably an obscure reference on my part, but the things I'm reminded of most are commentary tracks, specifically those by (sadly now retired into library science) film historian David Kalat- there's a similarly impressive combination of personality on the presenter's part with a lot of good, obscure, fascinating material to back it up.

[@cheesegod1337]

Going in order and so far this is my favorite. Had never heard of this show before but wow. Thank you for all the hard work and research you put into this to bring this show to light. I have no idea why your channel isn't way more popular than it is.

[@vgtrp]

Well, yeah the puppets were creepy, the message still works if you can get passed that. With the state of the country right now we need a show like Vegetable Soup now more then ever.

[@only257]

Puppets looked cute in my opinion but if you are afraid of puppets watch peppermint park or new zoo revue🌍

[@darktetsuya]

man yeah you weren't kidding! we could absolutely use something like this in modern times. yeah those puppets were weird looking but if you can get past that, the show's definitely a must-watch. I also had no idea 'carton of milk, a loaf of bread, and a stick of buttah' was remade, yeah it just doesn't have the heart of the OG version. my wife is mixed race and even she agreed we could definitely use something like this today, although it would likely fly over the heads of those that need it the most.

[@joncarroll2040]

What's great about James Earl Jones is that he can do many different villainous voices that are incredibly distinct...though Darth Vader had a lot of production on top of his delivery.

[@spencerkoelle184]

First, this made crave vegetable soup so hard i went downstairs and microwaved a bowl. Second, this is another very extensive, well-researched review. And then, yeah, we still need this stuff, badly. It's a terrifying time.

[@urbanpreppie05]

This show is pretty flippin deep. I remember a segment where one of the children was embarrassed about being sent to the store to buy food stamps. This show apparently was also syndicated out in the 90s- one of our local LP stations aired early (5:30) on weekends.

[@michaelbuono4007]

Even the nostalgia critic stopped the whole screaming and yelling at the camera for the most part

[@TsukiCondor]

Check the upload date, this was 2018 screaming out burst content creators where still topical (and still are) with rage bait grifters

[@JMFabiano]

James Earl Jones as a villain? Nah it'll never work ;-)

[@RJSchex]

Jim Simon's Wantu Studios did the show's animated opening and segment bumpers. They also did several "Sesame Street" sketches ("loaf of bread", "2 Train", "I'm 6 Years Old Today"); plus one for The Electric Company ("Hey Diddle Diddle").

[@2005dave]

Jim Simon also worked with Ralph Bakshi in the waning days of Paramount Cartoon Studios, 1967. I think they also worked together at Terrytoons.

[@kameronbiggs5495]

Wow...the title Vegetable Soup has a whole new meaning. It's purpose was what we should focus on more than it's admittedly uncanny puppets. It's goal is to teach children on admiration and tolerance of people of different races and cultures, other than white. I think we need reboot or at least a successor to Vegetable Soup now more than ever, since its just getting worse. The end clip really got me to tears as that man hopes that his people and other people of different minorities don't go through the same treatment...but 40 years later, 2000 children have being separated from families at the boarder, which could arguably be even worse and it just saddens me that a ludicrous law like this exists to punish children for being born on American soil :(

[@NickolasNameolas]

You hit a new level on this one dude. From a guy who works in TV and loves TV history, I really appreciate this

[@christopherjudge1138]

Next time, as 1981 draws to a close, Nickelodeon gives us a new show, where grown-ups, dressed e multi-colored jumpsuits, act out stories, sent in by kids, alla Zoom! Wow!

[@BokBarber]

Just months after this video came out, it looks like the New York State archives uploaded a ton of episodes to youtube.

[@musicgroovin]

I loved this show. This was on the local Public Broadcasting station where I lived in Central Illinois. I'm pretty sure I only saw this while sick at home from school as it was on during the school day. I thought it was very artsy and different. It didn't scare me. That could be why I wanted to get sick. I ended up watching these cool, artsy, unique, groovy educational shows that were always on during the daytime and early afternoon while school was in session. The theme song was far out trippy to me but I like that. It was different than about anything and it was very African American rock-choir sounding. It was quite memorable. I really liked Letter people as well.

[@TheMister123]

Every day of the week, at a particular time of day, my third grade class watched some 10-minute segment on the TV that was installed in our classroom. Every classroom had one, and each grade had it's appointed time to turn on the closed-circuit channel and watch whatever it was that was assigned to us. On Fridays, it was "Outerscope 1". (Though we knew it as "Vegetable Soup", since that's the title sequence that preceded it.) It's been a long time, so I don't recall what Monday-Thursday's shows were, but I know they were more academic. By far, the entire class's favorite day of the week, the one day that we all BEGGED for recess to end early (despite the set schedule - we wanted to make sure we were never ever late), was Friday. The teacher would oblige, and we'd end up getting the last few minutes of the 6th grade chemistry lesson (which I also found fascinating). But we all loved Outerscope / V-Soup. If any of us thought the puppets were creepy-looking, none of us ever let on. :-)

[@tenthz]

28:13 This is one of my favorite Sesame shorts and my mother and I still quote it to this day!

[@meyerj75]

A show like this relegated to reruns is far better than the Garbage Pail Kids crap today's kids have been brainwashed over.

[@XanthusPictures]

Thanks for calling out the phenomenon of people dismissing a work because they find it "weird" or "creepy" or just don't understand it, it's something that's far too common on the internet and has bothered me for a while.

[@rmyers99]

Best video yet. Can't wait to see more of these. I feel like your style is really coming into its own. This was expertly put together. Also, I'm astonished this show actually aired on television. I can't even imagine how audiences in 2018 would react to a show featuring predominantly people of culture and having the audacity to not mock them. "And they show this to *children*". American conservatives would collectively have a heart attack if this show were ever allowed on TV during prime time.

[@spencerpetunia8268]

Haunting ending. Now I want to make a new version or have a rebroadcast of this show-NOT a homogenized, cheap monstrosity of a remake like what Sesame Street did to that poor, poor, James A. Simin skit. I REALLY fucking hope whoever came up with the idea of "updating" the skit THAT way was canned as soon as it aired. Sooo disappointed in Sesame Street for doing that.

[@BlackCanary87]

I was already thinking about it, but this episode earned you a subscriber. Thank you for all of your hard work ❤❤❤

[@ItsThatRetro]

Wooow that ending was poignant.

[@camwoodstock]

Raymond Gallant - That's an understatement. I think that's probably the most effective ending for an episode on this show given current events, and it really puts into perspective what's happening...

[@Tacom4ster]

Reminds me of Spike Lee's Blackkklansman

[@xxthatsnotmexx]

You deserve so many more subscribers and so much more success seriously. ❤ Edit: word

[@amandaengelman5168]

I get where you are coming from when discouraging people from focusing on the creepy puppets. However, I watched this show on PBS as a preschooler. I only vaguely remembered the intro and had no idea it was so focused on diversity. The one thing that has stuck in my head for the past almost 40 years is Outerscope 1 and those puppets. So obviously they made an impact on my young psyche.

[@starpetalarts6668]

I had a best friend in elementary school that was such a minority that if I were to say his culture and that he was in Canada with me, he'd know that he was who I am talking about atm.

[@DanJackson1977]

This reads like the worst YoMama joke ever written.

[@vendy-py7247]

26:27 There he goes

[@MaxineLunaZorua]

First new episode as a new subscriber! Love your work!!!

[@MaxineLunaZorua]

Just finished watching the video. The editing in this may make this the best episode of Nick Knacks yet.

[@alexeidarling]

I'm so glad I know about this show now! I watched a few episodes and learned a lot...I'd seen teru teru bozu dolls before but didn't know what they were for, or that ketchup and domino are loan words! Definitely ahead of its time...I had the Puzzle Place in the nineties that attempted this sort of thing, but even that show didn't nail those metaphors so well. No denying though, those puppets do hit my uncanny valley trigger... This show definitely needs a revival - there's so much more to learn!

[@makishepard]

Wouldn't mind a remake of this.

[@EmployeeAMillion]

Your critique of the “I Can Remember” shorts is hitting pretty close to home for me at the moment. I’m rewatching The Proud Family, and sometimes I wonder if it’s trying too hard to depict black lifestyles, to the point of them feeling stereotypical (read: accurate). Then I’m reminded of the original “I Can Remember”, along with the sterilized, Flash-animated remake of it. I would much rather have “flavah” in black works than have them look exactly like white works but darker, which is becoming more common in this media rat race to make everything as inoffensive as possible. It’s no secret this is your favourite episode of Nick Knacks, and I can definitely see why. It genuinely helps people like me appreciate black representation in media, and lets us absorb lessons about racism in a fresh, meaningful way again. You 👏 deserve 👏 more 👏views!

[@Hiddenfashionhistoryhome]

These are just so in depth and thoughtful! Your reviews are a real history lesson.

[@LeftyPem]

“EST damaged 60s holdovers”. Lol beautiful.🤣

[@gojikranz]

This show continuously knocks it out of the park. Keep it up Greg!

[@asskinf]

Love this series

[@JoeBushOnline]

What a fucking video, man. You put so much work into what you do and I appreciate that so much

[@madmonkee6757]

I have never even heard of this program. I think it would've bored me as a child, but as an adult, I think I'd like to check out a few episodes.

[@markdoublea84]

I remember watching Vegetable Soup on my local NBC station when I was young, but I never knew it ran on Nickelodeon before my time. I was born in 1984. Woody the Spoon has always been my favorite segment on the show. I also like those “Big Game Hunt” segments with Long John Spoilsport from the first season. Speaking of which, Greg, you mainly talked about the elements from season 1. However, you didn’t seem to bring up any segments or elements from season 2. Can you do a part about Vegetable Soup for Nick Knacks? I’ve created two playlists for each of the seasons for that show on my channel.

[@Dambitoe]

Loved the ending, great editing as well!

[@DanknDerpyGamer]

0:44 - 1:02 OK, when was the very last time anything even close to related to Vegetable Soup was shown on TV anywhere? Because I SWEAR when I was only between 2 and 5 (1991-1994) I saw this animation from the opening, and it's been stuck in my mind ever since - it took seeing it used in another Nick Knacks episode that made me veel SO happy knowing I didn't hallucinate it.

[@pattyofurniture694]

This episode has made me cry twice now. Easily your best work

[@Plotspider]

Does anyone remember a Pinwheel short about a wolf chasing a little girl through the woods. The little girl went "pitterpatterpitterpatter" and the wolf went "honklachahonklacha" and it was kids' voices making these noises in a sort of chorus? I think it was Pinwheel, but I don't know. The short was drawn in sort of a watercolor abstract way.

[@SeinenNinja]

Chavez going from Socialist to conservative isn't new, neo-conservatism started from a bunch of anti-Soviet socialists. Great series you made by the way. Recently discovered it and been going through the list. Was born way after Nick changed to it's current form, but very interesting to see what Nick was before.

[@CNFunnyJon]

Yea. The show is truly needed.

[@Karmy.]

4:27 oh god why does the one with the glasses remind me so much of Gregory Allen Also the puppets in general remind me of the one from the music video for Interpol's Evil

[@0hAHGahmi]

ahhhh I used to love this show so much. I was a kid and thought it was bizarre at the time, but I loved the bizarre-ness of it. It was fucking mezmerizing! When I got a older, lates teens and early to mid 20s I guess, which was before the internet was really a thing, I thought I'd just imagined it because nobody else ever remembered it.

[@jaggerguth4391]

28:31 A Loaf of Milk, a Container of Bread, and a Joe Dirt DVD.

[@NikkiiYuki]

vegetable soup was amazing. I never knew about it. Yes we do need a show like this today. That ending was powerful. You did a great job.

[@Rahshu]

Thank you! I hate the hyperbole of how supposedly scary or psychologically damaging weird puppets are. You're also right about how it shuts down any deeper look at something that was hand-crafted and about something important. If it weren't for the strange and unusual, this world would be fucking boring. I also liked the contrast of melting pot versus a vegetable soup. I never entirely liked the idea of it. Eventually differences get filed down and softened. At least in a vegetable soup, you can distinguish things and yet it's all good. It's a lovely metaphor, one that I wish would convince people determined to bash multiculturalism as if various peoples can't live next to each other and work out differences. If we can't do that, who will we live on this world together? You gotta meet each other at some point. A show like this seems to have been really only possible in '70s and early '80s before Reagansim really shifted everything. Hell, the quote about the ideas coming from burned out 1960s hold-overs was telling. I've always found the dismissal of the sixties more about a rejection of the aesthetic than of the ideas, as if some are too willing to toss out the baby and the bathwater together. It's not so different from the hatred of SJWs today. They look whiny and out of control so they must not have anything worthwhile to say. Well, sometimes inarticulate apoplectia can nevertheless contain real value while cool, collected words can be full of crap as a Christmas goose. Substance over superficiality. That's essentially what shows like these were about.

[@turnonmyaxel]

Its somewhat quite vaildating to see someone speak about blm in 2018 when watching in 2024. I started talking about the blm movement in 2014 and when it exploded in 2020 i felt crazy as i felt like havent your eyes been seeing all this, fantastic to see i wasnt the only one speaking on it. The closing moments of the episode was a brilliant bit. Well done

[@Furore2323]

Outstanding.

[@packgrog]

I don't actually remember this being on Nickelodeon. I *DO* remember being shown episodes of it when I was in 3rd or 4th grade. I mostly remember Outerscope. I also remember at least one time not getting to watch it with the other kids because I hadn't finished my classwork. Not because I was incompetent, but more that I was likely some form of neurodivergent that never really got diagnosed. I definitely thought this show was fascinating.

[@aceyfan]

Greg this is without a doubt the most impressive episode of the series. I'm already a patreon and I encourage other people to join as well.

[@TheHeroOfTomorrow]

Really? THESE puppets gave people nightmares? I mean, yes, the faces do look weird, but I think the message was far more important.

[@willcarroll3712]

TheHeroOfTomorrow some people care more about looks than the message there trying to portray

[@ShadowWingTronix]

Presentation is everything, especially in kids shows. I approve the message but apparently the puppets were enough of an issue for some, which means they didn't watch, which means they didn't get the message.

[@pattyofurniture694]

Cool that you mentioned the center for puppetry arts. My dad lives in Atlanta and I went the last time I visited. Amazing place. Have you been?

[@AYATOLLAHBEATS]

A great kids show!👍🙂and the puppets weren't creepy at all👍

[@Powerstars321]

I've been loving the whole show so far, but this episode was fantastic in particular! Amazing work. :)

[@jeffthevideoguy23]

All networks should start rerunning these

[@Fangarius]

I recall this when it first came out on PBS before materializing on Nickelodeon. And I definitely agree with you about Outerscope I being the main focus behind Vegetable Soup. Ironically, I never considered the Lennon Puppets creepy, or even off-putting, since many fail to comprehend the show was supposed to be a sci-fi segment about kids constructing their own 'skylab,' and somehow launching it into space with yeast (no seriously). Also used the similar Jimmy Neutron physics, where apparently the vacuum of space doesn't affect the kids, since the ship itself is not sealed off, nor have any life support. But as they say in MST3K, 'just repeat to yourself, it's just a show, and you should really just RELAX.' But I digress, personally, I loved the aesthetic going away from the kiddie, homogenized Muppet design, because this worked better on all levels. What I liked about Outerscope was the stories were sort of like something you'd see out of Dr. Seuss, where the message was clear and easy to understand. The SaniLand episode (planet inhabited by cleaning utensils) was great because of the fact it's Doris' cat who comes to the rescue by simply cleaning herself. The SaniLand King and Queen become enamored and wish to worship it, giving the kids the break they need to escape. But it also demonstrated the kids themselves were hardly perfect. When Edgar nearly gets electrocuted on the Machine World, since he thinks there's gotta be someone behind the machines, his distrust is further enforced when he decides to go the opposite way the map given to them supposed to go to Earth. Hence ending up on Sunnyland, Planet of the YunYuns and TreeTreats. Another thing which attracted me to the show itself was Cole's animations, since I recall his work on Sesame Street (Loaf of Bread skit) and the Electric Company (Hey, Diddle, Diddle song), which I loved Woody the Spoon segments with the recipes. The Arts and Craft segments with the living scissors, pencil, ruler and wizard I first saw on Captain Kangaroo, but I agree the rhyming was a bit much. The Nigel shorts did stand out, not just because the character wanted a pet boa constrictor (imagine how many parents liked this concept), but it did demonstrate racism and prejudice on a realistic level, the apartment ones I never really did see, since my PBS station had a nasty habit of sporadically showing these episodes than the way they should've been aired. Being a child from the 70s, Vegetable Soup did better address the issue of cultural differences better than most. Remember Saturday Mornings of the 70s? Networks attempted educating us with shows like Yogi's Gang and Kid Power (which was loosely based on the strip 'Wee Pals.') but usually missed the mark. Speaking of which, when VS attempted a second season, Vegetable Soup II, the show started losing its way, by airing the odd sequel to Outerscope II, and having a weird game show called The Big Job Hunt with the James Earl Jones villain attempting to sabotage it, which made no sense to me, then the sequel to Nigel. Overall, VS wasn't a bad show and it was clever of Nickelodeon picking it up.

[@JMFabiano]

Was it on Nickelodeon too? As I remember it more as a PBS thing.

[@librabeauty23]

I was thinking about the problematic implications of the term “melting pot” and tried to think of a less assimilative alternative and the closest I could think of was “sundae bar” glad to know that such a concept existed before I was even born ☺️

[@JennBarny]

i think we started moving away from melting pot as early as the 90s(?)- i remember euphemisms like 'tossed salad' being used instead- where everyone brings a little bit of flavor or texture to the party that is distinctly them.

[@alexeidarling]

Or "cultural mosaic"

[@allthingssonic]

Vids like these are why I love your channel

[@pumpkinmaryam5500]

the ending almost made me cry

[@paladinjones1833]

I love this show! It deserves a remaster and to be on TV again. The puppet segments remind me of The Little Prince, where he travels to the different planets with various misguided adults. It looks like a great show! It tackles the questions kids would really ask, and answers in a way they can understand. And I have to admit, I like the black kid refusing to be a victim and telling off the prejudiced white kid.

[@411314]

15:03 - 15:19 Uh, no dude. It's possible to acknowledge that a show is socially important and admirable while also saying the puppets creeped you out. Those two things are not mutually exclusive.

[@Tacom4ster]

Series Of Numbers but one is critically academia, and the other is cheap shallow MST3K knockoff jabs

[@411314]

They're still not mutually exclusive. Saying the puppets are creepy is NOT necessarily dismissing the show's importance or the steps forward it made for women and minorities.

[@pompommerman9830]

I think he's more criticizing how that's become the only feature of the show people take from it. Less like actual analysis more "TOP 10 COUNTDOWN OF OLD TV SHOWS that RUINED your CHILDHOOD!!"

[@fogpumas]

I have vague recollections of seeing reruns of this show as a small kid somewhere. Wasn't Nickelodeon.

[@only257]

It was on in pbs in the 1970s🎲

[@47Cartoonguy]

6:57 there’s something eerily creepy about that

[@amandaengelman5168]

This show haunted the deepest recesses of my memory for years, specifically the Outerscope 1 segments. I would describe it to people and nobody knew what I was talking about. I started to think I had imagined it. I finally found it on the internet. I won't go so far as to say it scarred me, but those puppets were creepy as hell.

[@ReggieMosbyJr]

Fantastic ending

[@torischmidt6370]

My favorite thing about nick nacks is funny enough the back round music

[@Dyojenes]

A new Nick Knacks episode, I've been waiting all of my life for this

[@411314]

AwesomemanCentral You type really well for a one month-old.

[@Dyojenes]

Goo goo gah gah

[@411314]

AwesomemanCentral *chuckles* That means you got my joke, right? It just occurred to me that it could be misinterpreted as an insult and I hope you didn't think I was trying to be a jerk.

[@Dyojenes]

Yep, I got it

[@411314]

AwesomemanCentral Oh, good.

[@lamontyaboy718]

This didn't feel like a normal nick knack but rather a video tackling racism.

[@deeconstruction8163]

Woah! Flashback city!

[@michaelmiller4457]

i love you greg

[@alyfan1]

Wow this episode escalated quickly at the end. I love it. We do need this show now more then ever!! Great episode!!!

[@aperson22222]

Ah, yes, _Heterosexuals Tonight._ That was a good one.

[@daelen.cclark]

As much as I’m making sure I don’t indulge in hyperbole, I don’t feel like saying “the puppets creeped me out” is closing a conversation for no good reason. I might be wrong in that. (Some of this stuff is a bit creepy, but I’d argue that keeps people interested.)

[@aestroai8012]

Wow. That ending was powerful! Nickelodeon should recognize (and air) your fine work!

[@georgewhiteandtotalbratani7914]

They're not that creepy. They're kind of Gerry Andersonish

[@Lynn17]

I love how today's boomer wannabes think diversity in kids' shows is a new-fangled SJW notion from the 2010s when shows like this existed way before the internet was a regular thing. And come on, those puppets aren't THAT creepy. Worse have existed. I've seen clips of Peppermint Park and those were way freakier.

[@mikesilva3868]

Watch clyde the frog from the 70s it's on KZbin 🌍

[@PlatformerFan]

While I have some disagreements on the assessment of the Sesame Street short remake vs. the original, I am exceedingly grateful for this informative lookback which I'm going to share on Facebook. And that ending...that ending hit me hard.

[@thepantweaver]

IT'S BAAAACK!!!

[@Lynxan]

Ahhh.. one of those shows that I could only remember the opening for then anything else till I could find it again online. I think it was a lot of the style overlap with Sesame Street so now that I'm looking at it, I think what I thought I was looking back at as Sesame Street bits was likely this show, but hey, 40 years will mix up a lot of things in your head.

[@only257]

Awesome 🎥📼

[@jonathangriffin8060]

Unfortunately, these were the kinds of criticism from people who are, or back then, were part of the "politically correct" crowd. I have watched Vegetable Soup in 1975 (I was 4 years old in that year) and I did not have any night mares when I had watched the show and I watched every episode back then. Unfortunately, as far as today's "educational television" is concerned, I wish that the genre of the 70s would make a return, because if you think about it, most of the issues of the 70s are still going on today. Today's kids have no idea of what the kids of the 70s were dealing with. If only they knew.

[@sablelioness]

Hey there! Love the series so far and I can't wait to see more! =) Just my thoughts on the puppets... For the record, I wasn't alive when this was on the air, and I didn't even know it existed until your episode on it. I am in agreement that the message should be more important than the presentation, and that's very true here. However... to so strongly chastise people who only remember the puppets as being creepy to look at might be a little much. =/ This is especially true if they only watched the episodes as kids without revisiting them as adults. As kids, our perceptions of the world are much different. A lot of things are still new to us, and if we haven't seen anything like such a specific example, it's more than likely going to scare us... That's just being human, you know? I remember hearing that a lot of kids were freaked out by a segment in "Sesame Street" that featured an I-beam being soldered. The music accompanying the scene doesn't help, at least for small children... and yeah, when I was a kid, it was unsettling to me too. Heck, as a toddler I was freaked out by Figment the Dragon (the puppet) from the "Journey into Imagination" Epcot ride. O_o As an adult, though, I realized that these things were nothing to get worked up over. Now that I have more life experience, I have the perspective to evaluate how good something is beyond appearances. =) It's easy to appreciate the puppet segments from Vegetable Soup as an adult, and see them as important teaching tools... but maybe not so much to little kids, especially the ones who first saw it back in the day. Remember the work that went into Pinwheel, with Brad Williams' puppets and Coco's mime make-up? There is an art to making... well, art, that appeals specifically to young children. The team behind the puppets from VS kind of missed the mark there, even if everything else was good and they had the best intentions. Now - if an adult watching these shorts can only focus on the creepy puppets and not give the message a chance, then yeah, that sucks. A mature adult should be able to appreciate more than that. Of course, these shorts weren't intended for mature adults, but young children. That's the target audience... Those kids are adults now, obviously, so if those are the adults you're addressing - and not adults who have never seen this show before - just remember that those memories are still valid... They may be silly now, and of course that doesn't make the puppet segments less important or interesting to us as YOUR audience. ;) However, the fear that those kids had may not be worth anger or frustration... but maybe sadness, because the messages were lost on them during a time in our nation's history when it was especially important. =( It really is unfortunate that these segments are remembered for the creepy puppets... You are working to change that, though. =) Good on you!