Episode 2210

Sesame Street
Elmo does magic; a blackout happens
Air date	April 25, 1986
Season	Season 17 (1985-1986)
Written by	David Korr
Directed by Jon Stone Production December 18, 1985 Sponsors U, Y, 7

Picture	Segment	Description
	SCENE 1	At dusk, Maria strolls over to the Fix-It Shop and finds Elmo dressed as a magician. He intends to magically make his plant grow by counting to 10 and saying the magic words. Once he does, suddenly all the lights on the street go out.
	SCENE 1 cont'd	Maria naturally assumes a blackout has occurred, so she goes inside to call the electric company from the Fix-it Shop landline. Elmo believes his magic was responsible for the blackout, and sobs remorsefully.
	Muppets	Ernie & Bert — Ernie says that he has "flying fingers," and tries to find ten different things that his fingers can do. (First: Episode 0617)
	Film	Animals fight. Music: Joe Raposo (First: Episode 0567)
	Cartoon	It's a whale Artist: Ishu Patel (First: Episode 1684)
	SCENE 2	Elmo believes that counting backwards from 10 might work, but he can't remember how that's done.
	Film	Counting the circus clowns. (First: Episode 0501)
	Muppets	Sesame Street News Flash Kermit the Frog interviews the Invisible Man, who tap dances for him, and later introduces his family which crowds Kermit. All that is seen of the Invisible Man and his kin are their hats. (First: Episode 1009)
	Cartoon	A baby bird falls from a tree. A boy puts him back, and in return, the mother bird saves the boy from embarrassment. (First: Episode 0550)
	SCENE 3	Elmo now believes he can count backwards. He gets stuck on 7, however.
	Film	Mad Painter #7 (First: Episode 0314)
	Cartoon	A real Indian boy tells two boys who are playing Cowboy and Indian that Indians don't say "ugh". The other kids tell him that they heard the expression on TV. (First: Episode 0771)
	Muppets	Forgetful Jones, Clementine and Buster are in the dark because Forgetful forgot to turn something on. It's not the water, the electric fan, or the radio ... it's the light! (First: Episode 1690)
	Cartoon	Tiger likes going to school. (First: Episode 0549)
	SCENE 4	Gordon, Luis, and Bob discuss how the sudden lack of electricity affected them. Elmo zips in and out asking if they can help him count, but is told they're too busy each time. Maria tells them all that she contacted the electric company and was told someone pulled the wrong switch or something; the power will return soon.
	SCENE 4 cont'd	Moments later, Don Music exhaustedly comes over asking if she can fix all his appliances which don't seem to be working. She informs him about the blackout and he's still distressed; although all his appliances will work soon, he has to trudge them all back home.
	Cartoon	Seven owls Artist: Owe Gustafson (First: Episode 1562)
	Film	A young baboon sits on the back of their parent as they cross the plain. Music: Joe Raposo (First: Episode 0299)
	Cartoon	A boy builds a house out of blocks, and when the girl builds a Victorian house, the boy calls her a copycat. (First: Episode 0780)
	Muppets	Teacher Little Chrissy sings about how important it is to "Raise Your Hand." (First: Episode 1959)
	Cartoon	A man (voiced by Jack Dodson) describes places that begin with U and what you can do with the letter U. (First: Episode 0416)
	Animation	The alphabet is presented using many materials and writing methods.
	Muppets	Cookie Monster sounds out the word FOOD, then eats it. (First: Episode 0601)
	Film	A boy makes fruit salad. (First: Episode 1195)
	Cartoon	Y for Yak Artist: Jeff Hale (First: Episode 1184)
	Celebrity	Yo-Yo Ma plays the first Menuett from Johann Sebastian Bach's Cello Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007 in the arbor.
	Cartoon	Two kids find different uses for a cooking pot. (First: Episode 0795)
	Song	Joe Raposo sings "Look a Little Closer." (tomato) (First: Episode 0147)
	Muppets	Game Show: Mystery Mix-up Game (First: Episode 0834)
	Cartoon	A dog learns about U. (First: Episode 0131)
	Muppets	Bip Bippadotta and The Androoze Sisters sing "Everybody's Song." (First: Episode 2064)
	Cartoon	The Typewriter: Y for Yo-Yo (First: Episode 0769)
	SCENE 5	Elmo asks the kids for help counting backwards from 10. Elmo gives it a try and says the magic words, which doesn't restore the power.
	SCENE 5 cont'd	He goes over to Maria to try it a new way, which still doesn't work. Maria tells him what actually happened and Elmo keeps doing his method anyhow, claiming it can't hurt.
	Cartoon	A girl talks about preparing to play with her new sled. Artist: Jim Simon (First: Episode 0413)
	Film	Kids play in the snow. Music: Joe Raposo (First: Episode 0292)
	Cartoon	A girl uses her paint-by-the-numbers set to find an elephant in her picture. (First: Episode 0510)
	Muppets	Ernie & Bert — Ernie notices that none of the lampposts are on, and the lights won't turn on. Bert says that there is a blackout, but has to repeat himself when Ernie suggests they watch TV, play a record, and listen to the radio. Ernie decides to call someone to see if anybody else knows about it. He calls Oscar the Grouch, who grouchily asks who's calling and threatens to "see to it that you don't sleep for a week." Ernie says "It's Bert" and hangs up. (First: Episode 0652)
	Animation	Sand Y/y (First: Episode 0626)
	Muppets	Old West: Sinister Sam announces that someone has bought the last box of crayons, and he wants to know why. It turns out that he just wants a crayon so he can learn how to write the letter Y. (First: Episode 1288)
	Cartoon	A boy listens to his surroundings by the ocean, until his mom calls him for lunch. (First: Episode 2053)
	SCENE 6	Gladys the Cow regales the kids with the harrowing story of what happened to her during the blackout. Within seconds, the power is restored. The adults agree that the candlelight alone was pretty nice, and they disperse so they can turn their lights out for the night. Gladys, left with no one to listen to her yarn, begins telling her tale to Barkley (who isn't very amused). Elmo announces the sponsors, and Barkley is gone by the end of the credits (which he appears in). Elmo adds “Thank you, electric company!” as Gladys talks to herself.

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