Episode 3358

Sesame Street
The letter Z wants to quit the alphabet
Air date	March 29, 1995
Season	Season 26 (1994-1995)
Written by	Belinda Ward
Production December 20, 1994 February 28, 1995 Sponsors N, Z, 4

Picture	Segment	Description
	COLD OPEN	Telly Monster, Monster on the Spot reporter, is covering a disturbance in the alphabet. The letter Z (Camille Bonora) is sick of being the last letter of the alphabet and wants to be first. Telly points out that A is first. The letter A (Peter Linz) agrees and asks Z to be a good letter and go back to the end of the alphabet where she belongs, but Z refuses to comply. Telly tells the viewer to "don't worry!" and segues to the theme song.
	SCENE 1	The letters continue to bicker as Maria and two kids (Lindsay and Thea) come out from Hooper's Store, having heard the news. The letter A insists that everyone knows he's the first letter in the alphabet, and he has the kids sing "The Alphabet Song" to prove his point. Z suggests changing the alphabet, but Maria says that then everyone would have to learn it all over again. Besides, A likes where he is and doesn't want to budge. The letter Z starts sobbing that she'll never get to be first. Maria tells Z that just because she can't be first in the alphabet doesn't mean she can't be the first letter of a word. Z likes this idea and decides to quit the alphabet, figuring "why be last when I can be first." A shocked Telly Monster advises the viewers "DON'T PANIC!" as he promises to get Z back.
	Film	Kids sing the alphabet on an island. (First: Episode 3154)
	Muppets	Prairie Dawn and Cookie Monster demonstrate first and last with cookies, but Cookie Monster is hesitant to eat the last cookie because he thinks it’s the last cookie in the world. (First: Episode 3224)
	Animation	The word EGGS is shown, followed by eggs frying in a skillet. (First: Episode 3045)
	SCENE 2	Telly reports from Hooper's Store, where the Letter Z declares that she will never be the last letter again. She denies Telly's pleas to rejoin the alphabet, knowing she won't be first, and instead has her mind set on being the first letter in the word eggs. Mr. Handford disagrees, pointing out that E is first. Z places herself in front of the word anyway, which now reads zeggs. Telly argues that zeggs isn't a word, but then, a Fat Blue woman enters the store and orders a couple of zeggs, just as the sign now says. Mr. Handford tells her they don't have any zeggs, so she heads off to the zupermarket. The letter Z decides to catch up with her, saying "last one there is a rotten zegg!" Telly follows that Z!
	Animation	Z / z Gregorian chant (First: Episode 3332)
	Muppets	Kermit's Lectures: Kermit talks about the letter Z, but it turns up and becomes an N. (EKA: Episode 2102)
	Cartoon	"Poverty Z" -- A figure tries to sell a Z. His only customer stops him by locking him inside a zoo cage. Artist: Cliff Roberts (First: Episode 0085)
	Song	"Around and Around" (First: Episode 2753)
	Cartoon	A wizard walks through a door. A boy in pajamas tries to imitate him without success. (First: Episode 1042)
	Muppets / Cast	Maria, Big Bird, Oscar and The Count sing "Happy Birthday to Me." (First: Episode 3241)
	Animation	Stop-motion representation of "Happy Birthday," with balloons, gummi bears, glitter, etc.
	Cartoon	Autumn leaves form a capital "N" and lowercase "n." (First: Episode 3114)
	Film	The floating kids form a letter N. (First: Episode 3109)
	Cartoon	"Lowercase n" (First: Episode 0358)
	Film / Animation	A class makes up a story about a fish named Billy, which is told through animation based on the kids' drawings.
	Muppets	Bert goes to the park to practice his pigeon calls, but instead of attracting a pigeon that says coo, he gets a cow that says moo, an owl that says hoo, a number two, and an entire zoo. (First: Episode 2968)
	Cartoon	Number Guy: ‘’’How Many Elephants Can You Fit in a Room?’’’ The answer is 4.
	Animation	Four butterflies fly across a film of a waterfall. (First: Episode 2834)
	Animation	Egyptian figures illustrate the number 4. (First: Episode 3306)
	Film / Animation	Oranges are peeled and sliced in stop-motion, and some kids eat them. (First: Episode 1802)
	SCENE 3	Telly reports that Z has just made up her own alphabet; which makes her not only the first letter, but every letter of the alphabet. She proceeds to sing "The Alphabet Song" with every letter replaced with Z. Telly and the kids halfheartedly join in as she sings a second time, but the kids lose interest and leave partway through. Telly explains that it's not fun just singing the same letter over and over. Z sees his point and starts to miss all her letter friends. Telly suggests that she return to the alphabet, and while she may not be first, she'll be with her friends again. The Z agrees and goes to ask for her old job back.
	Cartoon	Two alpine climbers hike up a letter Z and stake a claim on it. (First: Episode 0281)
	Muppets	Over the Top sing "ZZ Blues." (First: Episode 2317)
	Cartoon	Two white squares try to push a great big object, and are reluctant to let a black square join them at first. Artist: Fred Garbers (First: Episode 2849)
	Film	Children in Jamaica learn how to make their own tie-dyed shirts. (First: Episode 3140)
	Cartoon	A paranoid bird doesn't like to be surprised ... unless it's a surprise party. Artist: John Korty (First: Episode 2088)
	Muppets / Celebrity	Tim Robbins and Elmo talk about surprise. (First: Episode 2766)
	Cartoon	A girl explains why she likes the poet Grubby Groo. Artist: Mo Willems (First: Episode 3225)
	Cast	Savion sings the “Rhyming Tap Rap." (First: Episode 3355)
	Muppets	The Two-Headed Monster spells the word TAP, then tap-dances away. (First: Episode 1912)
	Cartoon	Anansi the spider tells the story of how the sun and the moon came to live in the sky. (First: Episode 3320)
	Film	Joe Raposo sings "Dressed Up." (First: Episode 0302)
	Muppets	Ernie & Bert — Ernie is confused when he sees Bert playing checkers with his pigeon, Bernice. Ernie thinks it's amazing that a pigeon can play checkers, but Bert thinks it is no big deal, because Bernice has only beaten Bert in two out of ten games. (First: Episode 1227)
	Animation	Teeny Little Super Guy finds his friend Jane giving up on learning to ride the egg beater. He tells her that it takes time and practice to learn things, and gives Jane some training beaters to help her keep her balance. Artist: Paul Fierlinger (First: Episode 1972)
	Cartoon	A flea sets up camp on a dog. Artist: Bruce Cayard (First: Episode 1004)
	Film	Wegman's dogs form all the letters of the alphabet. (First: Episode 3266)
	SCENE 4	The kids sing "The Alphabet Song" once more, with Z back in her proper place. Telly interviews Z afterwards, who now doesn't mind being last in the alphabet, and remembers that she starts lots of words (even mentioning zeggs). Telly concludes that everything is back to normal, however, Z reconsiders and thinks maybe she could be in the middle of the alphabet instead. She sings the alphabet, inserting herself between L and M, and Telly replies that it sounds terrible. As the Z tries to find a new place, Maria announces the sponsors (Z, N and 4) and waves "Adios" with the kids.

Notes

• This episode was later re-aired in Season 28 as Episode 3603.

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