Episode 3479

Sesame Street
The Count's Australian friend (repeat of 3253)
Air date	March 14, 1996
Season	Season 27 (1995-1996)
Written by	John Weidman
Sponsors I, O, 2 This episode guide has been compiled from script materials provided by a trusted source. ⓘ

Picture	Segment	Description
	SCENE 1	An exhausted letter carrier delivers six bags of mail from Australia to The Count at Hooper's Store. He explains to Mr. Handford that they all come from one of his oldest and dearest friends, Mathilda. Each piece of mail tells him she'll be visiting today and to meet her at the bus stop at 10 o'clock.
	Cartoon	Ball-dribbling characters count the feet on a wall ruler. Artist: Bill Davis (First: Episode 3227)
	Film	A girl writes a letter to her grandmother about going to summer camp. (First: Episode 3270)
	Cartoon	Two girls sing a reggae rendition of the alphabet. (First: Episode 3269)
	Muppets	Monsterpiece Theater: "The Postman Always Rings Twice" (First: Episode 2729)
	Animation	Egyptian #2 (First: Episode 3291)
	Film	The McDouble twins display pairs of things. (First: Episode 3217)
	Cartoon	The Bellhop is told that there are two kids, Betty and Bobby Blobby, who are lost in the lobby, and he must help them find their parents. (First: Episode 2503)
	SCENE 2	Big Bird wonders why the Count is waiting at the bus stop and he's filled in. The Count counts the passing buses, until one stops and an elderly woman steps off. She's not Mathilda, but has a message from her - she'll call the Hooper's Store phone at 11.
	Animation	The word BUS is displayed, followed by a graphic of a school bus leaving. (First: Episode 3052)
	Film	A girl narrates a film of herself taking the bus home with her dad. They play a game where she points to things and identifies them. (First: Episode 3302)
	Cartoon	CGI sheep graze out I and i. (First: Episode 2896)
	Animation	Ornate I's swing through the air to a song. (First: Episode 2921)
	Cartoon	A boy and a dog fight over a letter "I." (First: Episode 0143)
	Muppets	The Bicuspids sing "Kids Just Love to Brush." (First: Episode 2060)
	Cartoon	Dr. Nancy Einstein learns about ice cubes. Artist: Bruce Cayard (First: Episode 2582)
	SCENE 3	The Count waits at the phone, when a construction worker needs to use it. She agrees to wait, until he starts counting the rings instead of answering. Mr. Handford angrily hands him the phone and Mathilda responds, telling him she will be there soon. The Count uses Mr. Handford's watch to count the seconds.
	Cartoon	Figures dance around a telephone as it rings. Artist: Keith Haring (First: Episode 3058)
	Song	"Jump" (soul) (First: Episode 3136)
	Cartoon	A detective decides to exercise on a slow day, as a crook attempts to get rid of him. (First: Episode 2607)
	Animation	Before / after: Designs of a rainforest are painted on a chair. (First: Episode 3129)
	Cartoon	A painter paints all around the screen, eventually painting over himself. Music: Joe Raposo (First: Episode 0243)
	Muppets / Celebrity	"That's the Letter O" (First: Episode 3066)
	Animation	Fans reveal the letter O. (First: Episode 2905)
	Muppets	Big Bird shows that the letter O looks the same upside-down.
	Cartoon	A map of Australia morphs into the shape of animals that are found there. Artist: Fred Garbers (First: Episode 2646)
	SCENE 4	Mathilda finally arrives at Hooper's and the two friends share a "Hello," before saying goodbye immediately after. The Count explains to a confused Big Bird and Mr. Handford that he and Mathilda were the best of friends, but as kids she and her family moved to Melbourne. Since then, they've gotten back together 103 times, counting each "hello" as a precious moment. They know that the sooner they say "goodbye," the sooner they can say "hello" again. They begin counting the different ways to say goodbye.
	Song	"Happy Happiness," against footage of kids playing at a beach. (First: Episode 3320)
	Muppets	Harvey Kneeslapper asks a man, "Do you want me to keep an eye on your hat?" The man says yes. Harvey then puts a letter I on top of the man's hat, crushing it in the process. (First: Episode 0288)
	Animation	I / i Gregorian Chant (First: Episode 3342)
	Cast	Gordon hosts "The Crossing Zone," in which a boy named Jonathan has to find a way to cross the street. Susan helps him across. (First: Episode 2729)
	Cartoon	Don't cross the street alone. (EKA: Episode 1942)
	Cast	Big Bird and the Birdketeers pretend to fly, as Big Bird sings "We're Flying." (First: Episode 2928)
	Cartoon	A determined little boy makes several attempts to fly, and eventually gets his dad to take him on an airplane. (First: Episode 1871)
	Song	"My New Computer" (First: Episode 2857)
	Animation	Shake / lake / bake / take / make (First: Episode 2935)
	Muppets	Bert enjoys a nice day at the park feeding his pigeons when Elmo screams a hello to him, scaring the pigeons away. Bert explains that when pigeons are near, one must be quiet. Elmo understands and helps Bert by loudly calling the pigeons back. Bert becomes happy again and Elmo cheers...scaring the pigeons away again. (First: Episode 3249)
	Film	Kids play bongo drums loud and soft. (First: Episode 2862)
	Animation	Yellow drops don't want to play with a red ball at first, but they make a good flower together. (First: Episode 1895)
	Muppets	Herry, Telly, and Ruby star in a Pageant about an island. (First: Episode 2850)
	Song	A piece of land with water all around it is an "Island." Artist: Jane Aaron (First: Episode 2760)
	SCENE 5	The Count finishes writing a letter for the letter carrier to bring to Mathilda. She's relieved it's only a single letter, but faints when the Count shows her six more bags. The Count begins listing things he can count while he waits for the mail to reach Mathilda, and Mathilda announces the sponsors (in voice-over).

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