First Live-Action Cartoon Network Series is Partially Lost
Sept 1, 2023 22:55:09 GMT
GINTegg, islee, and 1 more like this
Post by sleeptodream on Sept 1, 2023 22:55:09 GMT
As a devotee of Jim Henson Productions and all things related to the Muppets and the art of puppetry, I often find myself browsing the various puppetry related articles on the wiki. A topic of my interest that I believe deserves more attention is that of Big Bag!. Aimed at the preschool demographic, it was a puppet show co-produced between Cartoon Network and the Children's Television Workshop that ran from 1996 to 1998 (with reruns until 2001) - with puppet characters made by the Jim Henson Company themselves.
While there are animated segments spliced in, the main show centered around best friends Big, a dog with socks for ears, and Bag, an literal anthropomorphic bag, as the two manage a general store together. Throughout the episodes they are seen interacting with Molly, the owner of the store, as well as one of the show's only real life human characters -- alongside a titular cast of additional human, animal, and anthropomorphic puppets.
Despite the shows supposed popularity - seen in the decent amount of children's merchandise created (even based off of some of the animated segments), as well as a season 2 episode guest starring Elmo, the show only ever had a home release on 5 VHS tapes, each containing a single episode (these have all been ripped and archived on an unofficial Big Bag YouTube channel > here) - with no official release on any streaming platforms as of now, likely due to licensing issues between Disney and Cartoon Network
Multiple sources detail different episode numbers and chronologies - but going off of the LMW, there are 39 total episodes, with only 8 being fully found and 4 being partially found, leaving 27 episodes totally lost.
I ask for help in locating this piece of both Cartoon Network history, as well as history of the CTW and the Jim Henson Company.
lostmediawiki.com/Big_Bag_(partially_found_Cartoon_Network_live-action_animated_puppet_series;_1996-1998)
While there are animated segments spliced in, the main show centered around best friends Big, a dog with socks for ears, and Bag, an literal anthropomorphic bag, as the two manage a general store together. Throughout the episodes they are seen interacting with Molly, the owner of the store, as well as one of the show's only real life human characters -- alongside a titular cast of additional human, animal, and anthropomorphic puppets.
Despite the shows supposed popularity - seen in the decent amount of children's merchandise created (even based off of some of the animated segments), as well as a season 2 episode guest starring Elmo, the show only ever had a home release on 5 VHS tapes, each containing a single episode (these have all been ripped and archived on an unofficial Big Bag YouTube channel > here) - with no official release on any streaming platforms as of now, likely due to licensing issues between Disney and Cartoon Network
Multiple sources detail different episode numbers and chronologies - but going off of the LMW, there are 39 total episodes, with only 8 being fully found and 4 being partially found, leaving 27 episodes totally lost.
I ask for help in locating this piece of both Cartoon Network history, as well as history of the CTW and the Jim Henson Company.
lostmediawiki.com/Big_Bag_(partially_found_Cartoon_Network_live-action_animated_puppet_series;_1996-1998)
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