Helpsters is a Sesame Workshop series for Apple's streaming video service, Apple TV+, premiering at launch on November 1, 2019 and ran for three seasons.
The educational series is about a crew of monsters, led by Cody, whose business is solving problems big and small by using the concepts of coding.
Helpsters features the involvement of many alumni from Sesame Street and The Jim Henson Company, but it has no affiliation with the latter. The puppet characters were designed and built by Monkey Boys Productions (co-founded by Marc Petrosino and Michael Latini)[1] and Puppet Heap, and they are not referred to as "Muppets."
Appearances
The project was first announced on March 25, 2019 at Apple's launch event, "It's Showtime", in Cupertino, CA. Big Bird appeared with Cody on stage at the event to introduce the show. Cody explained, "Coding fosters collaboration, critical thinking skills, and is an essential language that every child can learn."
She continued, "By teaching preschoolers about coding, we're giving them the opportunity to change the world." Big Bird replied, "You're helping kids to grow up to be smarter, stronger and kinder," a reference to Sesame Workshop's Kindness initiative.
Connections
- Paul Andrejco designed puppets for the series
- Marilyn Agrelo directed two episodes of season three
- Lauren Attinello designed puppets for the series
- Jennifer Barnhart performs Jackie, serves as assistant puppet captain, and a director
- Jake Bazel is an ensemble puppeteer
- Tau Bennett is an ensemble puppeteer
- Mary Brehmer is a puppet prop artist
- Frank Campagna serves as associate director
- Leslie Carrara-Rudolph performs Heart's Mom in the episode "Singing Starlett / Heart's Family Photo"
- Jimmica Collins is an ensemble puppeteer in the third season
- Eugene Cordero played a librarian in "Rita Reader / Cody Gets a Cold"
- Alan Cumming played Dancer Dave in the episode "Dancer Dave / Astronaut Amrita"
- Stephanie D'Abruzzo performs Cody and wrote the episode "Supermarket Sue"
- Ben Durocher is a puppet wranger
- Andrea Detwiler is lead puppet wrangler
- Ken Diego serves as associate director
- Isabelle Dufour is a puppet prop artist
- Rachel Dratch plays Barbara Birdwatcher in the episode "Musical Mabels / Barbara Birdwatcher"
- Henri Ewaskio is a puppet prop artist
- Rick Fernandes is a director for the series
- Shannon Flynn directed three episodes of the series
- Judah Friedlander played Freddy the Fruit Vendor in the episode "Dancer Dave / Astronaut Amrita"
- Deborah Glassberg was a puppet builder for the first two seasons
- James Godwin is puppet prop master and an ensemble puppeteer
- Tom Guadarrama serves as technical director
- Ingrid Hansen performs Heart
- Liz Hara is a co-producer, staff writer, and ensemble puppeteer
- Michelle Hickey is senior puppet wrangler
- Chris Jackson guest starred in "T-Ball Toni / Trophy Todd"
- Haley Jenkins is credited puppet ensemble and plays Chef Monster in the episode "Singing Starlett / Heart's Family Photo"
- Norah Jones guest starred in the episode "Rita Reader / Cody Gets A Cold"
- Jean Marie Keevins is puppet supervisor
- John Kennedy is credited puppet ensemble and plays Uncle Squish in the episode "Singing Starlett / Heart's Family Photo"
- Kathleen Kim is an ensemble puppeteer
- James Kroupa is an ensemble puppeteer and puppet builder, notably mechanizing Cody's pigtails[2]
- Tim Lagasse performs Scatter and serves as puppet captain and segment director
- Benjamin Lehmann is co-executive producer and series director
- Weston Chandler Long is an ensemble puppeteer
- Peter MacKennan is a lead puppet wrangler
- Lara MacLean is an ensemble puppeteer
- Suri Marrero played Girl at Museum in the episode "Wayne of Wonder / Paleontologist Paloma"
- Andrea Martin played Supermarket Sue in "Supermarket Sue"
- Tim McKeon is the show creator
- Ingrid Michaelson guest starred in the episode "Amazing Alie / Robbie & Rhonda"
- Jason Mraz guest starred in the episode "Musical Mabels / Barbara Birdwatcher"
- Danielle Obinger is a puppet prop artist
- Jane Pien is a puppet wrangler
- Martin P. Robinson performs Mr. Primm
- Paul Rudolph serves as vocal coach
- Kate Rusek is a puppet wrangler
- André De Shields guest starred in "Wizard Wallace / Heart Goes to the Dentist"
- Ali Stroker guest starred in the episode "Basketball Brianna / Heart's Fish"
- Rosemarie Truglio heads curriculum and content
- Matt Vogel directed the episode "Singing Starlett / Heart's Family Photo"