ABC (Fri., Feb. 20, 8 p.m. ET)
C
Some say ya gotta have a gimmick, but this special would have been better without one. The premise: Just before a salute to 30 years of Sesame Street, Elmo accidentally locks emcee Jon Stewart and the crew in the dressing room. The furry red cutie must conquer stage fright and fill in as host while Big Bird, Cookie Monster and other Muppets take over the technical chores. The musical numbers-featuring Gloria Estefan, Jimmy Buf-fett, Rosie O'Donnell et al—are bright enough, but the comedy is inferior to what you'd find on an average episode of the beloved kids' series. Brought to you by the letter...
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