‘Sesame Street’ has a brand-new four-legged resident: Meet Tango, Elmo’s new puppy!
Tango will join the iconic muppet cast on 123 Sesame Street – Cookie Monster, Abby Cadabby, Oscar the Grouch, Big Bird, et. al. – in a new animated special, “Furry Friends Forever: Elmo Gets a Puppy,” which will debut on HBO Max on Aug. 5.
“For generations, our Sesame Street Muppets have been kids’ first friends, modeling valuable lessons about life, learning, and friendship,” Sesame Workshop’s Executive Vice President of Creative & Production Kay Wilson Stallings, said in a statement. “After nearly two years of development, we are thrilled to introduce Tango, Elmo’s spirited, adventurous, and adorable furry friend.”
In the special, Elmo – who has been caring for a goldfish named Dorothy for several years – and longtime cohort Grover discover a stray puppy, and embark on an adventure to find the pup a “forever home.”
 
“The introduction of Tango — who will be a mainstay in future Sesame Street content—allows for consistent modeling of safe behavior and age-appropriate help with a pet,” Sesame Workshop said in a statement. “In the forthcoming special and beyond, Elmo and his friends will show preschoolers how to meet a new animal, gently play with and brush a pet, teach new tricks, give baths, and, most especially, show love and affection for their furry friends.”
“He’s done quite well taking care of his goldfish,” Wilson Stallings told The Associated Press. “We thought he’s been successful with taking care of Dorothy and that this could be the next step in his development and his getting more responsibility and his learning and growing.”
Plans for Elmo to adopt a puppy predate the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw a boom in pet adoptions and purchases. While some shelters are starting to see an influx of pets as Americans return to work, the Animal Humane Society says that there is no evidence that animals adopted in 2020 are being returned at a higher rate.
“We don’t have any evidence to show that shelters are seeing an increase,” Michael San Filippo, a spokesman for the American Veterinary Medical Association, told the New York Times in May.
“The timing of it is perfect. It was not like we decided six months ago ‘Let’s create this new character because a lot of people are adopting pandemic pets.’ But we do know that a lot of families have been adopting pets during the pandemic as a source of comfort and joy,” Wilson Stallings told the AP.
“With Elmo adopting Tango, it’s going to mirror for many of our children what they’re experiencing now at home and help them understand how best to love and take care of their furry friends as well.”
Details about Tango have been carefully considered, with internal discussions about what she should look like and what gender to pick. Wilson Stallings, who has a long-haired dachshund at home, put her own preferences aside for the common good.
“We decided that it would really be best to make sure that the way to have her most accessible and really appeal to as many kids and families as possible is just make her like a mixed breed,” she said. “She could be a little of anything. Anybody that has a pet might see a little of their pet within Tango.”
In the animated and song-filled film, Grover and Elmo go out during a playdate and come across the friendly but sad, stray pup sitting forlornly in a cardboard box. She loves music and dancing and scratches under her chin. Even Oscar the Grouch calls her a “cute, adorable little fluffball.”
Grover warns Elmo that whenever approaching a dog, move quietly and let them sniff the back of your hand. “This is how doggies get to know you. Or, should I say, nose you,” says Grover.
Then the fuzzy monsters realize that the puppy is homeless. They decide a local pet fair is the perfect place to find her a new home. “We will find you the home you deserve, little puppy,” says Grover. The pair also name the dog after the ballroom dance because that’s what she loves to do.
Along the way, Cookie Monster offers her dog treats and Abby Cadabby cleans her off in a magical bubble bath (“It was fun to get dirty/Now hooray for getting clean”). The songs are by Paul Buckley.
Finding the pet fair empty, Elmo comes to a realization. “Elmo knows where Tango’s home could be,” he says. Grover asks, ’Where?” Elmo responds: “With Elmo.” But first he needs parental permission. Elmo promises to feed, play, bathe and take Tango for walks. “We don’t need a per fair/To know we’re a great pair,” he sings. The message: Let love take you in.
Tango will remain a puppy — just like Elmo will always be 3.5 years old, but Wilson Stallings said her future as a recurring character is bright, with even the possibility of her own starring role someday.
“Right now, we’re just really focusing on that relationship between she and Elmo as she gets to become more familiar with all the rest of the characters on ‘Sesame Street.’ But if there are stories to be told and educational reasons to do so, we could potentially look at spinning off Tango into her own her own series.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
