The principal Muppet character is Chelli, a puppet dog who is joined by his best friend Bag. Chelli and Bag run a general store. They live on Main Street in an unidentified town with their human friend Molly and a variety of other animals named for their species. Two sock puppets named Lyle the Sock and Argyle McSock work as stockroom boys and often interact with the main cast. In 1997, a humanoid Muppet character called Sofie was introduced. The first season features frequent interaction with a large cast of human regulars, including an assortment of child friends and colorful locals.
Cast and characters
Muppets
Chelli – A patchwork dog who is the main puppet character of the series. In "Elmo's Visit," it is revealed that Chelli is a pen pal of Elmo. He was designed by Ed Eyth and built by Rollie Krewson.
Bag – An anthropomorphic cloth bag who is Chelli's best friend. He talks in his own gibberish which the other characters appear to understand.
Argyle and Lyle – Two socks that are known for telling knock-knock jokes, which Lyle usually refers to as "sock-sock" jokes. When they are not hanging out in the store's sock bin, they can be found in a laundry hamper or in the storeroom. Lyle speaks with Brooklyn accent, whereas Argyle speaks with a Scottish accent.
Sofie – A girl who joins the cast in the second season.
The scenes with Chelli and friends served as frames for a variety of individual animated segments, which were also rotated between seasons. As opposed to the shorter clips on Sesame Street, the animated segments ran approximately 3 to 8 minutes each and were produced by various studios in New York City, Australia, and Europe, often with consultation from Sesame Workshop and Cartoon Network. The shorts included:
Troubles the Cat – This is the first totally original cartoon based on Latino characters to air in the United States. It was created by then 5-year-old Marina Mendez and Karen Mendez Smith and developed for television by Nina Elias-Bamberger, Jim Martin, Marie Poe, Luis Santeiro, and Nina Shelton. The show was produced by R.O. Blechman at InkTank in New York, with character designs by Santiago Cohen. The group of kids includes a six-year-old Latina named Marina and her multicultural friends. Marina's cat Troubles uses a "troublescope" to sniff out problems that develop in the group's relationships. Troubles invites home viewers to do the same, using their cardboard tubes as troublescopes "to see what the kids are really thinking and feeling". 24 episodes were made and it was the only other short, along with Koki, to be carried into the second season.
William's Wish Wellingtons – William's magic boots called Wellingtons make any wish come true. They're a wonderful tool to solve problems with if he can only figure out the right thing to wish for. Each story, whether it's about looking for buried treasure or William wishing himself invisible at his sister's wedding, sparks the imagination of viewers. 13 out of 26 episodes made were aired. Andrew Sachs provides the narration.
Slim Pig – A two-dimensional pig who lives in a three-dimensional world named Slim Pig is a uniquely proportioned animal who can slide between the barriers that surround his farm and assume various shapes. Slim Pig demonstrates that it can be fun to explore and discover new things. Fellow farm animals like Duck, Little Chick, Rooster, and Horse admire Slim for his ability and desire to venture beyond their world. 13 episodes were made.
Koki – In this claymation segment, a four-year-old chick named Koki has a life similar to that of a preschool child. Koki is learning new responsibilities while adapting to relationships with her family and friends. Koki's younger sibling, an egg, represents a new challenge for her. 13 episodes were made.
Tobias Totz and His Lion – Centered around the relationship between two unlikely friends: a man named Tobias and a not-so-ferocious lion. Tobias is a retired zookeeper who is frequently asked to return to the zoo and solve problems. These shorts explores alternative solutions to difficult situations. 13 out of 25 episodes made were aired.
Samuel and Nina – A dog alter-ego of Charlie Chaplin named Samuel and a prudent, down-to-earth squirrel named Nina embark on adventures and help humans and creatures in distress by using their imagination. Samuel shapes his hat into a creative piece of apparel, appropriate for his role in each crisis, and prompts viewers to do the same. 13 episodes were made.
In the second season, every segment except Troubles the Cat and Koki were removed. A new segment was added:
Ace and Avery – This segment focused on a bespectacled boy Ace and his raccoon sidekick Avery. This segment was the most likely to incorporate craft elements from the main storyline. 13 episodes were made. This segment was made by John R. Dilworth, who would later go on to create Courage the Cowardly Dog.
