“Sesame Street,” that beloved children’s show that was so formative to many of us, has been fighting for its life for some time now. HBO had a contract for the show since 2016, but decided not to renew it. While Sesame Workshop searched for a new streaming partner, they also faced cuts to federal funding, like many non-profits. Finally, there is a bit of good news. Sesame Street will live on!
“Sesame Street” On Netflix
The end of HBO’s contract for streaming on Max was quite a blow to “Sesame Street’s” financial future, but Sesame Street has a new deal… with Netflix. Netflix has announced that the 56th season of “Sesame Street” will premiere on the streaming platform. They will also have 90 hours of episodes from the past. A date hasn’t been provided, but we do know that the season will arrive in three batches.
The episodes will also be available through PBS television stations and PBS streaming for free. That’s great news for parents since the show has long been a leader in children’s programming that you can trust to be safe and educational.
According to Netflix, the show will have a change in format with each episode centering on one 11-minute story. Elmo’s World and Cookie Monster’s Food Truck will return. And, they promise ” new ways to play along as Cookie Monster opens his very own Cookie Cart on Sesame Street, and explore Abby’s Fairy Garden, a home to surprising and delightful magical creatures.”
“Sesame Street” made its debut on television in 1969. It was groundbreaking as an educational show that was intended to reach all children, but especially children who didn’t have the same educational opportunities as others.
Sesame Workshop
“Sesame Workshop is a global nonprofit organization with a mission to help children everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder.” In addition to “Sesame Street,” the organization has been known for “The Electric Company,” “Dragontales,” and “3-2-1 Contact” as well as current programming like “Bea’s Block” and “Esme & Roy.” They have many other initiatives, though. For example, the Ahlan Simsim Initiative to bring education to children affected by the Syrian conflict, and so many more.
A Happy Ending
We may have aged out of watching “Sesame Street” ourselves, but many of you reading this have children or know children who can benefit from the kind of programming brought by the show. Jim Henson’s Muppets and their human companions have taught so many lessons about the world. It would be a great loss if this show were to sunset. We’re glad to hear they’ve found a lifeline to keep it going. So, this isn’t an ending at all. It’s a story that continues, even if it’s a bit different from what we remember. But that’s OK. It’s nice to see something good thriving.
