Iconic Kid’s Show Coming to Netflix

There will be more sunny days on Sesame Street after all.

After Warner Bros. Discovery opted not to renew its deal with the popular, long-running educational children’s television series, Netflix has picked up Sesame Street for a reimagined 56th season.

“This unique public-private partnership will enable Sesame Workshop to bring our research-based curriculum to young children around the world with Netflix’s global reach, while ensuring children in communities across the U.S. continue to have free access on public television to the Sesame Street they love,” Sesame Workshop CEO Sherri Westin said in a statement.

Paula Kerger, president and CEO of PBS, added, “I strongly believe that our educational programming for children is one of the most important aspects of our service to the American people, and Sesame Street has been an integral part of that critical work for more than half a century. We’re proud to continue our partnership in the pursuit of having a profound impact on the lives of children for years to come.”

The move to Netflix marks the latest home for the beloved children’s show. Sesame Street originally premiered in 1969 on NET before the network was succeeded by PBS, where Sesame Street continues to run today. In 2016, Sesame Street began airing on HBO, with episodes debuting on PBS months after their HBO premieres. A five-year deal inked in 2019 also brought the episodes to Max. However, Warner Bros. Discovery decided late last year not to develop new episodes of the show, leaving Sesame Street searching for a new home.

Featuring “fresh format changes,” per Netflix, each episode of the upcoming 56th season will center on one 11-minute story, allowing for even more character-driven humor and heart. The episodes will also feature the return of fan-favorite segments like Elmo’s World and Cookie Monster’s Foodie Truck, the streamer teasing, “expect 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.”

As part of Netflix’s deal with Sesame Workshop, new episodes will be available same day and date in the U.S. on PBS stations and PBS KIDS digital platforms, ensuring they are accessible to children across the U.S. for free and without commercials.

Announcing the news on X, Sesame Street said, “We are excited to announce that all new Sesame Street episodes are coming to @netflix worldwide along with library episodes, and new episodes will also release the same day on @PBS Stations and @PBSKIDS platforms in the US, preserving a 50+ year relationship. The support of Netflix, PBS, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting serve as a unique public-private partnership to enable Sesame Street to continue to help children everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder.”