Sesame Street shrinks to 30 minutes, new shows will premiere on HBO and PBS nine months later

[Daffyfan4ever]

I suppose for Sesame Workshop, this is the best thing to happen to them financially. Going from 25 to 35 episodes a season is a significant upgrade, and perhaps the 30 minute format will allow for more fresh ideas to come in rather than a repeating of segments (allowing that some repeating is a show tradition). However, not being first-run immediately on PBS raises some questions.

Well, the nice thing is this may give some human characters a chance for more airtime. We know that Maria's gone, but we may see more of Susan and Bob. Just a thought.

Yes, and the typically keep the entire series up. They still have all the Flight of the Conchords episodes up.

Thanks for letting us know, Oscar. I think with that said we can probably still discuss the eps on the forum when they originally air.

That's always been my system of watching a show on a channel that I don't get, looking for it online the next day.

 

[Oscarfan]

We should also be so lucky: Sesamstraat suffered a similar fate, going from 30 minutes to 15. And from what I've seen, the format works fine for them.

 

[cjd874]

I certainly didn't see this coming at all. This is truly a sign of the times...Sesame Street pioneered children's TV programming, and now it's a 30-minute program, just like dozens of other TV shows it inspired. It's also a statement about children's attention spans these days. But what is even more surprising...HBO?! Sesame Workshop is in such a dire financial situation that it has to sign a deal with HBO to continue generating revenue? DVDs certainly don't cut it anymore.

 

[sesamemuppetfan]

Yes, and the typically keep the entire series up. They still have all the Flight of the Conchords episodes up.

I took a look. Is it fair to assume that any episode of any series as to be watched via HBO NOW or HBO GO?

 

[Oscarfan]

Huh?

 

[sesamemuppetfan]

Typo: any episode of each series HAS to be watched via HBO NOW or HBO GO.

So to rephrase in detail...I just went to HBO.com, picked a random show ("True Blood"), chose an episode, clicked on "WATCH", and then was given the choice to "stream my favorite HBO programs" with either HBO NOW or HBO GO.

 

[Oscarfan]

Oh, I have no idea. I use HBO GO directly.

 

[minor muppetz]

We should also be so lucky: Sesamstraat suffered a similar fate, going from 30 minutes to 15. And from what I've seen, the format works fine for them.

Does Sesamstraat have a similar format to the current American Sesame Street, or is it more like the pre-2002 format?

 

[Oscarfan]

Does Sesamstraat have a similar format to the current American Sesame Street, or is it more like the pre-2002 format?

The latter.

 

[Schfifty]

Wow... I really don't know what to say about this. It really shocks me that they're switching to a half-hour length after being a full hour for pretty much its whole span, but leaving PBS, even temporarily? This whole thing goes beyond words.

Now what are children going to watch on PBS for the next nine months? It just won't feel the same without Sesame Street being in its traditional morning spot.