Sesame Street Season 56 to debut on Netflix and PBS; 90 hours of previous episodes coming exclusively to Netflix

[Phillip]

Exciting news from Sesame Workshop this morning...

Here's the official announcement from Sesame Workshop.

Sesame Workshop is excited to share that Sesame Street will soon reach more children in more places than ever before. Today we have 2 exciting announcements: New seasons of Sesame Street — and library episodes — are coming to Netflix worldwide AND those same new episodes will release on the same day on PBS stations and PBS KIDS digital platforms in the U.S., keeping our 50+ year relationship going strong.

This unique public-private partnership will enable us 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.

We are so grateful to Netflix, PBS, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Their combined support advances our mission and ensures we can help all children — everywhere — grow smarter, stronger, and kinder.

Special Update From Sesame Workshop - Sesame Workshop

Sesame Workshop is excited to share that Sesame Street will soon reach more children in more places than ever before. Today we have 2 exciting

sesameworkshop.org

Here's the announcement from Netflix.

Sesame Street Is Coming to Netflix
Get ready for more sunny days, brought to you by the letter “N.”

For more than a half a century, Sesame Street has been a beloved cornerstone of children’s media, enchanting young minds and nurturing a love of learning. Now Elmo, Cookie Monster, Abby Cadabby, and all their friends are coming to Netflix later this year, with Sesame Street’s all-new, reimagined 56th season — plus 90 hours of previous episodes — available to audiences worldwide.

The new season will feature fresh format changes and the return of fan-favorite segments like Elmo’s World and Cookie Monster’s Foodie Truck. 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.

Additionally, episodes will now center on one 11-minute story, allowing for even more character-driven humor and heart.

These new episodes of the iconic series will be available same day-and-date in the US on PBS stations and PBS KIDS digital platforms, bringing critical early learning to children throughout the country for free. Sesame Workshop is the global nonprofit behind Sesame Street, with Sal Perez and Kay Wilson Stallings serving as executive producers; Emmy, Humanitas, and NAACP Award nominee Halcyon Person (Karma’s World, Dee & Friends in Oz) joins as head writer.

What’s more, along with new Season 7 episodes of Peppa Pig, The World of Peppa Pig mobile game is now available. In this kid-safe mobile game, fans of the show can immerse themselves in the life of Peppa through engaging puzzles, mini-games, coloring books and more in an all-in-one app, now available exclusively on Netflix. Learn more here.

For more exciting children’s programming news, check out the announcement about Peppa Pig's upcoming arrival on Netflix here.

Stay tuned for the release of new episodes of Sesame Street Season 56 and Peppa Pig later this year on Netflix.

https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/sesame-street-release-date-news

Here's an additional story from USA Today

'Sesame Street' heads to Netlix, PBS after HBO exodus
By Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY

Following several months of upheaval, a sense of calm is coming to "Sesame Street."

In a series of announcements May 19, the beloved children's show producer Sesame Workshop revealed it will begin airing original episodes on PBS for the first time in nearly 10 years, and that both new and old episodes would be available later this year on Netflix, replacing an expiring pact with HBO.

"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," Paula Kerger, president and CEO of PBS, said in a statement.

"We're proud to continue our partnership in the pursuit of having a profound impact on the lives of children for years to come," Kerger continued. The decision comes as President Donald Trump's administration moves to cut funding to PBS and the Ready to Learn Grant, which has historically been allocated to children's programming.

That may be why the non-profit the Sesame Workshop inked the PBS deal alongside the new one with Netflix. The program's 56th season will air later this year on the streaming giant and be made available alongside 90 hours of previous episodes.

"This unique public-private partnership ensures children in communities across the U.S. continue to have free access on PBS KIDS to the 'Sesame Street' they love," Sesame Workshop CEO Sherrie Westin said in a statement. "This combined support advances our mission and ensures we can help all children – everywhere – grow smarter, stronger and kinder."

The announcement is a welcome reprieve for fans of the furry creatures first introduced in 1969, after news broke late last year that Warner Bros. Discovery had opted not to renew its contract to air the program. HBO, which began airing new episodes in 2015, after the show's original PBS exodus, also announced at the time that its streaming service Max would no longer premiere new seasons and would halt streaming older episodes in 2027.

With the future of beloved characters like Big Bird, Elmo and Cookie Monster in jeopardy, some fans began to fret that a program once widely available to children across social classes would soon become obsolete. The twin announcements from Netflix and PBS offer a different path forward, however, promising a "reimagined" 56th season with one 11-minute storyline driving each episode.

Netflix also teased a "Sesame Street" video game, part of a growing effort to make the show interactive. PBS Kids digital platforms will also offer games.

"Sesame Street," alongside shows like "Dragon Tales" and "Clifford the Big Red Dog," has become synonymous with a golden era of children's television. It features a lovable if flawed cast of creatures residing in an urban neighborhood, remixing with each episode the same formula: a mashup of educational content, music, and celebrity cameos.

Often weaving in subliminal messaging, the show imparts lessons of inclusion and teaches young viewers, little by little, the realities of the world they'll inherit.

"We still teach numbers and letters, but our primary focus is on the emotional and social development of the child," Matt Vogel, who plays both Big Bird and Count von Count, previously told USA TODAY. "The audience sees themselves in these characters, and 'Sesame Street' can address these really important issues."

 

[sootyfan]

Looks like Sesame Street is moving to Netflix!

https://x.com/sesamestreet/status/1924457513614798921?t=-2Bm9aYVBa9cUr2nP5g5vg&s=19

 

[antsamthompson9]

 

[wiley207]

I had a wild hunch that would happen!

I mean, these hunches of mine that turn out to be correct are one reason why I have my fursona: Sam Valentino, Private Toon Detective.

I plan to film a vlog about this pretty soon.

 

[eurbane]

I'm looking forward to see what would happen with Sesame Street when it reaches on netflix. I'll be the first to know.

 

[ssetta]

I’m a bit curious on what you mean by “90 hours of previous episodes.” Does that mean 90 episodes?

 

[eurbane]

I’m a bit curious on what you mean by “90 hours of previous episodes.” Does that mean 90 episodes?

that's a possible guess.

 

[Phillip]

I’m a bit curious on what you mean by “90 hours of previous episodes.” Does that mean 90 episodes?

The short answer is that it most likely means exactly 90 episodes, however, the calculation all depends upon the length of each title for which Netflix owns the rights. When trying to assess the details of the Netflix deal, it's important to look at the official statements by Sesame Workshop and Netflix. When additional media outlets get involved, sometimes details can easily be misinterpreted.

Concerning episodes from previous seasons, Sesame Workshop stated that "library episodes" would be available on Netflix. No number of older episodes or hours was mentioned in their announcement. In my opinion, Sesame Workshop's "library episodes" reference is most likely referring to older original episodes from their library, however, the term "library episodes" could also possibly refer to a series of related episodes either by theme or even individual segments from their library. Netflix used a theme approach to presenting Sesame Street episodes from various seasons previously in 2014. Some of the categories at that time included: Sesame Street Classics, Letters and Numbers, Elmo and Friends, Cookie and Friends, etc. So, there is a precedent for Netflix not to present older content by season number.

Keep in mind that the branding of "Sesame Street Classics" (which Sesame Workshop began using with the 2011 iTunes/Amazon/Netflix digital volumes and later when older episodes premiered on HBO in 2016) is no longer being promoted. This is possibly because the branding of "Sesame Street Classics" for streaming rights may now exclusively be licensed to Warner Bros. Discovery through 2027. Warner Bros. Discovery reportedly will keep their select 1970s episodes from Seasons 1, 5, and 7 and some of their other Sesame content through 2027. It's currently unknown if any of the 200 episodes removed from HBO Max in 2022 could now debut on Netflix or if the Warner Bros. Discovery deal must expire first.

The press release from Netflix, however, provided additional detail by saying "90 hours of previous episodes" would be on their service. This is the verbiage currently used in the headline of this thread. As of today, we do not know what these "90 hours of previous episodes" will or will not include. Interestingly, Netflix provided an exact number of hours of previous content that will be available. They could've easily rounded up or included ten more hours of content in the deal and said "100 hours of previous episodes", however, Netflix provided a much more exact number. That was very intentional.

 

[wiley207]

I mean, these hunches of mine that turn out to be correct are one reason why I have my fursona: Sam Valentino, Private Toon Detective.

I plan to film a vlog about this pretty soon.

And here it is!