If there is one kids' show that has crossed generational boundaries, it’s Sesame Street! America’s youth—and let’s be honest, parents too- has fallen in love for more than 50 years with furry, silly monsters, while also engaging in literacy and numeracy skills.
If you’re like me, you were mesmerized by your box television whenever The Count introduced the number of the day, you sang along to Elmo’s World more times than you can count, and you felt uplifted by Big Bird’s words of encouragement. Your inner child will be delighted to hear that our favorite Muppets will join the Netflix lineup in 2025.
The past few months have brought some scares for the longevity of Sesame Street, as threats to PBS funding and HBO’s decision not to renew the streaming deal made headlines. Earlier this week, Netflix gave Sesame Street fans something to sing about! What better way to announce its new deal than with Cookie Monster gobbling up the Netflix logo, using the slogan “N is for Netflix!”. On an X post early Monday morning, Netflix promised “brand new episodes—as well as past seasons”.
The new episodes of Sesame Street will come with some surprises, as the production company, Sesame Workshop, indicated in their recent press release. Here’s a breakdown of what we can expect from our furry friends later this year:
1. Elmo’s World isn’t going anywhere
Elmo's World is such a fun segment of Sesame Street because it's upbeat, comical, imaginative, and educational. Netflix will keep this segment in future episodes, so your little one won't miss a beat once the new season starts streaming.
2. Cookie Monster continues his entrepreneurial journey with his new Cookie Cart
We all know Cookie Monster for devouring cookies throughout the series. He can't seem to resist them, but he also shares! We've even seen him eat and sing about veggies in prior seasons. According to Today, Cookie Monster first started his Foodie Truck series in 2017. He will expand his business further by opening a Cookie Cart in the new episodes, so be on the lookout for his sweet treats!
3. Walk through a new magical realm in Abby’s Fairy Garden
Abby Cadabby has always had a magical spirit and a heart for teaching life skills. I am particularly excited to see what her new fairy garden will look like in the new season, and I'm sure my daughters will be enchanted as well!
4. Stories will be much shorter than the traditional episodes.
For decades, Sesame Street episodes were an hour long. Back when there were commercial breaks, the hour would pass quickly because we'd either go grab a snack, use the bathroom, or move around a bit during those breaks. About ten years ago, the episodes were shortened to 30 minutes to keep up with the average time that other shows were airing, as well as to adapt to a more digital world, where fans, especially young kids, were less likely to tune into hour-long shows. Sesame Workshop revealed that the new episodes will be eleven minutes long. This is not too far off from shows like Bluey and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood that aim to be low stimulation for kids.
5. Episodes will be available on Netflix the same day they air on PBS.
Great news! You won't have to wait for the full season to go from PBS to Netflix; episodes of Sesame Street will stream on Netflix the very same day.
As Sesame Street continues "sweepin' the clouds away" and bringing joyful content, you can also expect some formatting changes to include more animation than the traditional episodes. These changes seem timely for a series with 56 years of airtime. Overall, we’re still getting the same characters we know and love, with stories to capture the hearts of today’s children.