Netflix Secures Sesame Street Episodes Post-HBO Max Deal

The iconic children's television series, Sesame Street, which has been captivating audiences since its debut in 1969, is set to continue its journey on new platforms. After HBO and Max decided not to renew their longstanding deal with the series at the end of 2024, Sesame Street will now be available to stream on both Netflix and PBS.

Starting with season 56, viewers around the world can enjoy new episodes of Sesame Street on Netflix, along with access to the show's extensive catalog of past episodes. In the United States, new episodes will also be available on their air day through PBS stations and the PBS Kids platform, maintaining a cherished partnership that spans over 50 years.

This move to Netflix and PBS was announced by Sesame Street via their social media channels on May 19, 2025. "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," stated a post from the Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind the series.

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… pic.twitter.com/B76MxQzrpI

— Sesame Street (@sesamestreet) May 19, 2025

In an exciting development, Netflix's ongoing efforts to expand its gaming arm will see the creation of video games based on Sesame Street, as well as the spinoff series, Sesame Street Mecha Builders. This will allow subscribers to play these games directly through the Netflix app, using their mobile devices as controllers.

Season 56 of Sesame Street will also introduce some structural changes. Each episode will feature an 11-minute story, drawing inspiration from other character-driven children's shows like Bluey. Fans can look forward to the return of beloved segments such as Elmo's World and Cookie Monster's Foodie Truck.

Sesame Street first aired in November 1969 and joined the PBS network in the 1970s, quickly becoming a cultural landmark. In 2015, HBO and Max entered into a $35 million deal to produce new episodes, which concluded at the end of 2024 as the streamers shifted focus away from children's programming. Despite this, the Sesame Street library will remain accessible on HBO and Max until 2027, although the new agreement does not include the production of new content.