'Sesame Street' Moves to Netflix

Netflix has more money than God and the largest streaming platform on the planet, so if anyone can afford what is probably a tax write-off for the betterment of humanity, it’s Ted Sarandos’s outfit. Netflix just announced that the next season of the long-running children’s television program Sesame Street will be airing on its platform this fall.

It’s not an exclusive deal—the episodes will air simultaneously on PBS and PBS Kids platforms. But let’s be honest, PBS is probably not where most kids will be watching (although my kids did love the iPad-friendly PBS Kids platform back in the day). The new season will feature fresh animated segments and an 11-minute story per episode. Netflix will also include 90 hours of back episodes.

This is exactly the lifeline Sesame Street needed after its partnership with HBO Max ended last year. The series — and PBS in general — has been under intense financial pressure, especially after the November election put a White House hostile toward education in power. Sesame Street is especially vital for children from rural and low-income families, and speaking as someone who grew up in that latter category, the program was invaluable.