Max sets Sesame Street out on the curb

Warner Bros. Discovery’s time on Sesame Street is coming to an end. Variety reports today that the upcoming 55th season of Sesame Street will be the final to debut on Max (though it will continue to license episodes for its library through 2027). The series originally moved to HBO in 2016, where episodes would first run before eventually making it to PBS months later, as a response to funding challenges born from changing viewing habits. In October, The Hollywood Reporter announced that the series would be “reimagined” for its 56th season, emphasizing a more narrative-driven structure; it’s unclear where those plans now stand.  

In a statement to Variety, a Max spokesperson said, “As we’ve launched Max though and based on consumer usage and feedback, we’ve had to prioritize our focus on stories for adults and families, and so new episodes from ‘Sesame Street,’ at this time, are not as core to our strategy.” It’s hard to imagine Sesame Street was ever a big money maker for anyone given that it was, you know, a non-profit educational program for children. But then again, the finances of streaming companies are one of the greatest ongoing mysteries of our time. Hopefully, Big Bird, Elmo, the Count, and all the rest of these adorable little monsters find a new home—one that won’t disappear hundreds of past episodes in a single fell swoop.