“Sesame Street” Streaming Era on Max Concludes as Network Ends Deal for New Episodes

In a shocking move, Warner Bros. has decided to not move forward with producing new episodes of “Sesame Street” for the Max streaming platform.

According to reports, the upcoming 55th season will be the end of its run on the network, though Max will continue to license the show’s catalog through 2027.

“It has been a wonderful, creative experience working with everyone at ‘Sesame Street’ on the iconic children’s series, and we are thrilled to be able to keep some of the library series on Max in the U.S,” 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.”

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For over 50 years, “Sesame Street” has evolved into a household classic after launching on PBS in 1970. The show later found a home at HBO in 2016 before Warner Bros. Discovery’s HBO Max picked up its streaming rights in 2019. At the time, the deal was highly important to the show’s survival as viewership on DVDs drastically decreased.

“We are excited to extend our 10-year partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery, keeping ‘Sesame Street’s’ iconic library available on Max through 2027,” a ‘Sesame Workshop’ spokesperson said in a statement at the time. “We will continue to invest in our best-in-class programming and look forward to announcing our new distribution plans in the coming months, ensuring that ‘Sesame Street’ reaches as many children as possible for generations to come.”

Nonetheless, while families may not be able to watch new episodes of “Sesame Street” on Max after season 55, its extensive library ensures that the beloved memories, timeless lessons, and iconic characters can still be accessed…at least for the next few years.