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Since 1969, Sesame Street has been a vital part of homes all across America. The beloved children’s show has taught numerous kids valuable lessons, like how to count, how to work out differences with friends, and the importance of kindness. But sadly, the once wildly popular show is on the verge of extinction as it enters perhaps its final new season.
Alan Sepinwall of Rolling Stone reports that the show is entering its 55th and perhaps final season as it enters the last year of its contract with HBO after the network took over production from PBS in 2016. Ironically, Warner Bros. Discovery Chairman Davis Zaslav, who also fumbled the rights to TNT’s hit show Inside the NBA, is also in charge of the negotiations surrounding Sesame Street.
Now, this doesn’t mean that the show is definitely going away. Various other networks or streamers could step in and purchase the rights. But as of now, none have done so. The idea that Sesame Street, a genuine American institution, could just disappear shocked fans and celebrities alike.
We gotta save Sesame Street,!!
This is BIG BIRD and ELMO and how generations learned to count and spell. How we supposed to LIVE LAUGH LOVE if we ain’t taught how,??? https://t.co/pnjzGav4he
— FLAVOR FLAV (@FlavorFlav) December 30, 2024
“David Zaslav is comically evil. Who cancels Sesame Street lol he’s gonna try to cancel Christmas in 2025 next,” one fan tweeted.
“@Sesamestreet must stay on the air! They are too important to children as I remember so fondly from my own childhood,” said another.
As Sepinwall points out, Sesame Street has an enormous back catalog of nearly 5,000 episodes. But new episodes remain vital as characters change with the times and represent current society. Losing Sesame Street would eliminate a valuable tool for generations of parents past and present.
And, yes, there are plenty of other children’s shows. But there’s something special about Sesame Street‘s ability to bridge generational divides. In all likelihood, the show will prove to valuable for some network or streaming service to pass up. But until that happens, we stand on the edge of what would genuinely be a massive societal failing.