The first thing I thought after learning that Netflix will be Sesame Street’s new streaming home was, well, “duh.”
Once Max — formerly HBO Max, soon to be HBO Max again — declined to renew its contract with PBS last year, Netflix should’ve immediately been on the phone with an offer. The streaming giant has long leaned on young children‘s programming to bolster its library, and continues to invest in it even as TV production slows down overall. Just this January, wildly popular entertainer Ms. Rachel — whose YouTube videos routinely amass huge numbers — released four new early learning episodes on Netflix, where they fit right in.
The streamer’s robust kids’ section already features plenty of popular franchises, including “Peppa Pig,” “Trolls,” and the approximately 87,000 “Despicable Me” movies starring banana yellow Minions. It’s even commissioned (slightly) modernized takes on old faves such as “My Little Pony” and “The Magic School Bus,” starring “SNL” alum Kate McKinnon as eccentric teacher Ms. Frizzle.
According to Netflix, parents have found millions of hours of relief in “CocoMelon,” the animated series that tiny children find inexplicably mesmerizing. In 2021, Nielsen estimated that “CocoMelon” was viewed for 33 billion minutes on Netflix — more than smash hits “Squid Game” and “Bridgerton” combined. With numbers like that, why wouldn‘t Netflix double down by adding one of the most beloved children‘s programs in TV history?
By now you may be thinking, “OK, so why did Max give ‘Sesame Street’ up in the first place?” On that point, all I can do is read between the corporate lines, but I’ll give it a shot.
While Netflix’s widespread availability has made it a friend to parents of young kids worldwide, it seems that Max has had considerably less luck attracting that particular demo. Last December, a spokesman stated that “consumer usage and feedback” led them “to prioritize our focus on stories for adults and families,” which apparently can‘t include big yellow birds or mischievous bunnies. (If you’re wondering what the difference between “kids” and “families” is to Warner Bros. Discovery’s C-Suite, look no further than the upcoming “Harry Potter” series, which aims to capture the attention of not just kids but their nostalgic parents, too.)
So, yes, Netflix has rightfully earned goodwill for making sure PBS can keep producing “Sesame Street” for millions of families to enjoy. But as always, the biggest reason behind the move was probably more down to business than benevolence.
Caroline Framke is a media analyst who previously served as Variety’s chief TV critic. Her other work can be found at The Atlantic, Vulture, Vox, and more.
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