Sesame Street to get major overhaul with "longer narrative-driven style" in season 56

Television and films have all gone through major overhauls over the years, and Sesame Street will be no exception, starting in its 56th season. The long-running children's show, which is currently in its 53rd season and awaiting the 54th one, will not continue in the same way it has for years.

As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Sesame Street is set to get a major overhaul in its style in its 56th season, which will premiere in 2025. As per the report, the new season will drop the magazine-style format of the show in favor of a more narrative-driven one, meaning that there will be a more structural approach to each episode.

Steve Youngwood, the CEO of Sesame Workshop, said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter:

"With any change you have evolutions, and then you have things that are slightly bigger steps, while still staying core to who we are....We felt like this was a moment to step back and think bigger about how we evolve it."

As per THR, the new format will consist of two longer, more narrative-driven segments, paired with a new animated series, Tales from 123, with the latter sandwiched between the two long segments.

---

Sesame Street's new format explained

Kay Wilson Stallings, the executive vice president and chief creative development and production officer for Sesame Workshop, has given a more detailed insight into how the two segments of the new format will function.

As per reports, there would be two segments, A and B, with part A focusing on a core character and part B adding in “a little bit more levity and a lot more character moments,” according to Stallings.

She further added:

“Both the A story and the B story will come together in some way to really help us with whatever curricular focus that we’re trying to have, what lesson we’re trying to make...so, by opening up these segments and making them longer, it’s going to give us an opportunity to really serve up what we know from research, what we know from across the industry, what we know from our curriculum and education experts, what we know kids are looking for.”

Moreover, the new Tales from 123 series will also aim to provide viewers with a unique experience, as per Wilson Stallings. She said about the series:

"[Tales from 123] for the very first time will give viewers an opportunity to go inside 123 Sesame Street, which is probably the most famous apartment building in the world."

Sesame Street season 54 will premiere on November 9, 2023.