Fox’s ad-supported streamer brings five decades of beloved characters to audiences at no cost, rotating the library quarterly as nostalgia-driven viewing surges.
Tubi, Fox Corporation’s free streaming service, will begin hosting 250 classic episodes of Sesame Street starting Wednesday, April 1 — making the beloved children’s series available at no cost to viewers for the first time on a major ad-supported platform. The episodes span the show’s first 38 seasons, covering broadcasts from its 1969 premiere through 2007.
The library will not remain static. Every quarter, 10 percent of the episodes will rotate out, replaced by additional classic installments — a structure designed to keep longtime fans returning while giving new audiences a continuously fresh entry point into the archive.
“Few brands have shaped young minds and sparked imagination quite like Sesame Street. By bringing hundreds of episodes to Tubi for free, we’re giving today’s kids access to joyful, foundational learning while inviting parents to share a piece of their own childhood with the next generation.”
— Adam Lewinson, Chief Content Officer, Tubi
Landmark episodes in the lineup
- “Gordon Introduces Sally to Sesame Street” (1969) — The series premiere: the very first time the world met the Street. Gordon introduces Sally to all the people, monsters, and birds on her first day.
- “Big Bird Goes to Hawaii” (1978) — One of the show’s first major on-location shoots. The cast traveled to Hawaii, bringing a sense of adventure rare for children’s programming at the time.
- “R2-D2 and C-3PO Visit Sesame Street” (1980) — The iconic Star Wars droids arrive on the Street to deliver a message to Oscar the Grouch.
- “Maria and Luis Get Married” (1988) — Everyone on Sesame Street celebrates Maria and Luis’s big day, with Elmo serving as ring bearer.
A franchise in expansion
Sesame Street, produced by New York-based nonprofit Sesame Workshop, has aired on PBS since its debut in 1969. In recent years the show’s streaming footprint has grown substantially. HBO carried the series beginning in 2015; Netflix began airing new episodes alongside PBS in 2025; and YouTube secured rights to classic episodes that same year. Tubi’s deal adds another major platform to that growing roster.
The move fits squarely into a broader industry trend. A survey conducted jointly by Tubi and The Harris Poll found that 97 percent of respondents expressed a desire to watch content more than a decade old, with 79 percent believing streaming services should revive beloved projects alongside new releases.
“For more than 55 years, Sesame Street has been making trusted, joyful learning accessible to every child. Bringing Sesame Street to Tubi allows us to expand our reach and impact — and we are thrilled that our beloved characters and proven educational media will now be available to even more children, families, and fans.”
— Joseph Giraldi, Chief Operating Officer, Sesame Workshop
Tubi, which reports more than 100 million monthly active users, is headquartered in San Francisco and operates as part of Tubi Media Group, a division of Fox Corporation. Sesame Street is available now at tubitv.com.
Where to watch Sesame Street
- Tubi — Free, classic episodes (Seasons 1–38)
- PBS — New episodes
- Netflix — New episodes (from 2025)
- YouTube — Classic episodes (from 2025)
Sources: Tubi press release, March 31, 2026; The Hollywood Reporter.