HBO Max to Remove Some Sesame Street and Sesame Workshop Titles!

According to Variety, HBO Max will remove 36 titles from its service as early as this week including a few Sesame Workshop titles.

The list includes the Sesame Workshop HBO Max Originals Esme & Roy, The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo and an unspecified “select group of Sesame Street specials.

A spokesperson for HBO Max attributed the decision to the pending merge of the platform with Discovery+, which is also owned by Warner Bros. Discovery.

“As we work toward bringing our content catalogs together under one platform, we will be making changes to the content offering available on both HBO Max and discovery+,” HBO Max’s statement reads. “That will include the removal of some content from both platforms.”

It is currently unclear whether they will be made available on DVD or rental services, or if their removal will result in them becoming completely inaccessible. 

2021 Daytime Emmy Nominees Announced!

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) announced the nominees for the 48th Annual Daytime Emmy® Awards in Children’s & Animation. Both Muppet Babies, Sesame Street, and Sesame Workshop's other shows like Helpsters, Esme & Roy, and their recent collaborations with CNN have been nominated for multiple awards - even going up against each other and themselves in some categories.

And the nominees are: 

Outstanding Preschool, Children’s or Family Viewing Program
The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special
Sesame Street

Outstanding Writing Team for a Preschool, Children’s or Family Viewing Program
The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special
Sesame Street

Outstanding Daytime Program Host
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Erica Hill, Van Jones – CNN/Sesame Street Town Halls

Outstanding Educational and Informational Series
CNN/Sesame Street Town Halls

Outstanding Multiple Camera Editing
Sesame Street

Outstanding Special Effects, Costumes, Makeup, and Hairstyling
Sesame Street

Outstanding Short Form Children’s Program
Sesame Street: The Monster at the End of Your Story with Grover and Elmo
Monster Meditations

Outstanding Directing Team for a Preschool, Children’s or Family Viewing Program
Sesame Street
Helpsters

Outstanding Sound Mixing and Sound Editing for a Preschool Animated Program
The Monster at the End of This Story
Muppet Babies

Outstanding Preschool Children's Animated Series
Esme & Roy

Outstanding Principal Performer in a Children’s Program
Ryan Dillon as Elmo

Outstanding Limited Performance in a Children’s Program
Jennifer Barnhart as Zoe, Charlie’s Mom, Maggie Cadabby

Outstanding Performer in a Preschool Animated Program
Erica Bauza as Fozzie, Muppet Babies
Eric Jacobson as Grover, The Monster at the End of This Story

This marks Jennifer Barnhart's first ever Emmy nomination which alone is sometime to celebrate. 

In addition to the awards they are up for, Sesame Street already won a Daytime Creative Arts award last week for “Outstanding Technical Team”, but unfortunately lost for “Outstanding Lighting Direction.”

You can view all the nominees on the Emmy's website.

The Daytime Emmy Awards Children’s Programming and Animation ceremony will be presented in a stand-alone show streaming on NATAS’ Emmy OTT platform on Saturday, July 17, 2021 at 8PM ET.

HBO Max Launches with New and Classic Sesame Street!

HBO Max launched today and with it brought not only the first 3 episodes of The Not Too Late Show With Elmo, but a bunch of new and classic Sesame Street content as well. 

There are a few episodes from almost every season of Sesame Street including the entire run of the show's visits to Puerto Rico and Hawaii, both parts of R2-D2 and C3PO's visit, the week of hurricane shows, and many, many more. 

Navigating through HBO Max's interface to find them though is a bit of a challenge and is something I hope they fix. 

You can acces Sesame Workshop titles through the thier hub button:

or by doing a search for "Sesame":

Which is simple and straight forward enough, but here is where it gets tricky. 

As you can see above there are two different listings for Sesame Street. The one with HBO underneath contains the recent episodes includes the complete seasons 41-50, however for some reason there is also a selection of episodes from seasons 11-41 listed by default. 

You have to click on "Classics" to get to the menu which then lists the years or the selection of "Classics."

However, if you select the non-HBO subtitled Sesame Street, you get a list of available episodes by season instead. 

Here you will find a selection of episodes from seasons 1- 40. Some seasons have as little as 1 episode while other have 8 and, some reason, no episodes from season 13 are included at all. 

In addition to the new and classic Sesame episodes, and The Not Too Late Show With Elmo, the specials Sesame Street: Elmo's Playdate, Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration, and When you Wish Upon a Pickle are also available, as are the Sesame Workshop series Esme & Roy, the new version of The Electric Company, and Pinky Dinky Doo.  

Even HBO Max's incomplete Sesame Street collection will keep you occupied for some time. 

If you have HBO through the HBO Now ap, or through your cable provider (except  Comcast for now) then you should have be automatically have been upgraded to HBOMax.  

The HBOMax ap is available on iPhone and Android devices as well as, Apple TV, and is compatible with chromecast. 

Henson Shows Score Multiple Daytime Emmy Awards!

The nominees for this years Daytime Emmy Awards have been announced and the Henson related series Esme & Roy, Muppet Babies, and a little show called Sesame Street all picked up multiple nominations. 

Check out the nominees and their competition below:

Outstanding Preschool Children’s Series
The Big Fun Crafty Show
Dino Drama
Miss Persona
Sesame Street
Snug’s House

Outstanding Preschool Children's Animated ProgramAsk the StoryBots
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood
Elena of Avalor
Esme & Roy
Muppet Babies
Tumble Leaf

Outstanding Short Format Children’s Program
Canticos Nickelodeon
Nick Jr Block Party: Quest for the Golden Cube Nickelodeon
Nick Jr Color Song: RED Nickelodeon
Sesame Street: Elmo’s Food Rap Battle HBO
Sesame Street: A Rainbow Kind of Day YouTube.com

Outstanding Interactive Media for a Daytime Program
Ask the StoryBots Netflix
Crow: The Legend Baobab Studios
Esme & Roy HBO
92nd Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade NBC

Space Explorers Oculus Go, Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR

Outstanding Performer in a Preschool Animated Program

Eric Bauza, as Fozzie Bear, Bunsen Honeydew, Mr. Statler 
Muppet Babies Disney Junior

Steve Buscemi, as Saloso
Elena of Avalor Disney Junior

Devan Cohen, as Daniel Tiger
Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood PBS

Ben Diskin, as Gonzo, Rizzo
Muppet Babies Disney Junior

Olivia Manning, as Dazzle

Butterbean's Café Nickelodeon

Outstanding Casting for an Animated Series or Special
DuckTales Disney Channel
Elena of Avalor Disney Junior
Esme & Roy HBO
Muppet Babies Disney Junior
Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure Disney Channel

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Netf

Outstanding Writing for a Children’s, Preschool Children’s, Family Viewing
Dino Dana Amazon Prime Video
Odd Squad PBS
Odd Squad: World Turned Odd PBS
Sesame Street HBO

The Who Was? Show Netflix

Outstanding Technical Team
American Ninja Warrior Junior Universal Kids
CBS This Morning CBS
The Ellen DeGeneres Show SYNDICATED
Jeopardy! SYNDICATED
The Price Is Right CBS

Sesame Street HBO

Outstanding Multiple Camera Editing
Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade ABC
Let's Make A Deal CBS
The Price Is Right CBS
Sesame Street HBO

Top Chef Junior Universal Kids

Outstanding Sound Mixing
The Gymkhana Files Amazon Prime Video
The New Legends Of Monkey Netflix
Reboot: The Guardian Code Netflix
Sesame Street HBO

Six Dreams Amazon Prime Video

Outstanding Sound Editing For A Live Action Program
Dino Dana Amazon Prime Video
The New Legends Of Monkey Netflix
Sesame Street HBO
Six Dreams Amazon Prime Video

The Who Was? Show Netflix

Outstanding Costume Design/Styling
The New Legends Of Monkey Netflix
Odd Squad PBS
Raven's Home Disney Channel
Sesame Street HBO
The Talk CBS


In all Sesame Street racked up 9 nominations, Muppet Babies 4, and Esme & Roy 3.

The ceremony will also feature a special tribute Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary!

46th Annual Daytime Emmy® Awards will be held Sunday, May 5th and the Daytime Creative Arts Emmy® Awards Gala on Friday, May 3rd.

The ceremony will be held at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, and as with the last few years, the ceremony won't be broadcast on TV, but may be streamed online.

New Animated Series from Sesame Workshop Coming Soon!

Esme & Roy is a new animated series from the creators of Sesame Street and it's coming very soon to HBO. 

Here is the full press release:

SESAME WORKSHOP AND NELVANA TO DEBUT ORIGINAL ANIMATED SERIES ESME & ROY ON HBO IN THE U.S. AND ON TREEHOUSE IN CANADA, AUGUST 18

Sesame Workshop’s first new animated program in more than a decade promotes “learning through play” and mindfulness

Concept Art

(New York, NY – July 25, 2018) – Sesame Workshop  and Nelvana announced today that Esme & Roy, the first new animated series from the makers of Sesame Street in more than a decade, will debut on Saturday, August 18 on HBO in the U.S. and on Treehouse in Canada. The program follows a young girl, Esme, and her best monster friend, Roy, on their adventures as the best monster babysitters in Monsterdale. Aimed at children ages four to six, it offers a creative new approach to teaching “learning through play” and mindfulness strategies. 

With loveable characters who spark strong emotional connections among preschoolers and parents alike, Esme & Roy invites children into a colorful world where even the littlest monsters can overcome big challenges together. Across 26 episodes, Esme and Roy will use the power of play to help younger monsters through familiar situations like trying new foods and feeling scared during loud thunderstorms. Little viewers will look up to their new favorite monster-sitters as positive role models, learning how to manage strong emotions with simple mindfulness practices alongside Esme and Roy’s charges. Infectious humor, imaginative design, and expressive voice talent including Millie Davis (Wonder, Odd Squad) and Patrick McKenna (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs [series], Hotel Transylvania: The Series), bring the world of Esme & Roy to vibrant life. 

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with some of the most talented and creative forces in the industry on this new series,” said Steve Youngwood, President of Media and Education and Chief Operating Officer, Sesame Workshop. “Packed with humor, heart, and valuable lessons, Esme & Roy represents the kind of quality programming that families have trusted Sesame Workshop to deliver for nearly fifty years, tailor-made for a new generation of kids and parents.” 

 “From its early beginnings, the Nelvana team knew Esme & Roy was destined to be a very special commission. Working with our incredible partners at Sesame Workshop, our world-class animation studio and its talented team of animators brought this truly imaginative series to life with beautiful artistry that perfectly complements the spirit of the series,” said Scott Dyer, President, Nelvana. “Children and parents alike will enjoy learning and playing as they watch Esme & Roy together and we couldn’t be more delighted to showcase this brilliant series to audiences.” 

As Sesame Workshop’s newest addition to the educational entertainment landscape, Esme & Royunderscores how vitally important play is to early childhood development. Whether they’re pretending to be veterinarians to model how to hold a pet gently, or sticking to a shopping list by turning a trip to the grocery store into a matching game, the monster-sitters help their little friends learn a range of lessons while they have fun. When children play together, they are physically, cognitively, and socially engaged. Motivated by their own curiosity and interest, they learn to collaborate, self-regulate, communicate, and empathize with others during play sessions. As modeled in Esme & Roy, “learning through play” allows children to develop these critical life skills in a safe environment. 

Children are most ready for this kind of engaged, productive playtime when they can manage challenging feelings like worry and frustration. Esme & Roy offers easy-to-adopt strategies that can help even very young children regulate their emotions. Tactics include: taking slow belly breaths, which provide a pause for children to be reflective instead of reactive; self-talk that uses positive statements to remind kids of their strength and capability; giving oneself a soothing hug; and using a “glitter jar” to calm the body and mind, shaking a sparkly snow globe-like jar and taking deep breaths while watching the glitter swirl and slowly fall. 

“We can’t wait to share the vibrant and textured world of Esme & Roy with kids,” said Kay Wilson Stallings, SVP Creative Development, Sesame Workshop. “By incorporating the latest thinking about mindfulness and learning through play into the fabric of this show, we hope to reinvigorate playtime and give today’s kids the tools they need to manage their emotions in a positive way.” 

Created by TV veterans Dustin Ferrer and Amy Steinberg (Peg + Cat, Team Umizoomi, Wonder Pets! and Shimmer and Shine), Esme & Roy is produced in partnership with Corus Entertainment’s animation studio Nelvana, with illustrations inspired by renowned artist Dankerleroux.

 

About Sesame WorkshopSesame Workshop is the nonprofit media and educational organization behind Sesame Street, the pioneering television show that has been reaching and teaching children since 1969. Today, Sesame Workshop is an innovative force for change, with a mission to help kids everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. We’re present in more than 150 countries, serving vulnerable children through a wide range of media, formal education, and philanthropically-funded social impact programs, each grounded in rigorous research and tailored to the needs and cultures of the communities we serve. For more information, please visit www.sesameworkshop.org.

About NelvanaNelvana is Canada’s premier animation company and a world-leading producer and distributor of children’s content. Nelvana has delighted audiences around the globe for more than 40 years with a vast library of more than 4,000 episodes from original, award-winning series like Babar and Franklin. Nelvana’s content is distributed in more than 160 countries worldwide and broadcast across Corus Entertainment’s suite of leading kids networks. Nelvana Enterprises, the global licensing and merchandising arm of Nelvana, manages the organization’s portfolio of in-house and third party brands with offices in Toronto and Paris. Nelvana Studio, with offices in Toronto and Montreal employs more than 300 Canadian artists working with local and international producers to create premium children’s content for a global stage.  For more information, visit www.nelvana.com.

Check out the preview trailer below!

Don't miss the premiere of Esme & Roy Saturday, August 18 at 9:30 am EST/PT on HBO.

More info at http://www.sesameworkshop.org/esmeandroy/