Debuting in 1969, Sesame Street has broadcast over 4,600 episodes and has been shown in more than 150 countries - often adapted to reflect the culture and language of each region.
The BBC turned down Sesame Street in the 1970s, claiming it was "too slick" and "too American" to be educational for British children. The show later gained a following through ITV and Channel 4, though it's no longer broadcast regularly in the UK.
Early test audiences lost interest during human-only segments, so producers changed course and let Muppets like Big Bird and Bert and Ernie mix with human characters - a move that helped define the show's unique tone.
Before he was shouting "Me want cookie!", Cookie Monster starred in unreleased snack commercials and a 1967 IBM training video - though he wasn't named or blue yet.
Sesame Street has gently explored themes like death, disability, divorce, and adoption. When actor Will Lee (Mr. Hooper) died in 1982, the show tackled death directly in a landmark moment in children's TV.
Celebrities from Robin Williams to Beyoncé have visited Sesame Street. In one infamous case, Margaret Hamilton reprised her role as the Wicked Witch — but the episode was pulled after kids were terrified. A Katy Perry appearance was also pulled in 2010 after concerns over her outfit.
Don Music, a piano-playing Muppet who banged his head in frustration, was pulled from the show after children reportedly started doing the same thing at home.
A 2006 DVD release of early episodes came with a disclaimer stating they were “intended for grown-ups”, with concerns over dated behaviour like kids biking without helmets and Cookie Monster’s smoking habit (yes, really).
As of now, Sesame Street has earned over 200 Emmy Awards — more than any other television series in history — along with multiple Peabody Awards and even a Kennedy Center Honor.
In E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, the alien learns to talk by watching a Sesame Street segment about the letter “B” — and Big Bird just happens to say, “I think it came from outer space.”
