Sesame Street‘s upcoming 53rd season has been announced, and so has its slew of guest stars, including Samuel L. Jackson, Zazie Beetz, and Ava Duvernay. Sal Perez, the executive producer of Sesame Street, says the upcoming season is devoted to helping children grow with a healthy self-identity and place of belonging.
The list of upcoming guests features Mickey Guyton (Thursday, November 3), Amber Ruffin (Thursday, November 3 and Thursday, March 9), Zazie Beetz (Thursday, December 1), First Lady Dr. Jill Biden (Thursday, December 1), Samuel L. Jackson (Thursday, December 15), Brett Goldstein (Thursday, January 12), Ava Duvernay (Thursday, February 16), and HAIM (Thursday, May 11). All of the names are expected to join for Street Stories, songs, and other segments. Some famous friends will also appear in digital content like the “Word of the Day” videos that will roll out on Sesame Street‘s YouTube channel throughout the fall, starring Samuel L. Jackson, Jacob Batalon, Amanda Gorman, and more.
Richard Termine
“As with every new season, our goal is to deepen connections with families by creating unique and dynamic ways for them to engage with Sesame Street,” said Perez. “Season 53 continues our tradition of meeting the needs of kids today with authentic, meaningful content while keeping them learning, laughing, and singing along. This season, both beloved and new friends will model the power of relationships and show the many ways we are all connected and belong in our families and communities.”
Featured episodes include “Community Mural” (November 3), in which Sesame Street Muppets and humans join up to paint a special mural dedicated to everyone in their neighborhood; “Family Album” (Thursday, February 2), where Gabrielle and Tamir work on a photo album for their Grandma Nell and learn that sometimes even family members may look similar or different; “Fans of the Fan Dance” (Thursday, April 20), in which Ji-Young invites her friends to her Korean fan dance class to learn a dance that’s special to her and her family; and “Wash Day” (Thursday, May 18), where Gabrielle hangs out with her Auntie Kayla as she washes Gabrielle’s hair.
“We know that when young children develop a positive and healthy sense of self and identity, they are better able to flourish and develop to their fullest potential,” said Dr. Rosemarie Truglio, Sesame Workshop’s Senior Vice President of Curriculum & Content. “This season’s curriculum is woven through stories that highlight positive self-identity and encourage us to treat each other with kindness, fairness, and respect.”
Sesame Street Season 53, Thursday, November 3, HBO Max and PBS.