Directed by Marilyn Agrelo, this documentary is based on Michael Davis’s bestselling history of Sesame Street, published in 2008. And while it offers little new material, the visual component, which sets live interviews with original cast writers alongside priceless archival footage, makes it worth watching. Street Gang puts Sesame Street in the context of its time: the show came to screens at a moment when kids were watching more television than ever; meanwhile, the U.S. was in the middle of the civil rights movement. The creators’ goal was to teach kids something—and come down on the right side of history. —J.V.

Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street
In Theaters Now
/
Film & TV
Streaming from May 7
Jim Henson, Frank Oz, and Jon Stone in a still from “Street Gang.” Photo: Robert Fuhring/Sesame Workshop.
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