"Sesame Street" is celebrating its 45th birthday this month, and despite drastic changes in the competition and the show in general, they are still ranked 20th among young kids.
When "Sesame Street" debuted on Nov. 10, 1969, it was only one of two shows that existed on TV for young kids, according to The Associated Press. Today, the same show is still on-air, but it's competing with 84 kids' shows on TV - not including the thousands of others available online.
"Sesame Street" stayed relevant for children over the years by adapting to the changing society. Scriptwriters meet with child development experts before writing.
A jazzier opening song, pop culture references and more puppets paired with animated characters are just some of the production changes that improved throughout the years.
Some of the characters changed their roles on the show to adapt to modern societal views. Cookie Monster, whose diet consisted only of cookies, now eats fruits and vegetables sometimes - although he'll still also devour the plate and table with the healthy snacks.
Elmo still remains a central part of the show, and has been spotted teaching kids about diversity, like when he complimented Lupita Nyong'o's skin saying it "is a beautiful brown color."
"Skin comes in lots of beautiful shades and colors ... I love my skin!" the actress responded.
