Why did Sesame Street Season 2 have 145 episodes?

[Gordon Matt]

This is something that's always puzzled me. The second season was the only time Sesame Street had three extra weeks' worth of shows. For Season 1, there was exactly enough time to cycle through all 130 shows twice (they actually aired more than twice if you figure in two showings per weekday and then all five of the week's shows being replayed in a Saturday marathon, as was done on WTTW-Channel 11 In Chicago).

Season 2 began with Show #131 on 11/9/1970, and Season 3 began with Show #276 on 11/8/1971. That's not enough time for two runs of 145 shows if they followed the same format (one episode played twice each weekday, then the week's five shows repeated on Saturday).

TV Guide listings of the era might give us some insight into what they did here. Maybe they produced a few extra weeks' worth of shows so the reruns could be staggered instead of repeating the same show multiple times in one day?

I personally don't remember seeing the same show twice in one day, but this was a long time ago and I would have been 2 or 3 years old then.

 

[gravy]

That's interesting... Perhaps there could've been a higher demand for episodes due to its rising fame?

 

[D'Snowth]

After just one season? Even a lot of the most successful shows in primetime television didn't start becoming bonafide hits until after two or three seasons.

 

[YellowYahooey]

I am thinking the show was an instant hit despite having aired for one season. Or maybe it might have to do with moving the show to PBS in 1970, just like when HBO started airing the show a few years ago in which the total number of episodes increased to 35 from 26 (give or take reruns).