Helpsters
Helpsters is a live-action preschool television series produced by Sesame Workshop for Apple TV+, in which a team of colorful monster puppets led by Cody solve problems for customers by making a plan and carrying it out. It premiered on November 1, 2019, at the launch of Apple's streaming service, and ran for three seasons.1 • 2
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Premiere | November 1, 2019, at the launch of Apple TV+2 |
| Format | Live-action preschool series, 29 minutes per episode, rated TV-Y1 • 3 |
| Run | 3 seasons, 41 episodes (Season 1: 14, Season 2: 13, Season 3: 14)3 |
| Creator | Tim McKeon1 |
| Main cast | Stephanie D'Abruzzo (Cody), Martin P. Robinson (Mr. Primm), Tim Lagasse (Scatter), Ingrid Hansen (Heart), Jennifer Barnhart (Jackie)1 |
| Production | Big Indie Pictures and Sesame Workshop4 |
| Educational aim | Teaching young children planning and problem-solving skills, announced as a way to introduce the basics of coding5 |
Spoilers
Premise and educational purpose
Each episode follows Cody and the Helpsters, a team of vibrant monsters who love to solve problems, whether planning a party, climbing a mountain, or mastering a magic trick. The series' tagline is that everything starts with a plan.1 The show was designed to help children learn the skills they need for coding; when Sesame Workshop and Apple announced the collaboration in March 2019, coverage described it as swapping the ABCs for coding concepts, with the planning process at the center of each story.6
The announcement was made at Apple's March 25, 2019 event introducing Apple TV+. Big Bird appeared to introduce Cody, a puppet with pigtails that flip up, who described the show as teaching kids the basics of coding.5 Time's coverage of the event listed Helpsters among the new preschool shows from the creators of Sesame Street coming to the service, which Apple said would launch in more than 100 countries in the fall.7
Characters and performers
The five principal monsters are performed by puppeteers with long Sesame Street connections. Stephanie D'Abruzzo plays Cody, the team's enthusiastic leader; Martin P. Robinson plays Mr. Primm; Tim Lagasse plays Scatter; Ingrid Hansen plays Heart; and Jennifer Barnhart plays Jackie.1 Hansen has described her work on the show as puppeteering and voicing Heart, the big orange monster, supported by a right-hand puppeteer and a remote-control eyeball puppeteer.8
Human cast members appear as the customers who bring problems to the Helpsters shop. Guest performers in later seasons included Sunita Mani as Rhonda Runner, Maulik Pancholy as Robbie Runner, Alan Cumming as Dancer Dave, and Aparna Nancherla as Astronaut Amrita.3 Apple's press materials also promoted a Season 3 sneak peek featuring Bradley Cooper.1
Episodes and spinoff
The first season of 14 episodes premiered with the service on November 1, 2019. Season 2 followed in October 2020 and Season 3 in May 2022, with the final batch of Season 3 episodes (3B) released on January 6, 2023.3 • 9 • 1 Episodes use a two-segment structure with titles such as "Nurse Nina / Helpsters Hundredth Help" and "Wizard Wallace / Heart Goes to the Dentist."3
A short-form companion series, Helpsters Help You, ran on Apple TV from April 23 to May 28, 2020. It consisted of six episodes of roughly six minutes each, in which Cody shared creative ideas for handling unexpected situations and adapting when plans change; episode titles included "How to Make a New Plan" and "Thank You."12
Production
The series was produced by Big Indie Pictures and Sesame Workshop, with episodes directed by Matt Vogel, Shannon Flynn, and Ryan McFaul, among others.4 JustWatch additionally lists Marilyn Agrelo and Benjamin Lehmann among the directors.3 Executive producers listed for the series include Tim McKeon, Benjamin Lehmann, Kay Wilson Stallings, and Eileen Braun.9
Curriculum development sits inside Sesame Workshop. Rosemarie T. Truglio, the Workshop's Senior Vice President of Curriculum and Content, oversees curriculum development for all new show production, including Helpsters.10 Sesame Workshop's 2019 annual report paired Helpsters with Esme & Roy among the new series it announced that year.11
Reception
Common Sense Media rates the series appropriate for ages 4 and up and describes it as promoting strong critical-thinking skills in preschoolers, with each episode emphasizing planning, teamwork, communication, and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. The review highlights the original songs, the blend of puppetry and human cast members, and the affirming messages, and named it a Common Sense Selection.13 The series won a Daytime Emmy Award in the category Outstanding Interactive Media for a Daytime Program.14 On IMDb, the series holds a rating of about 6.6.3
After its run ended, the series remained available on Apple TV, streaming there and through the Apple TV Amazon Channel.3
References
- Helpsters, Apple TV Press
- Helpsters, Muppet Wiki
- Helpsters, JustWatch
- Helpsters, TV Series, Episodes 1-13, 2019, Crew United
- Apple TV+ and Sesame Workshop Announce HELPSTERS, ToughPigs
- Sesame Street's Apple TV+ collaboration will teach kids to code, The Week
- Here Are All the TV Shows Coming to Apple's Streaming Service, Time
- Puppetry, Ingrid Hansen
- Helpsters, Rotten Tomatoes
- Sesame Street Season 54, Sesame Workshop Press Room
- Sesame Workshop 2019 Annual Report
- Is Helpsters Help You coming back?, isitback
- Helpsters: Parents' Guide & TV Review, Common Sense Media
- Helpsters streaming availability, Stream Tracker
Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Unscripted, reality, and web-native series › Web-native and streaming-original series › Comedy, drama, and general-genre web series › Premiered 2017 to 2021
Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026
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