“Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” has been a staple of childhood television even after the series ended up in 2001. With over 31 seasons, it captured the hearts of millions of children and enriched kids from 2-5 years old. PBS Kids is on board to release a new puppet-led series called “Donkey Hodie”, which is inspired by the classic Fred Rogers TV show. Adam Rudman, who co-created and co-produced the show with his brother said this show will feature joy, heart, and humor, which is something that Rogers would appreciate. The show is about Donkey Hodie, who is a yellow donkey with a magenta mane. She’s the granddaughter of the donkey puppet that Rogers created when TV shows were still in black and white.
Right from that difference, you can certainly tell this is a full circle type of project that brings in the new but doesn’t forget about the older generation. Ellen Doherty, the chief creative officer of Fred Rogers productions says this show is about a little donkey with big dreams. The show has a lot of character, resilience, and even features the character going through its own trials and tribulations. Each 15-minute episode shows Donkey Hodie learning lessons about planning and doing things step-by-step before going on to a big task. She has a vibrant group of friends who all bring something to the table, such as Purple Panda, Bob Dog, and Duck Duck. If Donkey comes up with an idea, Panda is there to encourage her. Bob Dog is the enthusiastic one and Duck Duck is more practical and wants to know how Donkey will accomplish the task.
They worked hard on having the characters be cohesive. Not only do they fit well together, but someone has a hand (literally) in creating the show. From every bush, flower, tree, it’s been hand-made to give it that more authentic feel from back in the day. Linda Simensky, head of content for PBS kids, is proud that they’ll be able to share the ideas and teachings of Fred Rogers once again for the new generation. Speaking of which, Doherty notes that there are tons of Easter eggs hidden in Donkey Hodie’s world that tie into little things from “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” They wanted to go back to the puppet route because there’s a better way of connecting than doing animation. Young children appreciate the expressive nature of puppets more.
The Rudmans worked on the show during the pandemic. They stopped shooting for several months and had to tone things once they were back to filming, but this actually helped more than hindered the project. David Rudman said that this made everything more concise and the performers got more in-tune with their characters.