Donkey Hodie Delivers Messages of Perseverance & Resilience

Fred Rogers Productions’ Ellen Doherty and Spiffy Pictures’ Adam Rudman talk to TV Kids about the Fred Rogers-inspired series Donkey Hodie, which has bowed on PBS KIDS in the U.S.

The whimsical puppet series Donkey Hodie, produced by Fred Rogers Productions and Spiffy Pictures, debuted earlier this week on PBS KIDS in the U.S. The show follows the adventures of Donkey Hodie, granddaughter of the original Donkey Hodie character from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, and is inspired by the quirky, funny side of Fred Rogers.

“Paul Siefken, president and CEO of Fred Rogers Productions, and I had an idea to do a preschool show about perseverance that focused on a little donkey with big dreams,” says Ellen Doherty, chief creative officer at Fred Rogers Productions and executive producer of Donkey Hodie, which she also developed. “When we decided it should be a puppet show, we called Adam Rudman and David Rudman at Spiffy Pictures to see if they’d like to work with us on it. Happily, they said yes.”

“We were so honored when Fred Rogers Productions approached us to develop a show together about Donkey Hodie, one of Fred Rogers’ original characters,” recalls Adam Rudman, Spiffy Pictures’ co-founder and co-creator and executive producer of Donkey Hodie. “The name cracked us up. We were immediately in. We started with a deep dive into Fred Rogers’ archives. As we learned more about Fred’s quirkier side and discovered all of these other funny characters he created, the more ideas we had for developing this show.”

The colorful series is set in the land of Someplace Else, created by Rogers on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, and targets kids 3 to 5 with social-emotional learning. The central character, Donkey Hodie, is described by Doherty as “really fun and optimistic. She’s a loyal friend who will move mountains—and giant lemons!—to help her pals. But she’s not perfect; I think kids will relate to Donkey’s struggles to persevere even when it feels like there’s no hope of success.”

“Like kids, Donkey is bursting with hope and dreams, and she does everything in her power to make those dreams come true, which is also a great example of how the character will be a role model for young viewers,” adds Rudman. “Donkey is also such a funny and endearing character that kids (and their parents) will root for her to succeed, and laugh themselves silly along the way.”

Rather than animation, the show features puppet characters, which include, along with Donkey Hodie, Purple Panda, her loyal and empathetic best friend who wears his big heart on his sleeve; Duck Duck, a practical, quick-witted young mallard who loves to figure things out; and Bob Dog, an energetic and eager canine who is always ready to boogie to music or fetch a ball. Episodes include songs that reinforce the stories’ positive messages and fun adventures.

“We chose to do the show with puppets because we thought that the ‘big feelings’ expressed by Donkey Hodie and her pals would feel really relatable to kids if the characters were fuzzy, huggable puppets,” says Doherty.

Spiffy Pictures is also behind PBS KIDS’ Nature Cat, which is animated, “so it was fun getting back into the studio and shooting a live-action series with puppets,” says Rudman. “What we love about this show is everything from the puppets to the props to the world are handmade. Kids watching at home will feel like they can actually visit Someplace Else and hug Donkey and Panda.”

The characters and stories are meant to “empower young viewers to dream big and overcome obstacles in their own lives, by modeling hard work and perseverance in the face of adversity,” he adds. “Through the stories, the characters also impart lessons about resourcefulness and problem-solving.”

“Each episode has a core message tied to perseverance, resilience and problem-solving,” agrees Doherty. “Donkey and friends model how to persist even when it feels hard to do so. They also demonstrate kindness to each other and an emerging empathy for the feelings of others.”

There are many nods to Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Doherty explains, starting with the characters themselves. “Donkey Hodie, Purple Panda, Bob Dog and Harriett Elizabeth Cow are all reimagined characters from the Neighborhood of Make Believe. The land of Someplace Else was also dreamed up by Fred Rogers. The music in the show includes some songs written by Fred Rogers, as well as many new songs that are original to Donkey Hodie. Also, the art department has done an amazing job including ‘Easter eggs’ on the set, such as a porch swing at Grampy’s house (just like in Mister Rogers’ television house) and little cubby holes at Donkey Hodie’s windmill that showcase treasures like a fish tank, traffic light and a model of Trolley.”

At the same time, much of the show is new and original, Rudman explains. “What makes this blend of elements come together so perfectly is our environment, the fantastical world of Someplace Else, a quirky place where everyone comes to make their dreams a reality.”