Children’s television
Donkey Hodie (TV series)
The story
Donkey Hodie is an American puppet live action musical children's television series created by David and Adam Rudman for PBS Kids, and is aimed at preschoolers ages 3 to 5. Inspired by characters created by Fred Rogers, the series premiered May 3, 2021, and is the second spin-off of Rogers' television series Mister Rogers' Neighborhood after Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. The first full episode was initially set to premiere in the winter of 2021 on PBS Kids in the United States, but it was pushed back to May 3 of the same year.
Plot
In the land of Someplace Else, just north of the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Donkey Hodie and her friends go throughout their day while solving different problems along the way.
Cast
Haley Jenkins as Donkey Hodie, the granddaughter of Grampy Hodie (the original Donkey Hodie). Like her grandfather, her name is a pun on the novel Don Quixote. She's eponymously named, sunny and brave.
Stephanie D'Abruzzo as Duck Duck, Harriet Elizabeth Cow, Mama Panda, and Doc Skunk; Duck Duck's name is eponymous.
David Rudman as Bob Dog, an upbeat orange dog, Grampy Hodie and Stanley the Dragon.
Frankie Cordero as Purple Panda and Turtle Lou.
Peter Linz as Clyde the Cloud.
Matt Vogel as King Friday, the ruler of the Neighborhood of Make-Believe.
Joey Mazzarino as Game Show Gator and Super Porcupine.
Leslie Carrara-Rudolph as Dodie Hodie, Donkey's cousin.
Jimmica Collins as Rockstar Penguin.
Melvin Campbell as Rogers the Fish
The original Donkey Hodie, Bob Dog, Purple Panda, Harriet Cow and King Friday all originated on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. All other characters were newly created for the Donkey Hodie series.
Production
The series was announced in January 2020. The title character is the granddaughter of the original Donkey Hodie, a character from the Neighborhood of Make Believe on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.
Music
Like Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, the series includes both new songs as well as songs written by Rogers.
The music for the show was composed by Bill Sherman, Zack Zeyde, and Noah Deblasis.