My youngsters, now 12 and 14, grew up watching Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, which has forever endeared the PBS Kids show to our household. So, my curiosity was instantly piqued after I heard that Daniel Tiger was leaving the Neighborhood of Make-Consider to go to one other city within the PBS universe: Someplace Else.
That’s proper — in an thrilling twist for PBS Children, two Fred Rogers-inspired exhibits are coming collectively in a single tremendous enjoyable crossover. Daniel Tiger Visits Someplace Else premieres Aug. 11 as a part of Donkey Hodie, marking the primary time these beloved characters have shared the display.
In keeping with Ellen Doherty, chief artistic officer at Fred Rogers Productions, the concept was a very long time within the making.
“Since Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and Donkey Hodie each come from the unique world of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, the concept or the inevitability of a crossover was at all times there. We did that particularly from the beginning with sure decisions, just like the cobblestone path being one thing that visually unites them,” Doherty tells Scary Mommy.
Within the particular, Daniel and Dad Tiger hop aboard Trolley to go to Donkey and her buddies. And don’t fear; the episode consists of plenty of nostalgic nods for longtime followers of Mister Rogers’ world: a reimagined model of the “Look and Pay attention” tune (a Fred Rogers basic!), Trolley’s tunnel journey, and even Grampy Hodie’s clock, which accommodates hidden Easter eggs referencing the unique present.
After all, reimagining animated characters like Daniel and Dad Tiger as puppets got here with its personal distinctive set of challenges. Doherty says the artistic groups behind each exhibits actually put their heads collectively to ensure Daniel felt emotionally and visually according to the animated model preschoolers already know and love.
“Our Donkey Hodie crew, led by Kristin DiQuollo, who’s the co-executive producer, and our Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood crew, led by Chris Loggins, who’s the supervising producer, labored actually intently collectively,” says Doherty.
She continues, “Then, in growing the script, we labored with Jill Cozza-Turner, who’s the pinnacle author for Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, but additionally had written a variety of episodes for Donkey Hodie. So she knew each worlds and will actually deliver loads to desirous about how we mix the 2 experiences.”
Followers of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood will even acknowledge acquainted emotional “technique” songs (private OG favourite: “Once you really feel so mad that you simply wish to roar, take a deep breath and depend to 4!”), which mix seamlessly with Donkey Hodie’s core “I assertion” messages (like “I can do exhausting issues”). The result’s a candy, foolish, and developmentally considerate journey that fashions empathy, cooperation, and self-confidence.
And, it goes with out saying, the crossover particular is a celebration of the enduring legacy of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Says Doherty, “I hope that if Fred Rogers might see this, that he can be actually delighted.”
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