PBS' new Donkie Hodie kids' show reimagines classic Mister Rogers' Neighborhood characters

Variety

The idea for the show, premiering today, started with Fred Rogers Productions. “We were looking at a list of character names from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and Donkey Hodie was so funny, it made us laugh,” said chief creative officer Elizabeth Doherty. “An idea started percolating about a preschool show about a little donkey with big dreams and the idea of perseverance and grit, and how apt that is for preschoolers who are little kids with really big feelings. This just felt like a great vehicle to talk about persistence.”