Donkey Hodie, the hit puppetry series from Fred Rogers Productions and Spiffy Pictures, has been greenlit for a third season on PBS KIDS, with new episodes expected to debut in 2025. The series reimagines characters from the classic show Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, created by kids’ TV pioneer Fred Rogers. The new season will include a special episode that brings another Fred Rogers favorite, Daniel Tiger, into the hand-made, musical world of Donkey Hodie.
“Fred Rogers’ timeless lessons are core to what we do at PBS KIDS. We’re excited for a new season of Donkey Hodie, and for the special treat of seeing Daniel Tiger and Donkey Hodie together!” said Sara DeWitt, SVP & General Manager, PBS KIDS.
Synopsis: Set in the whimsical land of Someplace Else, Donkey Hodie is designed to empower children ages 3-5 to dream big and overcome obstacles in their own lives, work hard and persevere in the face of failure, be resourceful and discover they can solve problems on their own — and laugh themselves silly along the way.
Featuring 15 new episodes, including two half-hour specials, the third season of the Emmy-nominated series will continue to highlight themes of resilience, perseverance, and problem solving with fresh and fun stories that also explore emotional wellbeing, building confidence in girls, and belonging. Fans can also expect new interactive games along with shortform digital content, including 10 original music videos, to accompany the new season’s episodes.
This news follows the Season 7 premiere of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, the first spinoff series inspired by Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood from Fred Rogers Productions. For the first time, the two series will come together in Season 3 of Donkey Hodie: A special half-hour episode will feature Daniel Tiger and Dad Tiger reimagined as puppets as they climb aboard Trolley from the Neighborhood of Make-Believe to visit Donkey Hodie and her pals in Someplace Else. The crossover marks a special collaboration between two of Fred Rogers Productions’ acclaimed series and will bring the animated characters from Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood to life in the live-action puppet world of Donkey Hodie.
“Both Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and Donkey Hodie are inspired by the creativity and imagination of Fred Rogers and the world of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, where the characters of Daniel Striped Tiger and Donkey Hodie were first introduced,” said Ellen Doherty, CCO, Fred Rogers Productions. “There is a natural connection between the series through both the learning goals that drive them and the legacy that led to them, and we are thrilled to continue to tell stories of empathy, resilience and friendship.”
“We are eager for kids and families to see what we have coming up for Season 3, including our crossover episode,” said David Rudman, co-creator and executive producer of Donkey Hodie and co-founder of Spiffy Pictures. “It’s been a fun and exciting process to design these beloved characters as puppets who stylistically fit into the world of Donkey Hodie while staying true to the animated versions we all know and love from Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.”
Donkey Hodie is produced by Fred Rogers Productions and Spiffy Pictures. The series is created by Adam Rudman and David Rudman of Spiffy Pictures and developed by Ellen Doherty, Chief Creative Officer of Fred Rogers Productions. Executive producers are Ellen Doherty, Adam Rudman and David Rudman. Kristin DiQuollo (Fred Rogers Productions) is co-executive producer and Caroline Bandolik (Spiffy Pictures) is supervising producer.
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