MRN Schedule 2/19/68 - 9/4/09

[mitsguy2001]

12/23 - 12/27/91: 1546 - 1550 (Music) (Though in its proper position, this did begin a tradition of almost every year, not always in its proper position, having a week on music and the arts airing on the week containing Christmas Day)

Probably because older kids would be home from school, and the topic of the arts would be of interest to them.

However, I did realize that such a week didn't air out of proper position until 2000.

Another crazy theory (almost certainly wrong): maybe so that an episode about the arts airs the week closest to Betty Aberlin's birthday (Dec. 30), since she has a real passion for the arts.

I really do agree with you that that's wrong. Betty wasn't the only cast member to have a passion for the arts, and no arts episode aired out of proper position on the week of their birthdays. The Christmas theory makes more sense.

True, although Betty had at least 2 birthday episodes air on her birthday (in 1988 and 2004), but no other cast member (except Fred, in 1992 and 1998) did.

12/30/91 - 1/3/92: 1556 - 1560 (Making & Creating)
1/6 - 1/10/92: 1516 - 1520 (Daycare & Night Care)
1/13 - 1/17/92: 1551 - 1555 (Families) (why these last two non-annual occasion weeks were switched is a mystery)

Maybe since Fred considered the topic of adoption to be so important, he wanted to be sure kids would see it, and wanted to avoid airing it a week that kids could be on vacation.

I would think that would be more of a reason to air it when kids were on vacation! Though it's great they realized that by 1992 - 93.

But when kids are on vacation, they'll probably be doing other things besides watching MRN.  And, if they are travelling internationally or are on a cruise (although, cruises weren't as popular then as they are now), they won't even have access to MRN.

Some of the above mysteries could have been so that 1425, which takes place at a beach, would air on the Friday before 4th of July, when many kids would go to a beach.

But kids would go to a beach a lot later in the summer when it would air if the above mysteries didn't happen. I think it's more about the Friday before a holiday tradition.

But 4th of July is probably the holiday that is most associated with the beach.

7/11 - 7/15/94: 1431 - 1435
7/18 - 7/22/94: 1421 - 1425 (the reason for these two out of order is probably because in order they can't air them in order without 1426 - 1430,

I don't see why not.

Because 1421 - 1435 is one story arc, and yet 1431 - 1435 and 1421 - 1425. What do you mean you don't see why not?

1421-1425 is the week of the Key to Otherland opera, which Reardon is in.  In 1426-1430, King Friday bans travel, so that Reardon cannot leave.  But in 1431-1435, that ban is lifted.  Obviously, they had no problem airing 1431-1435 without 1426-1430.  Since there is nothing in 1421-1425 to suggest that King Friday would ban travel, 1426-1430 doesn't have to air either.  So if they decided that 1421-1425 and 1431-1435 could air independently, I see no reason why 1431-1435 had to air first.

[mitsguy2001]

Also, although there are several times where an opera aired the Friday before a holiday, or the Friday after Easter, I honestly think those were just coincidence, since there are many times that operas did not air the Friday before a holiday or the Friday after Easter.  And many of them (such as 1300 in 1985, and 1125 in 1989) were clearly just coincidence.

[UUrselfRSpecial]

The other amazing thing is that the first time we ever met each other was April 5, 2002; the 48th anniversary of the Children's Corner series premiere!

And that's also the day after the anniversary of 1425's debut, and that opera has a lot of similarities to 1125, apart from 3 of the 4 digits, since both take place at the beach and on the ocean! So therefore this means that anniversaries, and the day before and after for your wife are significant when it comes to two similar operas! Can you think of other 1425 airings that have such milestones for your wife?

[UUrselfRSpecial]

I still think that they felt the topic of grandparents was relevant for Christmas, so they wanted to air it for Christmas week, so they moved Creativity to spread out the operas.  

That makes sense.

Or maybe they wanted to avoid airing 1502 (where Queen Sara gets injured) on Christmas Eve or Christmas.

Although that might be a good episode for Christmas Eve or Christmas, since like SS episode 1839, it'd be a good episode to air on a holiday because parents could help kids with that topic. So maybe the grandparents theory makes more sense.

Then comes two other mysterious weeks of airings, and the only known time a pre-79 is airing that's nowhere near proper position pre-79 airings. And it leads to two operas in a row
4/21 - 4/25/86: 1286 - 1290
4/28 - 5/2/86: 1296 - 1300 (an opera, but not the Friday before any holiday. However, with Passover 4/24 - 5/1, the opera would air on the last weekday of a lot of spring breaks)
5/5 - 5/9/86: 1561 - 1565 (Celebrations) (this opera would once again be the Friday before Mother's Day)

It seems that, for whatever reason, they wanted the May debut to be during the first week of May (except in 1985).

But even though in 1985 it still was in May (and it would still affect 1451 - 1030 if it had been that same week in 1986), they could easily have not had the May debut that year, just 1984 was one of only three years (the others being 1990 and 2001, interestingly enough three consecutive years with March 1 - December 31 on the same day of the week) not to have a February or March debut, and the May debut tradition lasted so much less than the February/March, and they'd had February/March for two more years when Work debuted than they had May when Celebrations debuted.

Also, all of the Mr. Allmine weeks were skipped, except 1421-1425 (where he played a character in the opera, rather than his usual Mr. Allmine character).

That makes sense, although he was his usual Mr. Allmine character in all the 1421 - 1424 episodes he was in. Or was he not in any of 1421 - 1424? I can't imagine him not being in any of them. And he was also very front burner in 1336 - 1340, which could easily explain the 1992 post-75 run not starting with 1336.

I don't think he stole anything;

I never mentioned him stealing anything. Where did you ever get the idea that I mentioned that in this post?

he was no different than Reardon or Yoshi Ito or anyone else who appeared only for operas.

Did Yoshi Ito appear only for operas?  know she debuted in 1154, which isn't an opera. And assuming 1154 was her only non-opera appearance, I do have vague memories from pre-79s when they were airing and when I was watching, and I wouldn't have those memories if she were only in 6 or fewer episodes.  And amazingly I had no memories of Mr. Allmine from when I first saw 1425 at the Paley Center long after 1994, even from having seen all of 1421 - 1424 in 1994.

Also, remember, 1336 maybe has the Tomorrow song.

And even if that's the case, since I know that 1336 - 1340 doesn't carry over to 1341 - 1345 which doesn't carry over to 1346 - 1350, why didn't they start at 1341 or 1346 in 1992?

12/26 - 12/30/88: 1496 - 1500 (Pets) (That explanation could maybe be because Ana's birthday episode, 1500, would air on Betty Aberlin's birthday)

That is the most likely reason.  Since this week is entirely after Christmas, it's unlikely that it aired then due to Christmas, unlike 1984 and 1985.  Betty's birthday seems the most likely scenario.  

I still think it makes no sense.

And, they did air 1564 (Henrietta's birthday episode) on Betty's birthday in 2004, but not in 1993 or 1999 (other years her birthday fell on a Thursday).

And that would have been significant for other reasons!

How so?

Because it'd mean the opera the Friday before a holiday!

But the first week of May debuts I don't think had anything to do with Mothers Day.

Probably not, as proven in 1989, as well as 1985 when it was moved.

Although there is also a mother in 1425!

But she wasn't a major character.  The 4 main characters in 1425 were Betty (Lady Aberlin), Mr. Swan (Reardon), Loyd (Mr. Allmine), and the witch (Lady Elaine), none of whom were a mother in that opera.

I know; I was just making a point. It could just have been to follow the tradition of the Friday before a holiday.

[UUrselfRSpecial]

12/31/79 - 1/4/80: 1101 - 1105 (appropriately, the episode about death would air when kids don't have school, and a lot of people don't have work since some offices are closed the week b between Christmas and New Year's, and for those that don't, it'd mean a broken 4-day weekend otherwise)

I really don't think that New Years Eve, a fun, happy holiday, is the right time to air 1101, an episode about death.

But it could be appropriate because it's a time that kids are home from school and parents are home from work. In fact that's why Sesame Street episode 1839, which also deals with death, aired on Thanksgiving, which is also a fun, happy holiday.

And I've always thought that was a lousy time to have aired it.

I disagree.

Interestingly, on the day that Sesame Street episode 1839 aired, MRN episode 1454, the Festival of Rememberance, aired.  That seems appropriate!

How so, do you think?

[UUrselfRSpecial]

I won't comment any further on the 1979-84 schedules, since they are just speculation, and we have so many conflicting sources.

I still wouldn't mind hearing further comments, but if you insist,  you don't have to post them.

[UUrselfRSpecial]

I really do agree with you that that's wrong. Betty wasn't the only cast member to have a passion for the arts, and no arts episode aired out of proper position on the week of their birthdays. The Christmas theory makes more sense.

True, although Betty had at least 2 birthday episodes air on her birthday (in 1988 and 2004), but no other cast member (except Fred, in 1992 and 1998) did.

But I really think that for at least 2004, it was coincidence, since for 2004, there was another significance behind that week's airing. And though 1992 and 1998 were the only times Fred's birthday episode aired on his birthday itself, and in 1992, it was in its proper position, the whole week became an annual occasion week for his birthday, while neither Pets nor Celebrations was ever an annual occasion week for Betty's.

12/30/91 - 1/3/92: 1556 - 1560 (Making & Creating)
1/6 - 1/10/92: 1516 - 1520 (Daycare & Night Care)
1/13 - 1/17/92: 1551 - 1555 (Families) (why these last two non-annual occasion weeks were switched is a mystery)

Maybe since Fred considered the topic of adoption to be so important, he wanted to be sure kids would see it, and wanted to avoid airing it a week that kids could be on vacation.

I would think that would be more of a reason to air it when kids were on vacation! Though it's great they realized that by 1992 - 93.

But when kids are on vacation, they'll probably be doing other things besides watching MRN.  And, if they are travelling internationally or are on a cruise (although, cruises weren't as popular then as they are now), they won't even have access to MRN.

But still, if they're traveling in the US, they could still watch MRN on their vacation, and for those who didn't travel (or didn't travel out of the US), they'd have more time for MRN, since of course it aired on many stations during school hours.

Some of the above mysteries could have been so that 1425, which takes place at a beach, would air on the Friday before 4th of July, when many kids would go to a beach.

But kids would go to a beach a lot later in the summer when it would air if the above mysteries didn't happen. I think it's more about the Friday before a holiday tradition.

But 4th of July is probably the holiday that is most associated with the beach.

Memorial Day and Labor Day though are just as much. But I think the whole summer is, and it's more that they wanted to follow the tradition of airing operas the Friday (or day of) a holiday, and they appropriately chose one that's most appropriate with the time of year.

7/11 - 7/15/94: 1431 - 1435
7/18 - 7/22/94: 1421 - 1425 (the reason for these two out of order is probably because in order they can't air them in order without 1426 - 1430,

I don't see why not.

Because 1421 - 1435 is one story arc, and yet 1431 - 1435 and 1421 - 1425. What do you mean you don't see why not?

1421-1425 is the week of the Key to Otherland opera, which Reardon is in.  In 1426-1430, King Friday bans travel, so that Reardon cannot leave.  But in 1431-1435, that ban is lifted.  Obviously, they had no problem airing 1431-1435 without 1426-1430.  Since there is nothing in 1421-1425 to suggest that King Friday would ban travel, 1426-1430 doesn't have to air either.  So if they decided that 1421-1425 and 1431-1435 could air independently, I see no reason why 1431-1435 had to air first.

Though there still could have been some 1426 - 1430 references in both 1421 - 1424 and 1431 - 1435, and they could have felt like if 1431 - 1435 aired first, they wouldn't be thinking of 1426 - 1430 as much if they'd realized that 1421 - 1425 had just aired and realized there was a week missing.

[UUrselfRSpecial]

Also, although there are several times where an opera aired the Friday before a holiday, or the Friday after Easter, I honestly think those were just coincidence, since there are many times that operas did not air the Friday before a holiday or the Friday after Easter.  And many of them (such as 1300 in 1985, and 1125 in 1989) were clearly just coincidence.

And 1300 in 1977, and others. But it still could have been a tradition that was just not followed all the time.

[mitsguy2001]

Since Tim wants us to cut down on the quoting, I'll respond to your general ideas here:

Why I think it's a lousy idea to air a sad episode on a happy holiday: First of all, people want to enjoy those holidays, and not deal with something sad.  Also, kids will likely see their grandparents on those holidays, and they probably don't want to talk about death.  They may have had a spouse, other relatives, or friends who have died, and may even be dealing with their own mortality.

Festival of Rememberance (Episode 1454) airing on the same day as the Sesame Street Mr. Hooper death episode: when someone dies, you want to think of memories of them from the past.

Why I don't want to comment further on the 1979-1984 schedule: there are so many conflicting sources, all anyone can do is to judge which ones they beleive and which ones they don't.  We're not likely to ever get a confirmed schedule for that period, so all we can do is speculate.  I honestly don't think your schedule is 100% correct, but to be honest, I do not have any better theories.

About 1261-1265 rerunning Thanksgiving week in 1973, even though you thought the Christmas season starts the following week: Keep in mind that kids will see Santa at the Macy's Thanksgiving parade on Thanksgiving, so they'd want that episode to air before Thanksgiving, not after.

About kids watching MRN during vacation weeks: First of all, they are travelling for a vacation, they are likely doing other things, not watching MRN.  I never watched MRN when I was on vacation; and I'm someone who often watched MRN 3 times a day when I was at home!  Secondly, if people are visiting family, probably not all family members will want to watch MRN, and it could be seen as rude for a kid to be watching MRN when he/she should be socializing with their family.  Thirdly, some PBS stations may pre-empt MRN on certain holidays.  I remmeber on the Yahoo board, someone said that his PBS station always pre-empted MRN on Thanksgiving, which (since it always falls on Thursday) meant that after 1992, the next time that 1539 aired on that station was in 2006!  And that station probably missed the debuts of 1539, 1554, 1569, 1584, 1599, 1614, 1629, 1644, and 1659.

[UUrselfRSpecial]

Since Tim wants us to cut down on the quoting

I hope he's okay with a little quoting. I haven't been doing it nearly as much as you, and I wot quote everything and not do so much quotes within quotes, but despite all that Tim, if you insist, I'll stop. But for now, I'll continue until I hear otherwise.

Festival of Rememberance (Episode 1454) airing on the same day as the Sesame Street Mr. Hooper death episode: when someone dies, you want to think of memories of them from the past.

That makes sense!

I understand about 1979 - 84, but would love your theories as to why certain parts are incorrect.

About 1261-1265 rerunning Thanksgiving week in 1973, even though you thought the Christmas season starts the following week:

Not the following week, but later in the week and after the Santa episode.

Keep in mind that kids will see Santa at the Macy's Thanksgiving parade on Thanksgiving, so they'd want that episode to air before Thanksgiving, not after.

However, though the Macy's Thanksgiving parade is popular, it's not like it's among the biggest things for kids on Thanksgiving, and Santa is just one of many floats at the parade, and not more signature than certain others, and kids need preparation for that in advance.

And what you said about MRN and vacations may be true, but that doesn't exclude what I said about with kids home from school and MRN on during school hours, they'd have more time. So maybe if anything, whether signature episodes and episodes with heavy topics should be on during vacation hours is debatable. And as for MRN not being on holidays as opposed to when kids are home from school, it's really the holidays themselves that MRN is preempted, Christmas and New Year's, and maybe Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.  No school is open on any day from Dec. 24 - Jan. 1 (and Dec. 23 when Christmas is a Wednesday and Jan. 2 when Christmas is a Thursday or Sunday) and for many schools but not all, the few days before or after, and the only days with preemptions are Christmas Day, New Year's Day, and maybe Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve, while none would preempt on Dec. 26 - 30, Dec. 23 when a Monday, or Jan. 2 when a Monday or Friday, or any other day for Christmas or New Year's, and if Families weren't switched with Making & Creating in 1991 - 92, I couldn't see 1551, 1554, or 1555 preempted on any station, and 1551 is the only one of those that would air when all schools were on vacation. And in 1992 - 93, I couldn't see 1551 - 1553 preempted on any station, and they all aired when all schools were on vacation.

I remmeber on the Yahoo board, someone said that his PBS station always pre-empted MRN on Thanksgiving, which (since it always falls on Thursday) meant that after 1992, the next time that 1539 aired on that station was in 2006! 

Although, especially in 1993 and soon after, that station could have re-aired the previous weekday's episode one or two weekdays later, or the following week, or over the weekend. Or do you happen to know for sure that station didn't?

And that station probably missed the debuts of 1539, 1554, 1569, 1584, 1599, 1614, 1629, 1644, and 1659.

Although, in such an airing that I described above, especially in the earlier of those years, those debuts would have aired soon after if the answer to the above question is indeed no. And if that's the case, then 1539 would have aired only 9 times on that station! (After the 2006 airing at a time other than Thanksgiving, it aired Thanksgiving again in 2007, and then July 10, 2008 and that was it.

[mitsguy2001]

Another theory as to why 1431-1435 aired before 1421-1425 in 1994; maybe originally, one of the earlier 1975 season weeks was scheduled for July 11-15.  Maybe even one of the weeks that didn't air the previous year.  And maybe, for whatever reason, that week was pulled from the schedule at the last minute, and replaced with 1431-1435.

By the way, you should also post the schedules for when MRN aired on Saturdays from 9/5/09 through at least 9/1/12.  Probably very few people kept track of them, and I'd be curious to see them.

[UUrselfRSpecial]

Another theory as to why 1431-1435 aired before 1421-1425 in 1994; maybe originally, one of the earlier 1975 season weeks was scheduled for July 11-15.  Maybe even one of the weeks that didn't air the previous year.  And maybe, for whatever reason, that week was pulled from the schedule at the last minute, and replaced with 1431-1435.

If that's the case, then they should have also pulled 1421 - 1425 and aired two consecutive weeks before 1436, maybe for instance1391 - 1400, 1401 - 1410, 1411 - 1420.

By the way, you should also post the schedules for when MRN aired on Saturdays from 9/5/09 through at least 9/1/12.  Probably very few people kept track of them, and I'd be curious to see them.

Maybe I will.

[mitsguy2001]

If that's the case, then they should have also pulled 1421 - 1425 and aired two consecutive weeks before 1436, maybe for instance1391 - 1400, 1401 - 1410, 1411 - 1420.

Why would they pull 1421-1425 from the schedule?  1425 was one of the best episodes of the series.  What I meant was, they probably didn't want to move any other weeks around, so they just substituted 1431-1435 for whatever was scheduled for July 11-15 (either 1391-1395, 1396-1400, 1401-1405, 1406-1410, 1411-1415, or 1416-1420).

[UUrselfRSpecial]

I know; I was thinking that if they just had to air 1431 - 1435, they sadly couldn't air it without 1421 - 1425 or vice versa. But you're right, a 1391 - 1420 week would have made more sense with 1421 - 1425.

[mitsguy2001]

By the way, the Fred Rogers Center catalog has some schedule info going all the way back to the start of the series.  Unfortunately, I can't access it.  Some of it is available online, but is password protected.  I guess I'm not worthy of being given a password.  Some of it is only available on site.  Maybe if anyone here (maybe Tim?) does have a password, maybe they can check some of it out.