Lack of a "Lady Aberlin" type of character on DTN

[mitsguy2001]

I watched the Daniel's Birthday episode of DTN, and I read Tim's blog post.  I thought DTN looks like a decent show, but (as I had posted earlier), I agree that Daniel got over the smashed birthday cake a little too easily.  That might work for something simple like a birthday cake, but there are many, more serious issues that one can't expect to get over so easily.  As Tim had said, kids need their feelings to be validated, and not to be changed right away.

If this had been an MRN episode, Daniel and Lady Aberlin would have most likely had a heart to heart conversation about how they felt about the cake, and she would have validated his feelings.  A glaring omission in DTN seems to be that there is no character like Lady Aberlin for heart to heart conversations and for validating feelings.

What I wonder is, was it a conscious decision to not have a character similar to Lady Aberlin, or was it something that was overlooked?  It seems to me very unlikely that they would have overlooked something as major as that, so it was likely a conscious decision to not have such a character.  But why?  As Tim and I both said, validating feelings is important, so I don't agree with DTN avoiding that.  Also, Lady Aberlin was one of the most popular characters on MRN, so it seems surprising that DTN wouldn't have a similar character.

[setlori]

Daniel Tiger has a mother and a father, whereas Daniel Striped Tiger did not. He needed Lady Aberlin to be that mother (or big sister) figure to him. The mother on DTN could very easily fill that role, but I think the bigger issue is time. That "full episode" was less than 13 minutes long. I think that is the much bigger problem. There is simply no time to talk through the issues the way they did on MRN, which I believe was one of the most important aspects of that show.

[mitsguy2001]

Daniel Tiger has a mother and a father, whereas Daniel Striped Tiger did not. He needed Lady Aberlin to be that mother (or big sister) figure to him. The mother on DTN could very easily fill that role, but I think the bigger issue is time. That "full episode" was less than 13 minutes long. I think that is the much bigger problem. There is simply no time to talk through the issues the way they did on MRN, which I believe was one of the most important aspects of that show.

I wonder if they plan to air 2 episodes in a half hour timeslot.  I agree, the episodes probably should have been a full half hour long, like MRN, so that somebody (whether Daniel's parents or someone else) could talk through things like Lady Aberlin would have done.

[bka]

when does the show actually premiere?

[MrRogers143]

The show is set to premiere Labor Day/ September 3rd.

[bka]

thanks. wish I could be in the same room with the surviving Neighbors to watch it!

[Jazzman67]

I do, too, Betty! But, I'm in Sweden! But, the thought is that, if the series is a hit with children in the USA, it'll come over to Sweden. It'll of course be dubbed to Swedish, but it would be nice to see the program come over to Sweden, so childen here can finally be introduced to a program that was influenced by a man who changed Children's television for the better. Let's hope the program is a success.

I spoke to David Newell, who thought it would be a hit. And early reviews have been possitive towards the program.

While I won't be able to see the programs, I've seen clips and have generally enjoyed what I've seen. The use of Transitional music is a nice touch (background music). That's a way to make us feel some similarity to the older programs. and there will be some of the old songs in the programs, too.

[JAO93]

As celebrated as the puppet characters are, I always felt the human characters helped the show work as well.

Leave out the humans and I'm not totally sure it would have worked as well as it did.

I'll probably tune into the premiere if I have time, I don't have any high expectations but everything deserves a fair chance.

[bka]

the fact that they use "ugga-mugga" as a general farewell makes me sad. it's like invoking the memory of Lady A's love for the Original Daniel Striped Tiger in the midst of something that is so much less than the real thing - that is generic, and that goes against the ideals that were the template.

might be contempt prior to investigation, but time will tell....

ugga-mugga was something I brought to the Neighborhood, something that was at first challenged, that became a special, intimate exchange. why omit the Neighbors (except of course the ubiquitous Mr. McFeeley) and invoke their memory for the parents of the new generations watching? They must have meant well. DTN is just paved with good intentions.

[NAhelper]

the fact that they use "ugga-mugga" as a general farewell makes me sad. it's like invoking the memory of Lady A's love for the Original Daniel Striped Tiger in the midst of something that is so much less than the real thing ... why omit the Neighbors and invoke their memory for the parents of the new generations watching? They must have meant well. DTN is just paved with good intentions.

That's exactly how I feel watching it. I don't expect it to be the Neighborhood, yet I am constantly reminded of the Neighborhood with things that are very special but out of their special context. As I've said before, if they're not going to have Fred or the other neighbors, then don't mix fragments of their heart and soul into something that isn't them. That's where I get caught, because DTN is a wonderful show. As a new, wholesome PBS children's show, I simply love it. But as far as the legacy of Fred Rogers presented in a new generation format (I don't know know about your PBS station, but that's how ours has been advertising it), it just doesn't make the cut. It's a wonderful, wholesome show, but not Fred and the Neighborhood of truth and love.

Well, I've said enough, you all know how I feel. It has certainly sparked some conversation about Mister Rogers in this neighborhood. ("I heard there's a new Mister Rogers show"..."I used to watch that".."Didn't he die?"..."Did you know he used to be a sniper and had tattoos under his sweater?" I then give them the run down about the real Mister Roger's Neighborhood and the surviving neighbors.) I'm saddened by the way they are supposedly preserving the legacy, but I am greatly anticipating Monday to see it in its intended format. I'm certainly grateful for a good new show for children to watch, which I'm sure it will be...

[Ian16545]

Don't forget that Lady Aberlin's also King Friday's niece; so I suspect she'll pop up sometime.

[mitsguy2001]

Don't forget that Lady Aberlin's also King Friday's niece; so I suspect she'll pop up sometime.

Based on posts here, I don't think Lady Aberlin (nor any human characters, other than Mr. McFeely) are going to be back.

[bka]

I like to think that the promising character of Prince Tuesday (embodying Chuck Aber's real character & Lenny Meledandri's real spirit) will be one to watch.
Both Chuck & Lenny gave blood to the Neighborhood. And FRC, greatly enriched by their sacrificial devotion, is selling it.