Molly of Denali
Molly of Denali (stylized in All caps) is an animated children's television series produced by Atomic Cartoons in association with WGBH Kids, created by Dorothea Gillim and Kathy Waugh for PBS Kids and CBC Kids.[1][2] It premiered on July 15, 2019, and is the first American nationally distributed children's show to feature an Alaska Native as the lead character.[3] 38 half-hours were produced for season 1, which has a 50-minute special as its season finale.[4] A special live-action segment filmed in Alaska airs between the two 11-minute story segments.
| Molly of Denali | |
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| Genre | Children's |
| Created by |
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| Directed by | Uwe Rafael Braun |
| Voices of |
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| Opening theme | "Molly of Denali" by Phillip Blanchett and Karina Moeller |
| Ending theme | "Molly of Denali" (instrumental) |
| Composers |
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| Country of origin |
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| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 64 (list of episodes) |
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| Running time | 23-25 minutes |
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| Original network | |
| Original release | July 15, 2019 – present |
On April 6, 2021, it was announced that the show had been renewed for two more seasons, whose second season premiered on November 1, 2021, and ended on October 10, 2022, after 14 episodes.[5] The third season premiered on November 7, 2022.
The series won a Peabody Award in the Children's/Youth category in 2020.[6]
At the Children's and Family Emmy Awards, the series was nominated in the Outstanding Preschool Animated Series and in the Outstanding Writing for a Preschool Animated Program categories.[7]
Plot
The series follows ten-year-old Molly Mabray, an Alaskan Native vlogger from the fictional village of Qyah, and her family, friends Tooey Ookami and Trini Mumford, her Malamute Suki, and other residents. Her family runs the Denali Trading Post.
Cast
- Sovereign Bill as Molly Mabray, the star of the series. She is of Gwich'in, Koyukon, and Dena'ina Athabascan descent. She has a blog to share with viewers in the lower 48 states about life in Alaska. Her native name is Shahnyaa, which means "one who informs us."[8] She also has a sled dog named Suki.
- Sequoia Janvier (Season 1) and Zane Jasper (Season 2-present) as Tooey Ookami, Molly's best friend
- Vienna Leacock as Trini Mumford
- Jules Arita Koostachin as Layla Mabray, Molly's mother
- Ronnie Dean Harris as Walter Mabray, Molly's father
- Lorne Cardinal as Grandpa Nat
- Adeline Potts as Auntie Midge
- Ellen Kennedy as Singing Moose, Video Voice, and Connie
- Luc Roderique as Daniel, Announcer, and Cowboy on TV
- Michelle Thrush as Shyahtsoo, Aunt Merna, and Grace
- Shawn Youngchief as Mr. Patak, Maurice, Finnegan King, and Olin Benedict
- Katrina Salisbury as Nina
- Rhonda Rees as Barb
- Pamela Jones as Sadie Albert
- Nyla Carpentier as Atsaq, Tooey's mother
- Taran Kootenhayoo as Randall
- Pawaken Koostachin-Chakasim (Season 1) and Sigmund Couillard (Season 2-present) as Oscar
- Cynthia De Pando as Lucia
- Damon Sky Taylor as Ben
- Hyuma Frankowski as Kenji
- Tai Grauman as Mrs. Marsh, the teacher
- Anna Dickey as Vera
- Brendan Sunderland as Jake
- Clay St. Thomas as Travis and Mr. Rowley
- Rebecca Shoichet as Dr. Antigone
- Rukiya Bernard as Violetta Lawrence
- Barbara Patrick as Tatiana
- Macie Juiles as Nadia
- Maxine Miller as Betsy Higginbottom
- Veena Sood as Dr. Amara Batra
- Bethany Brown as Joy Mumford
- Reneltta Arluk as Dr. Begaye, Willow's Mom, and Mary
- Cathy Weseluck as Charlotte (Sassy Ladies of Saskatoon)
- Laara Sadiq as Abigail (Sassy Ladies of Saskatoon)
- Mary Black as Olivia (Sassy Ladies of Saskatoon)
- Nanieezh Black as Marjie
Voice direction by Nicole Oliver[9]
Episodes
Series overview
Season 1 (2019–21)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Written by | PBS Kids air date | CBC Kids air date | Prod. code | ||||
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| 1 | 1 | "Grandpa's Drum" | Raye Lankford | July 15, 2019 | TBA | 101[10] | ||||
| "Have Canoe, Will Paddle" | Tim McKeon | |||||||||
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Molly finds an old photo of Grandpa as a child and is shocked to see him singing and drumming-Grandpa neversings. When Grandpa tells her he lost his songs when he gave his drum away, Molly goes on a mission to find his drum and return his songs to him. The Qyah Canoers are ready for their first competition. There's just one problem: Molly, Tooey, and Trini don't know how to canoe! Mr. Patak refers them to Connie, but her coaching techniques are rather unusual. | ||||||||||
| 2 | 2 | "Cabbagezilla" | Leah Gotscik | July 15, 2019 | TBA | 102[10] | ||||
| "Name Game" | Tim McKeon | |||||||||
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Trini's excited to enter Big Green, her giant cabbage, into the Alaska State Fair, but a suspicious moose keeps nibbling its leaves. Trini and Molly research ways to keep moose out of gardens, and even email cabbage expert Sadie Albert for advice, but this moose is clever. Molly wants to get her Native name when she discovers that her Mom, Dad, Grandpa and others in the community have one. But she soon learns that only an elder can give you your Native name and getting one will require impressing the unimpressible Aunt Merna. | ||||||||||
| 3 | 3 | "Berry Itchy Day" | Raye Lankford | July 17, 2019 | TBA | 103[11][10] | ||||
| "Herring Eggs or Bust" | Peter Ferland | |||||||||
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Tooey has agreed to watch the Trading Post while Molly and her family head to their super-secret-berry-picking-spot, but their trip is cut short by a swarm of pesky mosquitos. If only Molly hadn't accidentally swapped the bug spray for dog perfume! A book in the Trading Post has a recipe for repellent made from wild plants. Molly is thrilled when her cousin Randall calls from Sitka to say he's harvesting herring eggs-her absolute favorite food. Randall invites her to visit, but Mom insists Molly come up with 3 good reasons to make the long trip to Sitka by bush plane. | ||||||||||
| 4 | 4 | "First Fish" | Raye Lankford | July 17, 2019 | TBA | 104[12][10] | ||||
| "A-maze-ing Snow" | Douglas Wood | |||||||||
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Molly can't wait to catch her first fish (and to earn her own first fish tale), but when she gets to the river, the only thing she catches is Tooey's missing boot! Molly must put her knowledge of the salmon life cycle to the test and find out where the fish are before the day is through. Molly suggests a community fun-raiser to fix her school roof after a snow storm. A giant maze made of snow! All is well until Trini gets lost in the maze and Molly realizes the maze map is out of date. | ||||||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Bird in Hand" | Peter Ferland | July 18, 2019 | TBA | 105[13][10] | ||||
| "Bye-Bye Birdie" | Douglas Wood | |||||||||
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Molly and Tooey think they've discovered a ghost after a strange noise follows them from Spooky Hose all the way to the Trading Post's Bunkhouse. Turns out the phantom is actually a bird stuck in a dryer vent! Molly's bird call book holds the key to finding out what kind of bird it is, but they'll need to learn what some unfamiliar words mean before finding their feathered friend a new home. Molly and Trini tag along with Nina on trip to Kenai National Park to see real, live puffins! As the enthusiastic birders count how many puffins are eating and admire the precocious pufflings, Molly and Trini are alarmed when the baby chicks begin to jump off a cliff! | ||||||||||
| 6 | 6 | "Culture Clash" | Tim McKeon | July 22, 2019 | September 28, 2019 | 106[14][10] | ||||
| "Party Moose" | Kathy Waugh | |||||||||
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Molly retells the story of the summer Trini moved to Qyah from Texas, and how she and Tooey attempted to make Trini feel at home - with cowboy hats, lassos, and "yee-haws." Luckily, Trini has a sense of humor and a poster of Austin, Texas that clears up what it really means to be from Texas. Molly flies north to surprise Nina with a hand-delivered party box of goodies (and herself) for Nina's birthday, but her plans are jeopardized by a moose blocking the runway. Molly rushes to find a solution in an outdoors manual, but the gas in Mom's plane is running low. | ||||||||||
| 7 | 7 | "Hot Springs Eternal" | Leah Gotscik | July 24, 2019 | TBA | 107[15][10] | ||||
| "Tooey's Hero" | Peter Ferland | |||||||||
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It's a cold winter and Molly is set on discovering a hot springs Grandpa Nat once found in a blizzard, so she sets off with Grandpa, Dad, and Tooey on two snowmobiles and with a list of vague directions. When night falls, the success of their backwoods adventure will come down to determination and traditional Alaska Native knowledge of the stars. Tooey's hero, dog musher Eugene Pike, is recreating a historic mail run across interior Alaska. When ice breakup at the river threatens Pike's progress to Qyah, it's up to Tooey and Molly to help him finish the mail run. | ||||||||||
| 8 | 8 | "The Worm Turns" | Raye Lankford | July 29, 2019 | TBA | 108[10] | ||||
| "Little Dog Lost" | Mark Zaslove & Kathy Waugh | |||||||||
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Molly, Tooey, and Trini are convinced giant ice worms are responsible for a power outage at the Trading Post, thanks to a spooky story from Grandpa Nat. The kids head to the library to learn more about the ice worms and find out if they're real or if they're fake. When Tooey's newest dog Anka wanders off during a training run in the woods, Molly and Tooey find ways to lure her back home. But when Anka fails to return in the morning, they realize solving certain problems can take a village...and a ham radio. | ||||||||||
| 9 | 9 | "Eagle Egg Hunt" | Keith Wagner | July 30, 2019 | TBA | 109[10] | ||||
| "Dream Tube" | Katherine Sandford | |||||||||
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When a gust of wind spins a wildlife camera away from an eagle's nest on hatching day, Molly and Dad head to the Windsong Wildlife Area on an ATV to fix it. Unfortunately, none of the camera locations on their map are labeled. Molly and friends have their eye on a spectacular water tube for sale at the Trading Post, but they don't have enough money to buy it. Fortunately, there is money to be found on the riverfront in the form of agate stones! Unfortunately, the kids have no idea how to price and sell them. But they better find out soon, because Auntie Midge has her eye on the tubular tube too! | ||||||||||
| 10 | 10 | "Suki's Bone" | Peter Ferland | July 31, 2019 | TBA | 110[16] | ||||
| "Brand New Flag" | Keith Wagner | |||||||||
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When Suki digs up an old bone tool covered with markings, Molly, Tooey, and Oscar discover the playful pooch has made an important archeological discovery. Now everything the kids find by the river could be an ancient artifact, including a round, washer-like object Oscar tied to a kite and got stuck in a tree. Inspired by Benny Benson, the real-life Alaska Native boy who designed the state flag of Alaska, Molly announces a contest to design an original flag for the Denali Trading Post. As the submissions stream in, Molly finds her hands full of designs, expectations, and worries. Which flag will she choose? The winner proves to be the most unlikely candidate. | ||||||||||
| 11 | 11 | "Sap Season" | Katherine Sandford | August 12, 2019 | TBA | 111[17] | ||||
| "Book of Mammoths" | Ann Austen | |||||||||
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It's been a long winter in Qyah, and everyone is out of birch syrup. Luckily, Auntie Midge is teaching Molly and Tooey how to tap trees so they can make more. But then a mischievous raven unties the rope tethering their boat to the shore, and the trio are left stranded with barrels of sap and no way to get them home. Molly and her Dad are shocked when Travis, a tourist, announces that the goal of his expedition is to find a living woolly mammoth. He's read all about it in a "reputable" book and is convinced mammoths dwell in a secret valley. | ||||||||||
| 12 | 12 | "New Nivagi" | Vera Starbard | August 19, 2019 | TBA | 112[10] | ||||
| "Crane Song" | Princess Daazhraii Johnson | |||||||||
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When Molly is entrusted with her Grandpa Nat's secret nivagi recipe for the annual Qyah Ice Cream Competition, she's determined to make it a winning dish...until Suki eats the nivagi and slobbers all over the recipe! Molly has just a few hours to recreate the recipe and collect the hard-to-find ingredients. Molly can't wait to help Nina and Dr. Antigone band baby cranes. But every time they get close enough to slip the bands on the colts' legs, something happens that scares the cranes away. Molly puts in an emergency call to Grandpa Nat, who provides her with a foolproof trick to finish the job: a crane dance. | ||||||||||
| 13 | 13 | "Fiddle of Nowhere" | Keith Wagner | August 26, 2019 | August 8, 2020 | 113[18][10] | ||||
| "A Splash of Mink" | McPaul Smith | |||||||||
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Oscar has dreamed about participating in Qyah's annual fiddle festival and becoming a champion fiddler like his idol, Finnegan King. This year, he is finally old enough to play, but he breaks an E string the morning of the event and there are no replacements to be found in town! His only hope is a snowshoe journey out to the cabin of Mr. Patak's mysterious customer, known only as "The Fiddler in the Woods," to borrow one. Molly and Trini can't wait to get their jig on at the Qyah Tribal Hall, but on the way, they run into an adorable, tiny mink that leaves them covered in a big, stinky smell. The duo tries tips from an online "cleaning expert," but nothing the site suggests works. | ||||||||||
| 14 | 14 | "Turn on the Northern Lights" | Vera Starbard | October 7, 2019 | September 5, 2020 | 114[19][10] | ||||
| "Fiddlesticks" | Annie Evans & Kathy Waugh | |||||||||
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When Trini confesses that she's never seen the Northern Lights, Molly makes it her mission to show them to her. But after several sleepless nights, they still haven't seen the Aurora Borealis. After an awesome jig dance at the Tribal Hall, Molly can't wait for her fiddle lessons with Oscar to start, but she soon discovers she has a knack for playing the drum. A knack that turns into a passion. | ||||||||||
| 15 | 15 | "Mollyball" | Keith Wagner | October 8, 2019 | January 11, 2020 | 115[20] | ||||
| "Visit Qyah" | Leah Gotcsik & Tim McKeon | |||||||||
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After wet cement ruins Molly and the gang's plans for a basketball rematch, they head over to the Trading Post where they create a new game called Mollyball! As the game gets more and more complex, the kids must figure out a way of explaining the rules and later, how to end the game. While looking through a travel guide of different Alaskan villages, Molly discovers that Qyah isn't included! Molly convinces the guide's author to visit her village and gets everyone involved to show the writer a good time. | ||||||||||
| 16 | 16 | "The Night Manager" | Peter Ferland | October 9, 2019 | January 4, 2020 | 116[21] | ||||
| "Not So Permafrost" | Douglas Wood | |||||||||
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When the Sassy Ladies of Saskatoon arrive at the Trading Post a day early, Molly's confident that she and Trini can handle checking them in using a handy guide for guests. But after a series of blunders caused by following the instructions in the guide, Molly realizes she may be in over her head. When Molly and her friends arrive at their old clubhouse, they are surprised to find it half sunk into the ground! Molly is determined to save the structure, but first she must solve the mystery of why it's sinking in the first place. | ||||||||||
| 17 | 17 | "Tooth or Consequences" | Leah Gotscik | October 10, 2019 | TBA | 117[22][10] | ||||
| "Qyah Spy" | Mark Zaslove | |||||||||
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A sensational video turns Molly's excitement about an upcoming dentist visit into panic. Molly and her friends have no desire to find out. It's all fun and secret spy games until Molly and Tooey stumble across a mystery visitor in Qyah. The duo deduces the visitor must be a spy when they examine the stranger's clothing and hear a conversation between an unfamiliar voice and Auntie Midge in a language that sounds like "secret code." | ||||||||||
| 18 | 18 | "Ice Sculpture" | Raye Lankford | October 11, 2019 | TBA | 118[10] | ||||
| "Tale of the Totem" | Dennis Haley & Marcy Brown | |||||||||
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When Auntie Midge informs Molly that her Mom was once an accomplished ice sculptor, Molly decides to organize an ice-sculpting competition in Qyah. But when rising temperatures threaten to melt the ice, Molly must come up with a clever solution to save the contest. Molly's excitement about attending her first totem pole raising in Sitka quickly turns to panic when she and Randall accidentally lose an important piece of the totem pole-one of the abalone shell eyes on a raven. | ||||||||||
| 19 | 19 | "Reading the Mud" | Glen Berger | May 26, 2020 | January 14, 2020 | 119[10] | ||||
| "Unsinkable Molly Mabray" | Mark Zaslove | |||||||||
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When one of Connie's prized turkeys goes missing on Molly and Tooey's watch, it's up to them to track it down. Armed with a tracking guide, Molly and Tooey decipher tracks in the mud to locate the troublesome turkey and bring it home safely. Inspired by Daniel's tall tales of sailing on the high seas, Molly, Tooey, and Trini decide to build their own sailboat and voyage to distant waters. They soon find that building a sea-worthy boat is a lot more complicated than it seems. | ||||||||||
| 20 | 20 | "Winter Champions"[23] | Tim McKeon | February 12, 2020 | TBA | 120[23][10] | ||||
| "Hus-Keys" | Peter Ferland | |||||||||
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In an attempt to entertain themselves through the long winter months, Molly and the gang organize an outhouse race to determine who will become "Winter Champions." Now they just have to figure out how to build an outhouse and keep it from tipping over. After hearing that her Great-Aunt Merna keeps misplacing her keys, Molly decides to create a tutorial video to help Merna train her dog to find them for her. Molly and Tooey cast Suki in the leading roll, but when Molly's furry friend's performance is comically bad, she turns to clever editing to make her training video effective. | ||||||||||
| 21 | 21 | "Wild Moose Chase" | Glen Berger | July 1, 2020 | TBA | 121[10] | ||||
| "Where the Bison Roam"[10] | Mark Zaslove | |||||||||
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Molly's class is learning about bartering by practicing with kids who live up north in Kaktovik, Alaska. Molly offers to trade a pair of moose antlers for the kids' fossilized whale bone, but later discovers that the antlers she's promised have been traded around town! Molly and Mom accompany Nina to Shageluk, where Nina is doing a follow-up story on the country's only herd of wild wood bison. Once there, they meet Dr. Locklear and fly out to record the number of bison in the herd. | ||||||||||
| 22 | 22 | "Rocky Rescue"[24] | Kathy Waugh | May 29, 2020 | January 22, 2020 | 122[24] | ||||
| "Canoe Journey" | Vera Starbard | |||||||||
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A routine science expedition with Grandpa Nat and Nina becomes a rescue mission when Nina hurts her ankle in a snowboarding accident and must be airlifted home. But dense cloud cover makes it nearly impossible for Mom to find them from the air. Molly and Mom join Randall and his family in Sitka for their traditional canoe trip to Celebration in Juneau. When they are unable to find the shortcut to Juneau in time for the festivities, Molly must do some quick thinking about the instructions given by her Elders to get the group back on track. | ||||||||||
| 23 | 23 | "Seal Dance"[25] | Katherine Sandford | February 11, 2020 | January 25, 2020 | 123[26][25] | ||||
| "Snowboarding Qyah Style" | McPaul Smith | |||||||||
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When an approaching storm forces Molly, Grandpa Nat, and Mom to make an impromptu landing on the Aleutian island of Atka, Molly makes a new friend who teachers her about Unangax dances and together they learn how to perform a traditional Seal Dance. Inspired by Randall's snowboarding video antics, Molly decides to make her own video to show off "Qyah Style" snowboarding. First step: learning how to snowboard! She recruits Tooey to help her, but soon realizes snowboarding is harder than it looks, much less adding signature Qyah Style into the mix. | ||||||||||
| 24 | 24 | "Welcome Home Balto"[27] | Douglas Wood | February 10, 2020 | February 1, 2020 | 124[28][27] | ||||
| "Snow Jam" | Mark Zaslove | |||||||||
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When Molly finds out there is no statue of the heroic dog Balto in nearby Nenana, she sets out to remedy the situation and ends up on her own dogsledding adventure. Molly's basketball team, the Qyah Northern Lights, are planning to dribble basketballs while snowshoeing to raise money to attend a regional basketball tournament in Akiak. Before the race, Grandpa Nat teaches Molly traditional Koyukon words for different types of snow. The lesson proves to be crucial the day of the run when Molly must rely on her new knowledge to help her team across the finish line. | ||||||||||
| 25 | 25 | "The Whole Mitten Kaboodle" | Leah Gotcsik | December 9, 2020 | February 8, 2020 | 125[10] | ||||
| "Eagle Tale"[29] | Vera Starbard | |||||||||
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After realizing she's lost one of her favorite Suki mittens, Molly must retrace her steps around Qyah in order to track it down. It's Father's Day and Molly has the perfect idea for a gift - a storytelling performance complete with animal masks. Trini, Tooey, and Oscar are ready and willing to perform... or they would be if Molly could get them organized! Luckily, Auntie Midge steps in with some tips and tricks for staving off this Father's Day disaster! | ||||||||||
| 26 | 26 | "Operation Sleepover"[30] | Kathy Waugh | February 13, 2020 | March 7, 2020 | 126[30] | ||||
| "Beneath the Surface" | Lazar Saric | |||||||||
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When a blizzard hits Qyah, Molly has to spend the night at Tooey's house. Sleepover time! And even better, Atsaq agrees to Molly and Tooey's plan to have the sled dogs sleep inside - if they can behave. It's ice fishing season! Nina is studying life under the ice with her new underwater camera, so Molly and Tooey decide to join her in her tent. But a friendly competition to see who can catch the most fish turns south when Molly's fish charm bracelet accidentally falls into an ice hole. | ||||||||||
| 27 | 27 | "Valentine's Day Disaster"[31] | Mark Zaslove | February 14, 2020 | February 15, 2020 | 127[31][32] | ||||
| "Porcupine Slippers" | Katherine Sandford | |||||||||
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Molly and Trini want to make beaded sun catchers for their friends for Valentine's Day. After a quick trip to Nenana, they gather all their supplies and are ready to start crafting. But their bag rips on the way back and they lose their beads! It's Mom's birthday and Molly wants to surprise her with a special gift: a pair of traditional beaded slippers. Atsaq and Tooey agree to help, but when they run out of porcupine quills, the trio must head into the woods at night to find and gather the quills from a real porcupine! | ||||||||||
| 28 | 28 | "Picking Cloudberries" | Peter Ferland | May 28, 2020 | February 22, 2020 | 128 | ||||
| "Puzzled"[33] | Douglas Wood | |||||||||
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Molly, Trini and Nina set out to pick cloudberries to make a special pie for Molly's Mom. Grandpa Nat knows a great spot, but the trio's trek runs into trouble when his hard-to-read directions seem to point them every way but the berries. Molly and Tooey find a strange box under the floorboards beneath Tooey's bed and discover it's an old Japanese puzzle box that is storing something valuable inside. | ||||||||||
| 29 | 29 | "King Run" | Elana Lasser and Cliff Ruby | June 30, 2020 | February 29, 2020 | 129 | ||||
| "Native Youth Olympics"[34] | Joe Yates | |||||||||
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It's salmon season! First order of business at fish camp: help Grandpa Nat fix the broken fish wheel. But when the fish wheel goes missing, Molly and Tooey have a bigger problem to solve. Molly thinks that her Dad used to compete in the Native Youth Olympics. She's determined to put together a team and bring a gold medal to Qyah, if she can master an event. | ||||||||||
| 30 | 30 | "Froggy of Denali" | Peter Ferland | May 25, 2020 | March 14, 2020 | 130 | ||||
| "Molly Mabray and the Mystery Stones"[35] | Jeff Goode | |||||||||
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Molly and Tooey find a frog, and Molly decides to keep it as a pet... until she realizes that frogs are more high maintenance than she thought. Molly and Tooey have been learning about petroglyphs, ancient stone-carvings, and can't wait to see them in real life on their trip to Sitka. But when they arrive at the beach supposedly covered in petroglyphs, all they see is water. | ||||||||||
| 31 | 31 | "Busy Beavers" | Brian Clark | May 27, 2020 | March 28, 2020 | 131 | ||||
| "The Night Watchers"[36] | Melissa Berg | |||||||||
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When a family of beavers builds a damn and accidentally diverts water into Trini's garden, the kids must devise a way to redirect the stream before Trini's strawberries are ruined. It's Trini's first camping trip with the Neegoo Tsal or Little Foxes nature troupe, and she's determined to earn her first badge - the Night Watchers Badge. | ||||||||||
| 32 | 32 | "Spring Carnival" | Elana Lasser and Cliff Ruby | December 7, 2020 | TBA | |||||
| "Tooey's Hole-i-Day Sweater"[37] | Frank Henry Kaash Katasse | |||||||||
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Auntie Midge loves to emcee Spring Carnival, but a hurt hip takes her out of commission. With a little help from Mr. Patak, Molly and Tooey build a special way for her to get around in the snow. Tooey's finally outgrown an ugly, hand-me-down Christmas sweater knit by his Grandma Elizabeth. All is well until Luka accidentally takes a bite and leaves a gaping hole in the front. | ||||||||||
| 33 | 33 | "Stand Back Up" | Princess Daazhrii Johnson | June 29, 2020 | TBA | |||||
| "Seal Meal"[37] | Anna Hoover | |||||||||
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Inspired by real-life athletes Sharon and Shirley Firth, the first Gwich'in female Olympians, Molly trains hard to participate in a cross-country ski race where Sharon will be speaking. But cross-country skiing is not as easy as it looks, and when Molly faces some big obstacles, she must decide if she'll give up or stand back up. When Molly and her family go fly fishing in Bristol Bay, a hungry seal sneaks into their boat and eats their precious sockeye salmon and their lunch! | ||||||||||
| 34 | 34 | "Puppypalooza"[37] | Kathy Waugh | March 22, 2021[38] | April 25, 2020 | TBA | ||||
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Part 1: Tooey is worried one of his sled dogs, Cali, isn't feeling well. When Tooey, Molly, and Trini take her to a vet for a check-up, they receive some surprising news. Part 2: Tooey gets to decide which one of Cali's puppies to keep and train as a lead sled dog. | ||||||||||
| 35 | 35 | "Big Sulky" | Glen Berger & Peter Ferland | March 23, 2021[39] | May 9, 2020 | TBA | ||||
| "The Funny Face Competition" | X̱'unei Lance Twitchell | |||||||||
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When a windstorm knocks down Big Sulky, Qyah's oldest tree, Molly and Tooey decide to make an exhibit honoring the giant spruce. To prepare, they interview everyone who has a Big Sulky story, and in the process, try to solve the mystery of how the giant tree got its name. After seeing a book of photos that misrepresent Alaska Natives, Molly and Tooey organize a Funny Face Competition to take photos of how their friends and family really are - happy and smiling. Tooey seems like a shoe-in to win... until Aunt Merna comes to town. | ||||||||||
| 36 | 36 | "Going Toe to Toe with a Dinosaur" | Glen Berger & Peter Ferland | March 24, 2021[40] | May 16, 2020 | TBA | ||||
| "Sassy Ladies on Ice" | Olubunmi Mia Olufemi | |||||||||
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Molly and Vera join scientists as they visit a dinosaur excavation site. After a few false starts, the girls uncover what they think might be the discovery of a lifetime. The Sassy Ladies of Saskatoon are back-this time in search of a glacier they saw 30 years ago. Molly is excited to join them, but after a long plane ride and hike, Molly and the Sassy Ladies are surprised to discover that the glacier has disappeared. | ||||||||||
| 37 | 37 | "Climb Every Mountain" | Cooper Sweeney | March 25, 2021[41] | June 6, 2020 | TBA | ||||
| "Happy Trails" | Peter K. Hirsch and Lazar Saric | |||||||||
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Molly invites Oscar to go mountain climbing with her and Grandpa Nat, but a fear of heights makes Oscar unsure he can do it. Travis the tourist returns to Qyah to photograph a "rare" willow ptarmigan. Turns out his map is more than a little out of date. With the help of Grandpa Nat, Molly and Tooey help Travis update his map and find the common state bird. | ||||||||||
| 38 | 38 | "By Sled or Snowshoe" | Kathy Waugh | December 8, 2020 | June 13, 2020 | TBA | ||||
| "The Shortest Birthday" | Jeff Goode | |||||||||
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Grandpa Nat and Nina are out in the field observing an active volcano when it erupts! When their camera breaks, Molly persuades Tooey and her mom to deliver a new one - and to see a real-life volcano. But getting there won't be easy. It's winter solstice and Trini's birthday. Molly and Tooey have planned the perfect present-a trip to Qyah's best bird-watching spot. With only a few hours of daylight and after much delay, they reach the special spot at dusk, only to encounter an extra special surprise. | ||||||||||
| 39–40 | 39–40 | "Molly and the Great One"[42] | Elana Lesser and Cliff Ruby | June 7, 2021[43] | December 26, 2020 | TBA | ||||
| Molly learns about Grandpa Nat's dream to climb to the top of Denali in honor of the first person to do so, real-life Alaska Native, Walter Harper. Molly tries to get Grandpa and her father to climb North America's highest mountain. | ||||||||||
Season 2 (2021–22)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | 1 | "Molly & Elizabeth" | Vera Starbard | November 1, 2021 | TBA | |||
| "Uqiquq (Throw Party)"[44] | Joe Yates | |||||||
|
Molly and Tooey are holding a tour, but two tourists are mean to them and make fun of Natives. After Auntie Merna tells them about how she met Elizabeth Peratrovich, they help the tourists learn that what they said was more wrong than right. Tooey has caught his very first animal, and he is having an uqiquq! But, Grandma Elizabeth is coming to visit, and Tooey doesn't know how to give a speech in Yup'ik! | ||||||||
| 42 | 2 | "Mouse in the Treehouse" | Peter Ferland | November 2, 2021 | TBA | |||
| "Leader of the Pack" | Peter K. Hirsch | |||||||
| 43 | 3 | "Butterflies and Bunny Babies" | Kathy Waugh | November 3, 2021 | TBA | |||
| "Every Meow and Again"[45] | Frank Henry Kaash Katasse | |||||||
|
After Molly and Trini find adorable baby hares in their butterfly garden, can they figure out how to protect the babies until their mama comes back? Molly and Tooey find a stray cat in Qyah! As the kids look for the cat's owner, Suki struggles to tolerate this new house guest. | ||||||||
| 44 | 4 | "Come Back Birdie!" | Peter Ferland | November 4, 2021 | TBA | |||
| "Winter is Coming" | June Thiele | |||||||
| 45 | 5 | "Trini's Super Coop" | Princess Daazhrii Johnson | November 5, 2021 | TBA | |||
| "Trini's Winter Warm Up" | Aaluk Edwardson | |||||||
|
Trini's mom is coming home on military leave and Trini wants her first meal to be some famous Mumford omelets! But, when the weather get colder, chickens stop laying eggs. It’s Trini’s first winter in Alaska, and she’s not happy. Texas never got this chilly! When Molly and Tooey overhear Trini and her dad talking about moving back, they look for ways for Trini to warm up to the cold. | ||||||||
| 46 | 6 | "Basketball Blues"[46] | Elana Lesser & Cliff Ruby | March 14, 2022 | TBA | |||
| 47 | 7 | "A Fireweed Feast" | Anna Hoover | March 15, 2022 | TBA | |||
| "River Skate" | Kathy Waugh | |||||||
| 48 | 8 | "Sea Lion Crooks and Halibut Hooks" | Peter Ferland | March 16, 2022 | TBA | |||
| "Nature's Medicine" | X'unei Lance Twitchell | |||||||
| 49 | 9 | "Fili-Bascan Chefs" | Vera Starbard | March 17, 2022 | TBA | |||
| "Ladybug Sleepover" | Peter Ferland | |||||||
| 50 | 10 | "Cry Wolf" | Peter Ferland | July 18, 2022 | TBA | |||
| "A Sound Idea"[46] | Glen Berger | |||||||
|
Molly and her Dad help Molly's favorite TV wilderness explorers Chris Kratt and Martin Kratt from Wild Kratts find a missing pack of wolves. There's a strange noise in the middle of the night and the people of Qyah wonder what it is. With Nina's special sound recording equipment, Molly and her friends find what is making the noise that is waking everyone up and that is a porcupine. | ||||||||
| 51 | 11 | "Heat Wave" | Cusi Cram | July 19, 2022 | TBA | |||
| "It Came from Beyond" | June Thiele | |||||||
| 52 | 12 | "Lynx to the Past" | Frank Henry Kaash Katasse | July 20, 2022 | TBA | |||
| "Molly of the Yukon" | Rochelle Adams | |||||||
| 53 | 13 | "Midnight Sun Fun Run" | Vera Starbard | July 21, 2022 | TBA | |||
| "Molly Oodi' Heekha" | Anna Hoover | |||||||
| 54 | 14 | "Bubbling Up" | Frank Henry Kaash Katasse | October 10, 2022 | TBA | |||
| "Eenie Eenie Aye Over" | Wáats'Asdidei (Joe) Yates & Peter K. Hirsch | |||||||
Season 3 (2022–present)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | 1 | "Home Made Heroes" | McPaul Smith | November 7, 2022 | TBA |
| "Molly and the Snow Hawk"[46] | Keith Wagner | ||||
| 56 | 2 | "The Story of the Story Knife" | June Thiele | November 8, 2022 | TBA |
| "Raven Saves the Birthday Party" | X'unei Lance Twitchell | ||||
| 57 | 3 | "A Whale of a Time" | Cliff Ruby & Elana Resser | November 9, 2022 | TBA |
| "That's Snow Fun" | June Thiele | ||||
| 58 | 4 | "Art From the Heart" | Sydney Isaacs | January 16, 2023 | TBA |
| "Gold Strikeout" | Vera Starbard | ||||
| 59 | 5 | "Mystery in the Night Sky" | Cliff Ruby & Elana Lesser | January 17, 2023 | TBA |
| "Lights, Camera, Patak!l" | Keith Wagner | ||||
| 60 | 6 | "Forget-You-Not" | Vera Starbard | January 18, 2023 | TBA |
| "Fire, Food, and Family" | Peter Ferland & Glen Berger | ||||
| 61 | 7 | "The Qyah Ice Classic" | Peter K. Hirsch | March 20, 2023 | TBA |
| "The Great Qyah Cleanup"[46] | Peter Ferland | ||||
| 62 | 8 | "Puppy Sitting" | McPaul Smith | March 21, 2023 | TBA |
| "Big Dreams and Blue Skies" | Anna Hoover | ||||
| 63 | 9 | "Sticker Shock" | Joey Clift | March 22, 2023 | TBA |
| "A Song for Lola" | Vera Starbard | ||||
| 64 | 10 | "Wise Raven and Old Crow" | Peter Hirsch & Princess Daazhraii Johnson | July 10, 2023 | TBA |
Production
The show's theme song is sung by Phillip Blanchett and Karina Moeller from the band Pamyua, with a fiddle and drum played by Brennan Firth.[47] Portions of the show's dialogue are in the Gwichʼin language.[48]
Molly of Denali is created with the help of at least 88 different indigenous contributors.[49]
Broadcast
Molly of Denali premiered on CBC Kids in Canada on September 2, 2019. The show will have its UK premiere on CBeebies in 2024. A podcast was released shortly after its premiere date, this time as a prequel to the series, with season 2 of the podcast premiering in September 2020. Season 3 of the podcast premiered on March 3, 2021.[50]
Reception
Julia Jacobs of The New York Times wrote "PBS Raises Its Bar for Inclusion."[51]
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Peabody Awards | Children's and Youth | Molly of Denali | Won | |
| TCA Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Youth Programming | Won | |||
| 2021 | Kidscreen Awards | Best Inclusivity | Won | ||
| Youth Media Alliance | Best Program, Animation, Ages 6–9[52] | Won | |||
| 2023 | TCA Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Family Programming | Runner-up |
Notes
- Credited as WGBH Kids for earlier season 1 episodes.
References
Wikiquote has quotations related to Molly of Denali.
- "PBS Kids orders animated series from Atomic Cartoons". Playback, May 9, 2018.
- "Upfronts ’18: CBC debuts 17 new series". Playback, May 24, 2018.
- "Get An Exclusive Sneak Peek At A Brand New Episode Of 'Molly Of Denali' On PBS Kids". Romper. April 28, 2020.
- "Molly of Denali wins Peabody Award". Atomic Cartoons. June 10, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
- "PBS KIDS and GBH Boston Announce Season 2 of MOLLY OF DENALI". About PBS - Main (Press release). April 6, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
- "Peabody 30 Winners". August 24, 2020.
- "NATAS Announces Nominations for First Annual Children's & Family Emmys as of November 23, 2022" https://theemmys.tv/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/CAFE-Nominations-with-Credits-11.23-at-1000.pdf Retrieved September 9, 2023.
- Early, Wesley (June 25, 2019). "Meet Sovereign Bill, the voice behind Molly of Denali". Alaska Public Media. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
- Alexandra Whyte. "How Molly of Denali found its diverse cast and crew". Kidscreen.
- "Molly of Denali Season 1". CBC Gem. Retrieved January 22, 2019. note: only viewable in Canada, so not able to archive.
- "10:30am - Tuesday, February 4, 2020". Archived from the original on January 22, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
Berry Itchy Day/Herring Eggs Or Bust #102
- "Molly of Denali: First Fish/A-Maze-Ing Snow". Archived from the original on January 22, 2020.
- "Molly of Denali: Bird in the Hand/Bye-Bye Birdie". Archived from the original on January 22, 2020.
- "Molly of Denali: Culture Clash/Party Moose". Archived from the original on January 22, 2020.
- "10:30am - Friday, February 7, 2020". Archived from the original on January 22, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
Hot Springs Eternal/Tooeys Hero #108
- "Molly of Denali: Sukis Bone/Brand New Flag". Archived from the original on January 22, 2020.
- "Molly of Denali: Sap Season/Book of Mammoths". Archived from the original on January 22, 2020.
- "Molly of Denali: Fiddle of Nowhere/A Splash of Mink". Archived from the original on January 22, 2020.
- "10:30am - Wednesday, January 29, 2020". Archived from the original on January 22, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
Turn on the Northern Lights/Fiddlesticks #117
- "10:30am - Friday, January 24, 2020". Archived from the original on January 22, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
Mollyball/Visit Qyah #121
- "10:30am - Thursday, January 30, 2020". Archived from the original on January 22, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
The Night Manager/Not So Permafrost #120
- "10:30am - Friday, January 31, 2020". Archived from the original on January 22, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
Tooth Or Consequences/Qyah Spy #116
- "10:30am - Wednesday, February 12, 2020". Archived from the original on January 22, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
Winter Champions/Hus-Keys #115
- "Program Guide". CBC.ca. Archived from the original on January 22, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
7:45 AM Molly of Denali (HD) - Series 1 - Eps 22 - Rocky Rescue / Canoe Journey
- "Program Guide". CBC.ca. Archived from the original on January 22, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
9:55 AM Molly of Denali (HD) - Series 1 - Eps 23 - Seal Dance / Snowboarding Qyah Style
- "10:30am - Tuesday, February 11, 2020". Archived from the original on January 22, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
Seal Dance/Snowboarding Qyah Style #123
- "Program Guide". CBC.ca. Archived from the original on January 22, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
9:55 AM Molly of Denali (HD) - Series 1 - Eps 24 - Welcome Home Balto / Snow Jam
- "10:30am - Monday, February 10, 2020". Archived from the original on January 22, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
Welcome Home Balto/Snow Jam #124
- "MOLLY OF DENALI Episode Descriptions". PBS Pressroom. Retrieved February 6, 2020. links to http://pressroom.pbs.org/-/media/Images/01-KIDS/Molly-of-Denali/Molly-of-Denali-101-125-Episode-Descriptions-with-Curriculum_091119.ashx
- "10:30am - Thursday, February 13, 2020". Archived from the original on January 22, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
Operation Sleepover/Beneath The Surface #129
- "10:30am - Friday, February 14, 2020". Archived from the original on January 22, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
Valentine's Day Disaster/Porcupine Slippers #126
- "Program Guide - Schedules". CBC.ca. Archived from the original on February 21, 2020.
9:55 AM Molly of Denali (HD) - Series 1 - Eps 26 - Molly's Valentine's Day Disaster / Porcupine Slippers
- "Saturday February 22, 2020". CBC.ca. Archived from the original on February 21, 2020. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
9:55 AM Molly of Denali (HD) - Series 1 - Eps 27 - Picking Berries / Puzzled
- "Saturday February 29, 2020". CBC.ca. Archived from the original on February 21, 2020. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
9:55 AM Molly of Denali (HD) - Series 1 - Eps 28 - King Run / Native Youth Olympics
- "Saturday March 14, 2020". CBC.ca. Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
9:55 AM Molly of Denali (HD) - Series 1 - Eps 30 - Froggy of Denali / Molly Mabray and the Mystery Stones
- "Molly of Denali on Alabama Public Television". Alabama Public Television. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
- "Molly of Denali on Apple TV". Apple TV. July 15, 2019. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
- "Molly of Denali - episode: 134H - Molly of Denali". PBSUtah.org. December 30, 2020. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- "Molly of Denali - episode: 135H - Molly of Denali". PBSUtah.org. December 30, 2020. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- "Molly of Denali - episode: 136H - Molly of Denali". PBSUtah.org. December 30, 2020. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- "Molly of Denali - episode: 137H - Molly of Denali". PBSUtah.org. December 30, 2020. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- "Molly of Denali – Episode Descriptions and Curriculum Episodes #101-139".
- "Peeebs". Twitter.com. March 27, 2021. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
- "Molly of Denali". KET. December 30, 2019. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
- "Molly of Denali". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
- "Schedule". WOSU Public Media. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- "PBS KIDS Announces MOLLY OF DENALI, Premiering July 15, 2019 | PBS About". PBS.
- "Molly of Denali says "Mahsi' Choo"". Foundation.
- "When — and how — should you talk to your kids about climate change?". Canary Media. August 31, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
- "PBS - Molly of Denali Podcast - Corporate Sponsorship". SGPTV. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
- Jacobs, Julia (July 15, 2019). "With 'Molly of Denali,' PBS Raises Its Bar for Inclusion". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
- Tuchow, Ryan (May 27, 2021). "Inclusivity, mature subjects win at the YMAs". Kidscreen. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
External links
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