Molly of Denali (partially found pitch pilot of PBS Kids animated series; 2018)

The show's early logo.

Status: Partially Found

Molly of Denali is a children's animated series that's been airing on PBS Kids since 2019. The series considered to be the first American nationally aired TV show to have an Alaska Native as the main character, a 10 year old vlogger name Molly and her friend Tooey who helps her family run the Denali Trading Post in the fictional Alaskan village Qyah.

Pitch Pilot

In 2018 to promote the then upcoming show, one of PBS sponsors SGPTV (Sponsored Group for Public Television) uploaded clips of an early pilot of the show onto their website, it was taken down a year later when the showed premiered on TV. The characters in the pilot had a slightly earlier design compared to the final show.

The pilot about the characters traveling and getting lost in the wilderness when their dog Luka eats the map after they spilled soup on it. Since Molly memorized the map, she ended up find their way home by her memory alone. the plot was later reworked into the episode "By Sled or Snowshoe."

Status

The clips resurfaced in a behind the scenes video uploaded on the Molly of Denali YouTube channel that was talking about the show's development history. Other than some early concept art and screenshots no other information on this pilot is available as of March 2022.

Gallery

Concept Art

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  Comparison to Molly's early pencil sketch and pilot design compared to her final.

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  Concept art of the Denali Trading Post, possibly from the pilot.

Screenshots

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Footage

A behind the scenes video of the show with clips of the pilot.

See Also

Bumpers

• Bookworm Bunch (partially found interstitials from PBS Kids channel block; 2000-2001)
• PBS Kids (partially lost schedule bumpers and interstitial material of TV channel block; 1999-present)
• PBS Kids Vote-A-Rama (lost bumpers of "Arthur" themed marathon; 2002)
• Someday School (partially found PBS Kids channel block; 1998-2000)

PBS

• Adventures with Kanga Roddy (partially found PBS children's series; 1998-2000)
• Backyard Safari (found PBS children's educational series; 1997)
• Barney & Friends "Season 9" (partially found alternative version of PBS children's series; 2004-2005)
• Christmastime with Mister Rogers (found holiday special of PBS children's educational series; 1977)
• Feeling Good (lost PBS health series; 1974-1975)
• Lamb Chop's Play-Along (partially lost PBS children's puppet series; 1992-1995)
• Mister Rogers Talks About Conflict (found episode arc of PBS children's educational series; 1983)
• The Puzzle Place (partially found PBS puppet series; 1994-1998)
• Reading Rainbow (found Johnny Kemp opening sequence for PBS children's educational series; 1999)
• Shining Time Station (found season one intro of PBS series; 1989-1990)
• Springtime with Mister Rogers (found primetime special for PBS children's educational series; 1979)
• Storytime (found PBS children's reading series; 1992-1998)
• Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego? "Auld Lang Gone" (non-existent episode of PBS children's game show; 1992)
• Zoom (found pilot of revival of 1972 PBS children's series; 1995)
• Zoom (partially lost revival of PBS children's series; 1999-2005)

PBS Kids

• The Charlie Horse Music Pizza (partially lost PBS Kids "Lamb Chop's Play-Along" spin-off series; 1998-1999)
• Curious George (lost test pilot of PBS Kids animated series based on books; existence unconfirmed; 2004/2005)
• Cyberchase "The Poddleville Case" (found test pilot of PBS Kids educational animated series; 1999)
• Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood (lost pitch pilot of PBS Kids animated musical series; 2006-2008)
• Dragon Tales "One Small Step for Cassie" and "Circle of Friends" (lost pilots of PBS Kids animated series; 1999)
• Dragon Tales Live! (partially found footage of live stage shows; 2001-2006)
• The Good Night Show with Melanie/Leo (partially found PBS Kids Sprout series; 2005-2006)
• The Good Night Show with Nina & Star (partially found PBS Kids Sprout series; 2006-2017)
• Jet Propulsion (partially found pitch pilot of "Ready Jet Go!" PBS Kids CGI-animated series; 2013)
• Kratts' Creatures (found PBS children's educational series; 1996)
• The Let's Go Show (partially found PBS Kids Sprout series; 2007-2008)
• Make Way for Noddy (partially found PBS Kids version of British children's TV series; 2005)
• Nature Cat (lost pitch pilot of PBS Kids educational animated series; early 2010s)
• Peg + Cat (partially lost pitch pilot of PBS Kids educational animated series; 2011)
• Preschool Musical... On a Stick (partially lost PBS Kids Sprout "High School Musical" parody; 2008)
• Seven Little Monsters (found episodes of PBS Kids animated series; 2000-2004)
• Space Race (partially found PBS Kids web series; 2011)
• The Sunny Side Up Show (partially found PBS Kids Sprout series; 2007-2017)
• Super Why! (partially found British dub of PBS Kids CGI animated series; late 2000s-2010s)
• Super Why! (lost second pitch pilot of PBS Kids CGI-animated series; 2004-2006)
• What's The Big Idea? (non-existent pitch pilot of "Sid The Science Kid" PBS Kids CGI animated series; 2007)
• WordGirl (lost pitch pilot of PBS Kids educational animated series; existence unconfirmed; 2005)
• WordWorld (found test pilot of PBS Kids CGI animated educational series; 2005)

External Links

• Molly of Denali Wiki page on the unaired pilot.