The following is a list of episodes from the eleventh season of the

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...

series, ''

Mister Rogers' Neighborhood ''Mister Rogers' Neighborhood'' (sometimes shortened to ''Mister Rogers'') is an American half-hour educational children's television series that ran from 1968 to 2001, and was created and hosted by Fred Rogers. The series ''Misterogers'' debut ...

'', which aired in 1981.

Episode 1 (Mister Rogers Talks to Parents About Divorce)

Rogers fields questions from parents about

divorce Divorce (also known as dissolution of marriage) is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union. Divorce usually entails the canceling or reorganizing of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving the ...

. * Aired on February 15, 1981.

Episode 2 (Divorce)

Mr. McFeely relives memories of his wedding. Previewing the Neighborhood of Make-Believe storyline, Prince Tuesday befriends a girl whose parents are divorced. This episode has 2 make-believe segments in one show. * Aired on February 16, 1981.

Episode 3 (Divorce)

Rogers visits the

Sturgis Pretzel House The Sturgis Pretzel House of Lititz, Pennsylvania, founded in 1861, is the oldest commercial pretzel bakery in the United States. The Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery remains active in pretzel production and is a tourist attraction. History In 185 ...

to see people making

pretzel A pretzel (), from German pronunciation, standard german: Breze(l) ( and French / Alsatian: ''Bretzel'') is a type of baked bread made from dough that is commonly shaped into a knot. The traditional pretzel shape is a distinctive symmetrical ...

s. In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, King Friday and Queen Sara squabble about buying a new plane. It upsets Prince Tuesday to the boiling point. * Aired on February 17, 1981.

Episode 4 (Divorce)

Rogers recalls the day he test-drove an

electric car An electric car, battery electric car, or all-electric car is an automobile that is propelled by one or more electric motors, using only energy stored in batteries. Compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, electric cars are quie ...

. Later he meets

Jeff Erlanger Jeffrey Clay Erlanger (November 30, 1970 – June 10, 2007) was an American advocate and activist for disability rights. He is known for appearing on ''Mister Rogers' Neighborhood'' when he was 10 years old, talking about his electric whe ...

, a boy in an electric wheelchair, who demonstrates his wheelchair and describes some of his physical handicaps. The Neighborhood of Make-Believe continues its all-out search for Prince Tuesday. When he is found, he has a mix of emotions. * Aired on February 18, 1981.

Episode 5 (Divorce)

Joe Negri shows Rogers a rack of musical instruments that have either been repaired or are in need of repair. They meet Earl Grollman, a counselor who has written a book on divorce for children. Prince Tuesday finally shares his emotions with his family. * Aired on February 19, 1981.

Episode 6 (Divorce)

Rogers wears a false face to show that he is still himself inside. The Royal Electric Plane-Car arrives via a clown courier. Behind the mask is Chuck Aber, who has been divorced and doesn't see much of his children. Thus, Prince Tuesday can relate to Aber's feelings. Corny reveals his secret: he is now making rocking-chair-shaped pretzels. Mister Rogers shows viewers the ins and outs of an airplane. * Aired on February 20, 1981.

Episode 7 (Mister Rogers Talks to Children and Parents About Violence)

Prompted by news coverage of the

death of John Lennon On the evening of 8 December 1980, English musician John Lennon, formerly of the Beatles, was shot and fatally wounded in the archway of the Dakota, his residence in New York City. The killer was Mark David Chapman, an American Beatles fan wh ...

and the failed assassination attempts of President

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...

and

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...

, Rogers talks to children and their parents about violence in the media. Rogers shows video footage of himself at schools, discussing why people murder, young children. The special aired only once but it was later uploaded to the internet 35 years later, during a time when its subject matter was again a much-discussed issue. * Aired on May 25, 1981.

Episode 8 (Mister Rogers Talks to Parents About Competition)

Rogers discusses with parents combative attitudes. * Aired on May 31, 1981.

Episode 9 (Mister Rogers Talks About COMPETITION)

Rogers shows a film on how people make crayons. King Friday decrees a "Draw the Neighborhood" Contest, something which Lady Elaine wants to win. * Aired on June 1, 1981.

Episode 10 (Mister Rogers Talks About COMPETITION)

Mister Rogers visits an

art museum An art museum or art gallery is a building or space for the display of art, usually from the museum's own Collection (artwork), collection. It might be in public or private ownership and may be accessible to all or have restrictions in place. A ...

to look carefully at the various genres of paintings that are on display. In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Henrietta is upset when she hears that

Big Bird Big Bird is a Muppet character designed by Jim Henson and built by Kermit Love for the long-running children's television show ''Sesame Street''. An eight-foot two-inch (249 cm) tall bright yellow anthropomorphic bird, he can roller skat ...

(from ''

Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000) a ...

'') will visit X. * Aired on June 2, 1981.

Episode 11 (Mister Rogers Talks About COMPETITION)

After reflecting on his discussion with Andrew Wyeth, Rogers helps to console Chef Brockett. The Neighborhood of Make-Believe welcomes Big Bird, who enters his drawing for the "Draw the Neighborhood" Contest. He also realizes right away that Henrietta is not very welcoming, but assures her that he's just passing through and would never take her best friend. * Aired on June 3, 1981. * This is the first series episode to feature a character from another PBS TV show. *

Caroll Spinney Caroll Edwin Spinney (December 26, 1933 – December 8, 2019) was an American puppeteer, cartoonist, author, artist and speaker, most famous for playing Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on ''Sesame Street'' from its inception in 1969 until 2018. E ...

, the voice of Big Bird, had agreed to appear in this episode as he had done similar dialogue with Fred Rogers in an episode of ''Sesame Street'' that had aired a few weeks earlier. When Spinney received the script for the show, which required him to remove his costume and discuss the inner workings of the Big Bird puppet, he refused on behalf of

Jim Henson James Maury Henson (September 24, 1936 – May 16, 1990) was an American puppeteer, animator, cartoonist, actor, inventor, and filmmaker who achieved worldwide notice as the creator of The Muppets and '' Fraggle Rock'' (1983–1987) and ...

because he didn't believe in ruining the illusion of Big Bird for the children.

Episode 12 (Mister Rogers Talks About COMPETITION)

Rogers meets

Lynn Swann Lynn Curtis Swann (born March 7, 1952) is an American former football player, broadcaster, politician, and athletic director, best known for his association with the University of Southern California and the Pittsburgh Steelers. He served on the ...

at a dance class. Swann enters in his Pittsburgh Steeler uniform, then changes into something more suitable for a dance lesson. As the Neighborhood of Make-Believe Drawing Contest nears an end, Lady Aberlin discovers that Ana has drawn a picture of the Neighborhood and all its neighbors. * Aired on June 4, 1981.

Episode 13 (Mister Rogers Talks about COMPETITION)

Mister Rogers wants to create a

rainbow A rainbow is a meteorological phenomenon that is caused by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky. It takes the form of a multicoloured circular arc. Rainbows c ...

, but he needs Mr. McFeely's help. King Friday selects the winner of the "Draw the Neighborhood" contest. * Aired on June 5, 1981.

Episode 14 (Mister Rogers Talks About PLAY)

Bob Dog volunteers to get a ball that is stuck in the Tree, but he falls and hurts his leg. When King Friday hears of the accident, he bans play from the Neighborhood of Make-Believe. * Aired on July 20, 1981.

Episode 15 (Mister Rogers Talks About PLAY)

Lady Elaine is so incensed with King Friday's no-play rule that she moves herself and the Museum-Go-Round to another neighborhood. * Aired on July 21, 1981.

Episode 16 (Mister Rogers Talks About PLAY)

In defiance of King Friday's rule, the schoolchildren set up a play area in the area where the Museum-Go-Round used to be. Prince Tuesday challenges King Friday upfront about the no-play rule. * Aired on July 22, 1981.

Episode 17 (Mister Rogers Talks About PLAY)

Rogers visits a plant that makes mushrooms. King Friday realizes just how important play is and repeals the rule, much to everyone's delight. All they need is to inform Lady Elaine. * Aired on July 23, 1981.

Episode 18 (Mister Rogers Talks About PLAY)

Rogers walks on stilts outside on his porch. Bob Dog and Purple Panda volunteer to talk Lady Elaine to bring the Museum-Go-Round and herself back. * Aired on July 24, 1981. * This is the last time the porch entrance and exit are used in this show.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (season 11) 1981 American television seasons Mister Rogers' Neighborhood seasons