The original team behind PBS’s beloved canine series is back with a new documentary, ‘What’s the Story, Wishbone?’, tracing the show’s rise and untimely cancellation—plus why its kid-first storytelling still resonates.
When a cherished television show ends, the losing doesn’t stop with the screen. Years later. fans can still remember the specific comfort of it: the episodes that felt earnest. the adaptations that treated kids like they could handle big stories. and the steady presence of Soccer. the canine actor at the center of PBS’s “Wishbone.”.
Decades after the original series ended. the team behind “Wishbone” has returned with a documentary. “What’s the Story. Wishbone?” The film digs into the show’s history—its rise. and what the creators describe as its untimely cancellation. It’s being made by the people who were there at the beginning.
For viewers who grew up with the series. the details of what “Wishbone” did are part of the draw: across 50 episodes and a finale movie. “Wishbone’s Dog Days of the West. ” the show blended kid-friendly antics with earnest adaptations of classic stories such as “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” “Robin Hood,” and “The Phantom of the Opera,” among others. The result is a series that the producer Betty A. Buckley—who worked on both the original show and the new documentary—says has stayed relevant long after its heyday.
Buckley’s message in a recent video interview centers on how the series approached its audience. She shared stories from the set and described the care that went into the work. emphasizing the importance of respecting children—treating them with the respect they deserve as viewers. In her view, that respect is one reason “Wishbone” has endured as a cultural pillar.
There’s also a contrast Buckley leans into: plenty of TV shows from childhood memories don’t hold up the way people hope they will. But “Wishbone,” she argues, remains solid—still matching the tone and quality it had when it first aired on PBS.
The documentary is currently airing on Public Television Stations. It will also be available to purchase on digital platforms on June 10.
Wishbone PBS documentary Betty A. Buckley Soccer Public Television Stations digital platforms June 10
Soccer was basically the real star, so glad they made a documentary about him.
So it’s about why they canceled Wishbone… but did they ever say who cancelled it? Like was it PBS or random execs. I feel like kid shows always get ruined.
I loved it but I swear I heard this was coming back like a reboot for 2024?? maybe I’m mixing it up with some other dog show. Also how are they just now talking about cancellation when the internet existed forever.
Honestly “kid-first storytelling” sounds like marketing, but I remember Wishbone being comforting so whatever. The classic adaptations were the best part like Jekyll or whatever, and I guess that’s why it still hits. Wishbone on digital June 10? I’ll probably forget and then see it on TikTok and be mad.