Next month, Carl and his friends from Carl the Collector are celebrating their one-year anniversary!
The PBS KIDS show follows Carl, a raccoon with autism, as he meets new people, explores different emotions, and collects trash. The series focuses on accepting your neighbors and adjusting to their personalities, rather than shying away or being rude. Created by illustrator Zachariah OHora, Carl the Collector has a unique art style and calming tone.
It frequently features characters across the Autism spectrum, showcasing how the condition can vary and manifest in different ways. Earlier this month, viewers were introduced to Paolo, a panda that utilizes an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device to talk. In the episode, titled “A New Friend/Lotta The Copycat,” Carl learns how to chat with his new friend (and bond over stickers) while respecting Paolos means of communication, which differ from his own.
For the past year, kids and parents have used the show to discuss neurodivergency in their home, making a somewhat difficult topic easier to bring up. Whether little ones see themselves reflected on the screen or learn how to interact with friends or schoolmates with similar characteristics, the show aims to normalize autism and autistic tendencies.
In an exclusive interview with The Toy Insider, Series Creator and Executive Producer Zachariah OHora, Series Director Lisa Whittick, and PBS Kids Content Vice President Adriano Schmid provided a deeper look into the series — and how it has become such a helpful staple in children’s television and living rooms.
The series is reaching its first anniversary — how has it evolved since the Nov. 2024 premiere, and what key details have contributed to its positive reception?
We were still in full production when Carl first aired in Nov. 2024, so we had the rare opportunity to receive valuable audience feedback as we moved forward crafting the remaining episodes of the season. I believe the ground-breaking subject matter and slower pacing combined with [Series Creator and Executive Producer] Zachariah’s [OHora] incredible art style and Eraserhood’s [Sound] musical score creates a truly unique vibe and gives the audience something new and exciting in a kids series.
What aspects of the show led to PBS KIDS greenlighting the series? How does PBS KIDS ensure accurate and helpful content?
Zach [OHora] had a clear vision from the beginning, and through the development we gathered an amazing team, tested the stories with children, and had a really strong response. It now occupies a special place in the PBS KIDS universe. Carl the Collector doesn’t look like any of our other series (that visual uniqueness is part of our differentiator) and at the same time, Carl belongs to the family … We stand behind it because of all the work and love put into the writing, the designs and animation.
It’s noted that the team behind Carl the Collector includes “neurodiverse writers, production staff, animators, advisors, and voice talent.” How does this impact the show’s construction and content?
One thing we hear time and time again is how authentic the show feels to the audience. This authenticity was only achievable by having a neurodiverse cast and crew involved in every step of the production. Neurodivergent people have so much to offer, but are oftentimes not given the opportunity to share their talents because they struggle in a traditional 9-to-5 work environment. On Carl the Collector, we worked with each team member to accommodate their unique needs and give them what they needed to do their jobs. We hope that the success of Carl the Collector inspires more employers to think outside the box and hire neurodivergent workers.
Paolo is the first PBS KIDS character to use an AAC device on the screen. Why is this noteworthy, particularly right now?
From the beginning we wanted the series to represent all the different ways we think, see, and communicate with the world. Having Carl at the center of this group of friends allowed us to tell quite a few stories, but we also wanted to learn what these other lovely, fuzzy creatures were about … Autism manifests itself differently with girls, so Lotta gets to show us what that’s like. And we knew that children like Paolo have amazing stories as well, special and relatable at the same time. Between the connections Zach had forged over the course of developing the series, the expertise of our team of advisors, and the dedication of the entire crew, we had all the right elements to responsibly introduce a character like Paolo.
What specific details are kept in mind when directing each episode?
I am extremely mindful of how important it is to show an honest portrayal of autism. For example, as a way for Carl to regulate himself he will often stim by wiggling his fingers, pacing, jumping or rocking back and forth. We spend a lot of time in animation making sure that when and where appropriate, we are showing him doing these things as a way to normalize it to our audience. Carl also struggles with eye contact, so we will do a pass to make sure he doesn’t hold eye contact for too long. All these small details help us portray autism visually to an audience who may or may not be familiar with what it means to be autistic.
What kind of stories, discussions, and characters can viewers expect in future episodes of Carl the Collector?
We are ramping up the fun, the silly, the slightly weird. And most of all encourage neuro-curiosity for everyone. We are barely aware of what it means to be human and what consciousness is. Those are the greater themes we are exploring in the show through as many neurodiverse experiences as we can portray. Each one gives us a peek at our humanity and helps us understand ourselves and how we and others experience life on this rock in space … When I thought of this show 10 years ago, it seemed obvious that it was needed at the time. And now it feels like it’s needed more than ever. We have access to more info than ever, but it turns out that it’s also a lot of noise, but I think at the same time, shows like Carl the Collector can be a respite from all that – a place where thinking and imagination come together to create and spread kindness.
Families can watch episodes of Carl the Collector on pbskids.org, the PBS KIDS YouTube channel, on their local PBS stations, and the PBS KIDS Video app. As Schmid mentions, “The best way to support PBS KIDS at this time is to engage with the free, educational content and continue to spread the word about our offerings. And of course, we’ll always encourage you to support your local station as well. As Zach says, ‘stay fuzzy!’”
For more information, Carl the Collector games, and videos, visit pbskids.com.
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