Molly of Denali (stylized in all caps) is an animated children's television series produced by WGBH Kids and animated by Atomic Cartoons, created by Dorothea Gillim and Kathy Waugh for PBS Kids and CBC Kids. 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. 38 half-hour episodes were produced for season 1, with a 50-minute special as its season finale. A special live-action segment filmed in Alaska airs between the two 11-minute story segments.
On April 6, 2021, it was announced that the show had been renewed for season 2. The second season premiered on November 1, 2021, and ended on October 10, 2022, after 14 episodes. The third season premiered on November 7, 2022. The fourth season premiered on March 25, 2024.
The series won a Peabody Award in the Children's/Youth category in 2020. 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. The animated series has received acclaim for its representation of indigenous Alaskan culture.
At the 3rd Children's and Family Emmy Awards for programming in 2023 and 2024, the series won in the Outstanding Writing for a Preschool Animated Program category for the episode "Not a Mascot".
On May 9, 2025, it was announced that production of the series will end after the 15-episode fifth and final season due to the termination of the Ready-to-Learn grant by President Donald Trump.
The series follows Molly Shahnyaa Mabray, an Alaska Native girl 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. The series also teaches children literacy skills by the informational texts and communication.
Voice direction by Nicole Oliver
Episodes aired in a different order on CBC in Canada and PBS in the United States. Episodes in this section are listed as aired in Canada.
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. Portions of the show's dialogue are in the Gwichüin language.
Molly of Denali is created with the help of at least 88 different indigenous contributors.
Molly of Denali premiered on CBC Kids in Canada on September 2, 2019 and premiered July 15 in the same year on KM TV. 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.