Are you a stateside "Downton Abbey" fan? If so,
isn't it just killing you that — while Season 5 of this acclaimed period drama
officially got underway in the U.K.
back on September 21st — here in the States, we actually have to wait 'til
January of 2015 before we can then find out what's been going on with the Earl
of Grantham & his extended family.
Well, if you're just not willing to wait another three
months before you can once again hear Mrs. Patmore clattering around down in
the kitchen or listen in as Anna confides in Lady Mary upstairs, I might have a
solution for you. Which involves tuning in to watch "Let the Nightingale
Sing," the November 2nd episode of "Doc McStuffins."
(L to R) Lady Mary Crawley (Michelle Dockery) talks with Anna May Bates, the head
housemaid at Downton Abbey. Copyright 2014 PBS.org. All rights reserved
"And why would I want to go out of my way to watch this
particular episode of that Disney Junior's Emmy-nominated animated
series?," you ask. Because the guest star voice cast for this extended
length "Doc McStuffins" includes many "Downton Abbey"
regulars. Among them Lesley Nicol (Mrs. Patmore), Joanne Froggatt (Anna Bates),
Matt Milne (Alfred Nugent), Nigel Harman (Mr. Green) and Robert Bathurst
(Sir Anthony Strallan).
Ms. Froggat will actually be voicing the title character in
"Let the Nightingale Sing," during which Doc and the toys magically
travel back to 19th century England
where they then get to meet a young Florence Nightingale. Once there, they help
Florence realize her dream of
becoming a nurse.
So why did this Disney Junior show decide to shine a
spotlight on the famed "Lady with the Lamp" ? As Chris Nee — the
creator and executive of "Doc McStuffins" — explained during a
recent phone interview, it was all about bumping out the borders on this
acclaimed animated series a bit as it began its second season.
Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
"With this next set of shows, we wanted to explore some ideas that were
less specific to Doc. Which is why we then began to talk about her
forbearers," Nee stated. "It was this point that Florence's
name came up. And given that Florence Nightingale was a woman from the upper
classes who just saw something that she wanted to do and then made it happen. I
mean, she didn't have to help people. But Florence
did it anyway. Which is a quality that Doc McStuffins has in common with
Florence Nightingale."
"More to the point, while 'Let the Nightingale Sing' has a great story and
I think that this episode also turned out really well, it's also just fun to
see Doc in a different costume in Ye Olde Englande where everyone is all
dressed up," Chris continued.
And speaking of people in period garb … As for the rest of the "Downton
Abbey" regulars who are doing voice work on this episode of "Doc
McStuffins," Nicol guest stars as Pip, a small porcelain doll; Milne as
Bernard, a teddy bear; Harman as Doodle Doo, a tin rooster; and Bathurst
as Admiral Fiddlesticks, a toy admiral.
Copyright PBS.org. All rights reserved
And you want to know the best part? No, it's not that
"Let the Nightingale Sing" features an original song, "Love What
You Do," which is all about following one's dreams. But — rather — that
this extended episode of "Doc McStuffins" won't air on Disney Junior UK
'til December.
Which doesn't entirely make up for the fact that Season Five
of "Downton Abbey" won't begin airing stateside 'til January. But it's
a start.
This article was originally posted in the Huffington Post's Entertainment section on Tuesday, October 7, 2014