You’ll see five different Saline County locations in the upcoming Arkansas PBS series, “Mystery League.” It’s a new 20-episode, live-action series meant to teach kids in kindergarten through 2nd grade about friendship and community. Look for it to premiere in the fall of 2023 on the statewide public media network.
Arkansans will see many familiar faces and familiar places in the series, including:
- Humane Society of Saline County (Bauxite)
- Haskell Hardware in Haskell
- Benton School District
- Burger Shack in Benton
- Saline County Courthouse
- Lawson Elementary School in Little Rock
- Old State House Museum
- Parkview High School in Little Rock
- Ouachita River in the cities of Malvern and Rockport
- Remmel Dam at Jones Mills, powered by Entergy
- MacArthur Park in Little Rock
- Family farm in Scott
- Value Foods in Little Rock
“We’re proud to have the Saline County Courthouse in historic downtown Benton to be selected as a backdrop for this production,” said Saline County Judge Matt Brumley.
Saline County has been featured in a variety of films over the years such as, “God’s Not Dead 2,” “Slingblade,” “The Last Ride,” and “White Lightning.”
Arkansas PBS CEO and Executive Director Courtney Pledger said, “Our Arkansas kids will see themselves in these stories and characters, and recognize their home state. The Arkansas PBS team is producing the series, and people and places from around the state participated.
“Mystery League” follows three 5th-grade “detectives” – Millie, Mike and Marta. The three will solve the never-ending mysteries in the fictional small Arkansas town of Mulberry Springs. Along the way, the heroes will discover the meaning of friendship and the power of community. Episodes encourage Arkansas kids to problem-solve and build relationships. Free resources will be offered to families and classrooms to support learning that aligns with Arkansas educational standards.
Arkansas PBS Education Director and “Mystery League” producer Sajni Kumpuris said, “More than 500 crew, cast, and supply and service vendors were hired in Arkansas to execute the series, boosting the state’s economy with over $1.5 million in revenue from a federal grant.”
“‘Mystery League is filmed entirely in Arkansas,” Kumpuris said, “and we were very deliberate in featuring the qualities and experiences found in our small towns.”
The series will be delivered digitally to school districts across the state beginning in fall 2023. The statewide broadcast premiere of “Mystery League” on Arkansas PBS is slated for October 2023, with episodes also livestreaming at myarpbs.org/watch. The series will also be available on demand in the PBS App and at youtube.com/arkansaspbs, as well as via YouTube TV. In conjunction with the broadcast and digital distribution of the series, Arkansas PBS will offer activities and lesson plans that align with and extend learning in the classroom and at home.
“Mystery League” is written and produced by the award-winning, cross-sectional Arkansas PBS team of producers and licensed K-12 educators who helped create “Arkansas AMI,” “Blueberry’s Clubhouse,” “Rise and Shine” and ArkansasIDEAS.