Honestly, why not? Tom Hanks is a megastar all around no matter what anyone says as his accomplishments are many, his fans are legion, and his acting ability is something that’s hard to measure since it’s been so far and beyond anyone else for so long that it’s hard to even compare anyone to him. There are reasons why it wouldn’t happen that he would just get the Oscar however, and whether you want to think it’s political or it’s something else that’s going on to keep one of the worthiest men in show business from being recognized, it’s a matter of opinion no matter whatever else is said. Some people love Tom Hanks, a lot of people loved Mister Rogers, but the fact remains that while Mister Rogers was to be thanked for what he did for public TV, a lot of people overlooked it and thought it wasn’t a huge thing in itself. In truth it was probably one of the biggest things to ever happen in the history of TV.
Keeping on track here, Mister Rogers created a show that wasn’t flashy or sensationalist in any way. He created a show that was simple, straightforward, and there to teach and enrich children in a way that was not only educational but was wholesome as well. Rogers was one of the last real TV hosts, for children, that seemed to genuinely care about what he was doing and was absolutely passionate about his work in a way that translated within his show. If any of you remember from back in the day, Mister Rogers was someone that you might not have liked as much as say, G.I. Joe or Transformers or any other show, but he taught more within the course of his show than you could possibly learn from any other kids’ show on TV at that point, save for perhaps Sesame Street and a few others.
TV shows today are by far and large starting to finally get the hint that in order to be worth much of anything they do have to show the kids how to be decent human beings while being able to have fun at the same time. Mister Rogers did that in his show back in the day but in a much simpler and more refined manner. Keep in mind that a lot of what was available back then in terms of technology was nowhere near what’s available now. Even if it had been it seems fair to say that Rogers wouldn’t have used it since unlike shows like Ramblin’ Rod, Mister Rogers was a far more educational program that sought to teach the children and cater to them in a much different way that didn’t involve a lot of flash and didn’t rely so heavily on the action-packed cartoons that were out there for the children’s entertainment. This show was where you went to learn, and still have fun doing it.
As for Tom Hanks winning an Oscar for this role, that kind of goes without saying that it should happen. Not only does he look the part in the same kind of clothing that Mister Rogers wore so often, but his acting is like it’s always been, on point and more than enough to secure him yet another spot in the history books where he belongs. Now you might think that giving him the Oscar would be kind of detrimental to others since it would seem that the old-timers have a huge advantage when it comes to the sway they have over such awards, but that’d be paranoid as well as kind of foolish to even think about since Hanks, like everyone else, goes out to do his best with every role and might have more sway due to his experience, but is still just as bound by the opinions of others as anyone else. No, the real reason why the Oscar should go to Hanks and no one else in this case is that he took up the role of a certified icon that few if any others could have accomplished and knocked it right out of the park. This is the kind of act that can make or break a person since getting it right means that you’ve chosen to respect the man that paved the way for so many others in one of the greatest ways possible.
Mister Rogers was on screen up until the early 2000s, and even now his show has been seen to experience a resurgence as the reruns are still treasured by so many. Tom Hanks doesn’t deserve the Oscar just because he took on a role that people love, he deserves it because he took it on and paid a great deal of respect to a man that earned every bit of praise he ever received.
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