I carried this blog over from an old Journal on my DeviantArt, I did a few small rewrites to it to tidy it up and make it a bit more professional. You can check out my DeviantArt here.
Hands down, my all time favourite television show of all time has to be Fraggle Rock. Not only is the puppetry really good, I mean this is the Jim Henson team so it was always gonna be superb, but the writing is top notch. It was not afraid to showcase some really heavy subject matter for young kids, and it never talked down to them. Throw in a literal buttload to catchy songs, likeable characters and some excellent performances from everyone involved, and I'm honestly surprised that this show isn't as beloved as Sesame Street or The Muppet Show. Why is that? Fraggle Rock is one of the best children's shows, puppet shows, 80s shows and Jim Henson shows and I want to celebrate it, plus there was also that reboot that happened last year and I should have celebrated it's premier but I didn't think about it, so... Here are my top ten favourite Fraggle Rock episodes.
Also, spoilers are ahead so if you have yet to watch this show... do it now!
10. "The Doozer Contest"
This was one of the first episodes I remember catching on TV, so even though it has one of the more basic morals of the show, I do have a soft spot for it. In this episode, Flange Doozer and Modem Doozer get into an argument about what part of their new experimental tomato extract and mustard powder Doozer sticks the Fraggles loved the most (get it, it's Ketchup and Mustard, ha). this causes the Doozer community to get into a competitive spirit, Flange and Modem's kids even get into a physical altercation. I really like how Flange's wife tries to talk him out of the competition, and considering he was the one that initiated the challenge, it is interesting for them to take this direction. In the end, it's all down to the wisest of Fraggles to decide which additive is better, and the Fraggle they pick is Wembley, did I mention this show is hilarious? Yeah the moral is pretty basic, and the song is not the most memorable, but I have a soft spot for this episode, and it is always nice to see more Doozer lore in the show. Maybe not one of the best episodes, but I couldn't leave it off the list, and if you want to argue, I throw down my helmet and welcome you.
9. "Gone But Not Forgotten"
This episode means a lot to a lot of different people, especially to those in the LGBTQ+ community, so while it isn't high on my list, I could not leave it off. Wembley takes his first solo hike but ends up falling and meets an interesting and friendly new creature named Mudwell, however, when Wembley tries to befriend Mudwell, his friendly demeanor becomes very rude, which of course hurts Wembley's feelings, and the reason why he became rude? His lifespan is short. This isn't the first episode of the show to talk about death, but this is the first one where a death actually occurred, Mudwell didn't want Wembley to be upset, but in the end, Wembley is still with him. This episode is also very strong because it tied into the HIV/AIDS crisis, which really hit close to Richard Hunt, who lost friends during that time, and eventually lost his own life to the virus in 1992. Even the song in the episode, "Just a Dream Away" is very emotional and full of allegory about the circle of life and death. This episode means a lot to a lot of people, and it would be wrong to exclude it from my list, it ain't high on mine, but I still love what it stands for.
8. "All Work and All Play"
This episode was the first to really dive into the Doozers, one of the three non human species that tie the world of Fraggle Rock together. While Doozers are builders and workers by nature, one Doozer, a young Cotterpin Doozer, would much rather draw and have fun. After running out from a ceremony where she was supposed to take her helmet, she decides to run away and live like a Fraggle, and she happens to find one of the most active and energetic Fraggles she could, Red Fraggle. Unfortunately, while they try to find common ground, the truth of the fact is that Doozers are not Fraggles, and Cotterpin goes back to her home almost in shame. However, there is a light at the end of this tunnel, I won't spoil the ending, but I will say that it's both a nice ending for Cotterpin and a fascinating bit of Doozer lore. This episode gave us a lot of new information about the Doozer species, we see their home, we learn about their culture, we even learn a bit about their history and their legends. A fascinating episode that gave us a new look at some of our favourite little green men.
7. "The Bells of Fraggle Rock"
This is Fraggle Rock's only main Holiday special and it not only gives us some lore about Fraggle traditions, but it also has a very interesting message about faith. Gobo begins to feel that the Fraggle's holiday, The Festival of the Bells, is just a waste of time, and decides to put meaning back into the holiday by finding the great bell, and Cantus the Minstrel follows him. When Gobo gets to the Heart of Fraggle Rock, he finds that there is no Great Bell, and yes, the real Great Bell was the friends, I mean bells they had all along... Actually I think I'd only be half-kidding if I still used friends.
However, Gobo learns the true meaning of the celebration, and in some way the true meaning of faith, as Cantus tells him that the bell was possibly never there, and it won't be there in the next celebration, but that is not what matters. It's a very interesting take on the subject, and tying it in with the Winter Solstice and Christmas, just makes it stronger. I haven't really talked about the Doc and Sprocket "Home Base" segments but this episode has some of the best, as it's just Doc and Sprocket exploring different holiday traditions from around the world, which just gives it that warm and sentimental feeling during the coldest of times. If you put this episode on, there's a promise that you're going to love it.
6. "Let The Water Run" & "A Friend in Need"
I'm putting these two episodes together because they both have the same strengths, in that they both show how much our main group of friends really care for each other.
Let the Water Run is the earliest episode, and shows just how connected the Fraggles, Gorgs and Silly Creatures are, Doc turns off the water in the workshop, which means the recently drained Fraggle Pond can't be refilled, which means the Gorg water supply is dried up. This is especially bad because Red Fraggle was planning a swimming show. Gobo believes, after reading a postcard from his Uncle, that a special tool can be used to solve the water supply problems, a special tool that can summon water from the sky, an umbrella, Uncle Traveling Matt's segments are quite funny, it's like the prototype of those comics with the aliens explaining human concepts. Anyway, Red, being the stubborn Fraggle she is, tries to get the Umbrella, but just can't do it, and asks Gobo to help her. It's a cute episode that not only shows the theme of interconnectivity, but also shows what the Fraggle Five are willing to do for each other, even if Red is a bit stubborn. Plus, Red kisses Gobo and they are totally my OTP.
A Friend in Need is a bit different, as Sprocket ends up getting stuck in the Fraggle Hole and needs to be unstuck. Gobo tries to get some Greaseberry leaves from the Gorg's garden, but ends up getting caught. Where Let the Water Run shows the friendship between Red and Gobo, this episode shows the friendship between Gobo and Wembley, as Wembley and the others believe that Sprocket ate Gobo, and Wembley is not very happy and full on tries to attack Sprocket. In the end, Gobo is able to get Sprocket unstuck, and we see that Sprocket and Gobo begin to be on friendlier terms with each other.
Overall, both of these episodes show the relationships these characters have to a cute, charming and lovable degree. Check 'em out.
5. "The Thirty-Minute Work Week"
This was the first episode of the show to be produced, but the fifth one to air. It's really fascinating to see just how well they understood what they were doing and nailed the show on it's first production. This episode goes into Fraggle culture, particularly their culture behind working and jobs. Every Fraggle has some task they do on the daily, Gobo is an explorer, Red tends to the water, Mokey gathers radishes, and Boober does laundry. Wembley however, doesn't have a job, and his friends encourage him to find one. This includes showing them their jobs, and even getting tough with him. However, in the end, Wembley chooses a job and his friends are by his side to encourage him. It's amazing when a show's first production can really nail the tone, feel and quality of the rest of the episodes. Some TV shows really should take some notes!
4. "Junior Faces the Music"
We've seen that every other species in Fraggle Rock has their own tradition, Doozers have their helmet ceremonies, Fraggles have the Festival of the Bells, but we haven't really seen a lot of the Gorgs. We've gotten bits of their legends and stories, but not a lot about their traditions. Well, this episode showed us a very special Gorg tradition. Junior Gorg wants to play the Royal Kazoo, but his father is a bit apprehensive of the idea, and that's because if Junior doesn't play it right, he has to be banished to the swamp for a hundred years. However, with the encouragement of a shadowy Cantus, and on the best songs in the entire show, (seriously why isn't "Ball of Fire" on any of the original soundtracks?) Junior will play the Royal Kazoo on the night of the Blue Moon in front of five Fraggle Witnesses. It's a fantastic episode that really does show Junior's eagerness to be king, how much his family does care fore him even if they don't always show it, how interconnected the Gorgs and Fraggles really are, and so much else. It's a great episode, and it has one of the best songs of the show, seriously give us a release of all the music of the show guys! Please!
3. "The Gorg Who Would Be King"
We all have those moments where we thought we really wanted something, but then when the time comes we aren't sure if we're really ready for it. Throughout the series, Junior has been eager about being the next Gorg king, but now the time is coming that he might actually become king. According to Gorg tradition, when the last leaf of the Nirvana tree falls, the new king must take the throne. Junior decides to eat the last leaf on the tree, so that it technically never fell and he wouldn't have to be king. Logic! However, this ends up shrinking the Gorg prince, and he has to see the universe he is next in line to rule from a different perspective. The final season really went all in about the theme of interconnectivity and unity, and this episode is probably the best example. While shrunk down, Junior learns his place in the universe, and where he fits in amongst the Fraggles and Doozers. It's also interesting that they paired Junior Gorg with Wembley, who has had a history with the Gorgs since the first season, and seeing Wembley stand up for someone else is always a treat. He may be indecisive, but he knows it's always right to stand up for his friends. I don't want to spoil the ending, but the final shot with Doc and Sprocket also strengthens the theme of the show. It's a perfect showcase of the show's core themes and a look into more Gorg traditions, it's practically perfect.
2. "The Honk of Honks" & "Change of Address"
Yeah, another tie, but in my defense, these two episodes just go together. These were the two final episodes of the series and they could not have ended this show on a better note.
Honk of Honks is probably the most blunt way of getting the shows themes across. Cantus wants to make the "Song of Songs" but to start it, he needs "The Honk of Honks" and assigns Gobo to find it. However, Gobo is more interested in the new discovery that Doc can't see him. However, Gobo does figure out that to find the Honk of Honks, he needs a honking device from everyone around the rock, the Trash Heap, the Doozers, and the Gorgs, but it still is not enough. After some explanation, Gobo learns that to finish the Honk of Honks, he has to touch the Silly Creature. The entire climax section of the episode is one of the best moments in Fraggle Rock, and I'd argue in any kid's show. Doc learns that his friend, the often heard of but never seen Ned Shimmelfinny, has to move away because of a health concern. This news really gets to him, and to Gobo, who gives Doc a sympathetic pat. This, finally reveals Gobo to Doc, and the entire scene is so well done, it could have made this episode this high on the list on its own.
However, this episode is followed by "Change of Address", the series finale, where Doc and Sprocket have to move because they decided to be with their friend Ned. They ask Gobo to come with them, but he declines, and after going to the Trash Heap for some advice, she wants Gobo to tell them that they cannot leave the magic, but it seems to be too late, Doc and Sprocket have left. I don't want to spoil the ending, but I'll just say, it is the perfect way to wrap up the series. The ending of this episode is topped off with everyone singing the Fraggle Rock theme, and it's one of the more emotional moments of the show. The perfect encapsulation of everything this show was about, all of it's themes, messages and concepts are perfectly shown in the one moment, and it's the end of the series. I think Fraggle Rock really excelled where similar shows have struggled, this was the perfect way to end the show. What could top it?
1. "Marooned"
Yes, the seventeenth episode of the first season is my favourite episode of Fraggle Rock. From the outset, this episode doesn't seem like anything special. The fraggles are planning a surprise party for Boober's birthday, in order to pull this off, Mokey tasks Red with distracting Boober by taking him on a hike. This however, gets them trapped in a cave in, and they must get rescued. Yeah, from the looks of it, this isn't really any special episode, or is it? Every episode prior to this has been a standard kids show affair, granted they've been really good kids show affairs, but even the more tense ones like "The Terrible Tunnel" and "Don't Cry Over Spilt Milk" wouldn't be out of place on other kids shows. "Marooned" is the first episode that really shows what kind of show Fraggle Rock is, it is a show that does not talk down to its audience, it is a show that treats them with respect and it is not afraid to go into some dark and heavy places. Sure, they've hinted at this with some episodes, but nothing will make your heart sink like Red saying that they are running out of air, and asking what it's like to die.
"Marooned" was the episode that could have been a disaster, it could have completely ruined the show, but it was done so well, that it is kind of the perfect episode. The previous entry focused on the episodes that showcased the themes of Fraggle Rock, but this episode perfectly sums up what Fraggle Rock is, it's a show that was not afraid to take itself and its audience seriously. Just thinking about Red and Boober's conversations while waiting to be rescued, thinking about them bonding, keeping their spirits up with a song, even giving up hope. Kids shows have gotten a lot more serious with their audiences and do expect them to take some heavy themes and subject matter, and I think a lot of it can be traced back to Fraggle Rock. Think about it, the turmoil of Steven Universe going through his crisis of identity with the Crystal Gems as they are going through the trauma of war, Dipper and Mabel having to decide whether to trust their Great Uncle and if he really is who he seems to be, Scrooge McDuck admitting he was responsible for the disappearance of Huey, Dewey and Louie's mother, the depth and nuance of Avatar: The Lat Airbender, which shares some similarities with this show, would we have any of these moments if it wasn't for Fraggle Rock? In a weird way, I can argue Marooned as the most important episode of the show.
Marooned is not just my favourite episode because it's well written and offers some depth to two of our favourite characters, it's my favourite episode because it meant something for the show, and for children's show in general.
It really is a shame that Fraggle Rock is not as popular as The Muppets or Sesame Street, but then again, maybe it's becoming as popular. Popularity is not always easy to measure. Fraggle Rock is not as talked about as other Jim Henson projects, nor is the potential influence. I am very much adamant that Fraggle Rock was influential for kids shows going forward, and I would love to see it become more talked about. I'm glad we got the reboot, because it does show that this franchise is not completely obscure, and it has a bigger following than one would think. Still, if this show seems up your alley, or you absolutely love the what kids shows are doing today, give this show a shot, you might find it does more than dance your cares away.
And because I love this show so much, here are a few honourable mentions:
- Beginnings - A practically perfect premier production. (Alliteration rules)
- The Lost Treasure of the Fraggles - You heard it hear first, diamonds make good skipping stones.
- Red-Handed and the Invisible Thief - We all love detective episodes, don't we?
- The Beanbarrow, The Burden and the Bright Bouqet - Lanford is an adorable plant, ain't he?
- Sprocket's Big Adventure - Sprocket needed his own time in Fraggle Rock
- A Tune for Two - We are the children of tomorrow, each one is different and the same.
- The Riddle of Rhyming Rock - Fun little riddle.
And if you're wondering about The Fraggle Rock Animated Series, don't bother.
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