Autism Awareness Month; the characters I relate to

I think the most difficult thing about being an autistic person really is just going through life in a society that was not intended to aid those with neurodivergencies of any kind, I remember having meltdowns in classes and not being able to deal with them properly because not only did I not know how to solve the problem, nobody who worked with me did either, probably just assuming I was fussy and ill-tempered, never knowing what spurred the meltdown, never knowing how to control it, going through school like this was probably a big contributor to why I hated myself in later years. What made it harder was that it really felt like I was the only one going through these experiences, none of my friends or classmates were like me, if any of them were autistic they masked really well, and I didn't have many fictional characters that I could escape from reality with. It felt like I was alone, and it wasn't until I met my friends in Art College that I truly believed that I wasn't alone, and it was around that time that I started to really understand what autism really was, and how to better control myself, and identifying it in my favourite characters.

In recent years, I'd like to say we have been getting better. Social media has allowed people to share their experiences and that can help many people recognize neurodivergent behaviors in others, but social progress is only as fast as people are, and there is still a lot of progress to be made.

Autism is media has never been portrayed very well in my opinion, at least, not with characters that are actually stated to be neurodivergent. Rain Man is a movie I refuse to watch because of how I feel the portrayal of neurodivergent people is, Forrest Gump is another movie that, while I do like, is kind of in the same category. Then we have the stereotypical side of it, the non-verbal people, the obsessive compulsive, always making some noise and ridiculously intelligent to the point of being almost silly, and that's the better side of the stereotype. I'm not saying that people like this don't exist, but they aren't the autistic characters I want to see, honestly, I actually think the best Autism representation in media, actually comes from characters who are not even confirmed to be neurodivergent and are just heavily implied or coded to be.

For this post, I wanted to list off some characters in media that I really did relate to, even if they were never stated to be autistic or even implied to be. Feeling like there wasn't anyone else like me in the world was hard for a kid and teenager, and when you couldn't really explain those feelings because you never knew you had those feelings, it makes it harder, and I hope this post can reach out to others, to look into their favourite characters. Here are six characters, that I have found I've gelled with a lot, and have found traits of autism within them.

1. SpongeBob SquarePants

I'm gonna start with one that, most people already know is probably autistic. SpongeBob has been seen as autistic for many people, even Tom Kenny has made comments about it. I think a large reason that SpongeBob has been such a beloved icon is because so many kids related to him, and still do. SpongeBob is the Pee-Wee Herman of the 2000s, playful, childish, just loves to have fun. I think SpongeBob was also a lot of kids first exposure to autistic coded characters, I mean, SpongeBob has very defined special interests, hyperactivity, and doesn't always get social cues. I think it's partially because of SpongeBob that autism is becoming less stigmatized, lots of kids identifying with SpongeBob and learning that what they thought autism looked like, wasn't entirely accurate. When I was a kid, SpongeBob was one of my favourite characters because he was silly and full of nautical nonsense, but as an adult, he is still my favourite because I see a part of me in him, that part of him that can name every Jellyfish and knows the Krusty Krab employee guide front to back is not that different from the part of me that can name all the Muppets and knows some songs so well I can sing them without the music. SpongeBob is a reminder that it's okay to be silly with the things we love, and to that I drop on the deck, and flop like a fish.

2. Boober Fraggle and Wembley Fraggle

Really any member of the Fraggle Five can be on this list, and while I love all the characters equally, when it comes to relating to them, I find myself relating a lot to the timid Boober and the indecisive Wembley. Boober is someone who very clearly has sensory issues, disliking excessive noise, and loves the calm repetition of monotonous tasks, like doing the laundry. He too also has special interests, notably in medicine, superstitions and cooking. For a lot of autistic people, it can be tough to really come out of their shell, I know it was tough for me for a long while. Thankfully, Boober has a couple really close friends that can show him that it's not so bad outside of the comfort zone, friends like Wembley.

Wembley is almost the exact opposite of Boober, while Boober loves the quiet, it is implied the Wembley likes noise more, often singing to himself, which I also do a lot, and he's even the siren for the Fraggle Rock volunteer fire department. Wembley is a lot more active than Boober is, and it can come off like he is stimming. Where it's tough for some autistic people to come out of their shell, for others it's a bit easier, and I think having both Boober and Wembley be very autistic coded, but both very different kinds of autistic it important. Actually, Boober and Wembley remind me a lot of my friend and myself, with my friend dragging me to new experiences and pushing me to exit my comfort zone, and I much preferring to stay in calmer, quieter spaces, but also loving to share my niche interests. I also very much relate to Wembley's indecisiveness, sometimes I am just a Wembelin' fool.

3. Pretty much everyone from DuckTales 2017

I can't quite remember at what point I watched DuckTales and thought to myself "Webby is very clearly autistic", but that little thought led me to a very important realization; practically every major character in DuckTales is autistic. It was actually a fun little thing my family and I did while watching the show to ascribe character traits from the show to each other. Throughout the whole show, little things are shown that don't necessarily state the characters are autistic, but do hint at it. Pretty much everyone in the Duck family stims one way or another, Dewey does his little dance, Scrooge twirls his cane, Donald used to sing, it's all right there and all real ways that people often self-stimulate.

As an aside, I know terms like stimming and self-stimulate sound a little dirty, let us please be adult about this.

If I had to pick the characters I relate to the most, Webby is probably up there, her board of McDuck family connections is honestly not to dissimilar to a Duck Family Tree I made and posted on Tumblr. Huey is also up there, his love for learning things, and his tendency to put things in his mouth when he's stressed or angry (I have bite marks on my 3DS), Dewey does a lot of physical stimming which I also do a lot of, Donald has emotional outbursts, which I'm sure many autistic people can relate to and also relate to it getting them in trouble. Some of the side characters can be a little on the stereotype side, Violet's first impression does give off the "Emotionless and intelligent" stereotype, but as the series goes on she is shown to be a lot more excitable. Boyd is also kind of a take on character types like Data or Spock, the non-human autism representation, which I personally don't have much issue with, especially in Star Trek, but I get why others do take umbrage with the trope, however DuckTales gets away with it with the episode Astro-B.O.Y.D., which pretty much gets this story type down perfectly. One of my favourite bits is in the season one finale where, to distract Magica De Spell, Huey asks her how her magic works, and Magica does actually seem eager to explain for a little bit.

I think DuckTales was not just the show that got me into comics, but it was also the show that made me really learn to identify autistic and neurodivergent traits in my favourite characters. Frankly, I can't thank the crew behind this show enough.

4. Dr. Julian Bashir

Star Trek and Neurodivergence representation has been... rocky, in fact most people would argue that Star Trek's disability representation has always been rough. I already talked about the trope of the non-human character being the most Autistic coded, and on some level, Dr. Bashir does fall slightly into that category. If you are not familiar with Deep Space Nine, I will give you a spoiler warning now, I am going to spoil Dr. Bashir's backstory and a some of his character arc. Honestly, if nothing else, you should take this as a sign to watch Deep Space Nine, it is arguably the best Star Trek series, The Original Series and Next Generation are the most popular, but the writing and acting of Deep Space Nine is just top notch.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Dr. Bashir is a human, but not entirely so, he was genetically engineered as a child, this enhanced his physical and mental prowess. As he himself claims, "Everything but my name was altered in some way". This gave Julian some baggage, and not just emotional either. I feel like a lot of autistic kids can relate to feeling like they're not good enough for their parents, like they're a disappointment, I think that is ultimately what I relate to the most with Bashir, but there are some other traits of his that do code him as autistic. At the start of the series, it's clear he doesn't quite get social cues, except maybe for Garak's, but that may just be wishful thinking for me (Garashir OTP), and he is very excitable. Later in the series, it's even revealed he still has his childhood teddy bear, pretty much a comfort item. A lot of his arc is about his relationships with his friends, Miles, Garak, Dax, and it does feel like this is a natural arc for this character to have.

I should mention the... other augmented characters that appear in Deep Space Nine, honestly I think Steve Shives discussed why they don't work quite as well. I don't hate them personally, but I have to admit my experiences are different from other peoples, so I can't really say much more. Though maybe most of it was the episodes they were in and not necessarily the characters themselves.

Bashir is probably the weakest representation on this list, remember this show was made in the late 90s, but I still think he is an important one for me, and if nothing else, I got to talk about my favourite Star Trek series, so win-win in my book.

SPOILERS END

5. Basil of Baker Street

Well, I should end with another very recognizably neurodivergent character. I really should get into the classic Sherlock Holmes stories, but The Great Mouse Detective is a fairly good substitution. Basil is excitable, eager to share his observations, very much not entirely comfortable with physical stimuli, and gets quite emotional, and when I say that, I want to emphasize that I don't mean he has emotional outbursts, I mean that when he feels and emotion, he feels that emotion. When he feels Ratigan has in fact got the better of him, he's not just sad, he is destroyed, when he's mad, he's enraged, when he's happy, he's practically overjoyed. I did hint at this in my original review of The Great Mouse Detective, but it does bear repeating that a lot of the way that Basil acts are heavily autistic-coded.

To add to that, I'm hearing a lot that other people are identifying autistic traits in Sherlock Holmes himself, which makes me curious, did Sir Arthur Conan Doyle know what he was doing when writing the character? When writing the original Uncle Scrooge comics, did Carl Barks know that Scrooge's hyperfixation on money gives him some autism coding? I wonder if a lot of this coding is intentional, or if they just pick character traits they associate with these kinds of characters.

To wrap this up, I want to give quick shout-outs to Ray Stantz from Ghostbusters, and Nimona. Ray Stantz would have made this list, a lot of his character is just Dan Aykroyd, but I got lazy. I also would have loved to put Nimona on this list, but Nimona is arguably more trans coded than autistic-coded, so I'm not going to argue who should have the rights to identify with Nimona. Frankly we should all stan the Gender Fluid Neurodivergent Monarch, and I hate using the word "stan".

I don't want this blog to come off like "You must identify with these characters, because I do", because I don't think all neurodivergent people need to identify with the same characters. Frankly, I don't even think they need to identify with solely neurodivergent and neurodivergent-coded characters. Having a whole spectrum of characters we like, can relate to and inspire us is a good thing to have, even if we don't look or sound or even act like the characters, but I digress. I wanted to highlight some characters I could identify with, and hopefully this will help someone identify these traits in them, and their favourite characters.

With how more widely accepted and known neurodivergencies are becoming in this world, on the one hand I am kind of bitter that I never really got a lot of the acceptance that other people now are getting, but on the other, much bigger hand, I am very happy that we are becoming more educated on this topic. We still have a long way to go, don't misunderstand me, but the fact that we're even getting there at all is amazing, and I hope I can help others on their journey in some way.

This is the part when I say that Autism Speaks is a terrible organization and you should not donate to them.

My Top 10 Favourite Episodes of Fraggle Rock

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:

1. Beginnings - A practically perfect premier production. (Alliteration rules)
2. The Lost Treasure of the Fraggles - You heard it hear first, diamonds make good skipping stones.
3. Red-Handed and the Invisible Thief - We all love detective episodes, don't we?
4. The Beanbarrow, The Burden and the Bright Bouqet - Lanford is an adorable plant, ain't he?
5. Sprocket's Big Adventure - Sprocket needed his own time in Fraggle Rock
6. A Tune for Two - We are the children of tomorrow, each one is different and the same.
7. The Riddle of Rhyming Rock - Fun little riddle.

And if you're wondering about The Fraggle Rock Animated Series, don't bother.

First Impressions: Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022)

I don't think there has been a more anticipated release for 2022 than Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio. It seemed like every little scrap of information about it made everyone far more excited for the movie. Guillermo Del Toro was immediately a draw, and him adapting such a famously dark story as Pinocchio was enough to draw a crowd, then add in Stop-Motion, throw in a production credit from The Jim Henson Company, and also give us Ewan McGregor, which come on, how would that not be a draw? I can't think of a movie that excited more people than this one. Of course, any movie that lives on hype usually dies by hype, but I think it's safe to say that this is easily the best Pinocchio movie of the year.

Yeah, high praise when you consider the direct-to-video movie and the Disney remake are not exactly high bars to jump over, but all in all, this movie was pretty good, not great, but pretty good.

I think my biggest issue would be the story, since you can kind of tell what is going to happen. They brought up that the Cricket would be given one wish at the end, and I immediately knew what he would use that wish for, that being said, it did take a few interesting turns, like Pinocchio going to this land of Death, that was pretty cool. The story taking place during war-time Italy surprisingly did more for the story than just being a depressing backdrop. No, this is not accurate to the original text, but it does seem like nobody really wants to tell a book accurate Pinocchio story any more. Pinocchio is kind of like A Christmas Carol in that regard, everyone who wants to tell the story will want to try and put their own spin on it, and I think that is pretty neat, but we don't really have that many book accurate versions of Pinocchio, even the Disney one takes its own liberties with the story.

That all being said, I did like the way the plot moved, I felt Pinocchio was a really well done character as well, you can sense that he is a good kid, just naïve and doesn't understand a whole lot. I should also talk about the animation. Netflix really had an interesting year with animation didn't it? They did Apollo 10½ which was all rotoscoped, they did Wendell & Wild which was stop motion, and they did the Scrooge movie that was a total animation trip. I feel like Netflix is spreading their wings a bit more with the kinds of movies they produce and distribute, and they are getting more A-list releases, which is fantastic. The animation for this movie is really good too, sometimes I forgot it was stop motion and thought it was really stylized computer animation.

So, this easily has to be the best movie Netflix released all year, right? Well, no. I still have to give that honour to Wendell & Wild, and honestly, Apollo 10½ comes in second. I just thought that Apollo 10½ was a very unique movie, a fascinating look at 1960s culture through the eyes of a child, and did some very interesting things with the rotoscope technique. The Sea Beast would probably be my third, since I found that one a really exciting action/adventure, though it too had a fairly predictable plot. Not that del Toro's Pinocchio isn't a really good movie, but I think I'm more impressed by the technical aspects of the movie than actually entertained by it.

That being said, I do think this is the movie that will finally lead Netflix into the right direction with their A-Game. Netflix has been seriously lacking in real A-list releases. Sure, they had Klaus, and I could argue Arlo the Alligator Boy as an A-list, but almost everything else has been D-List at best. The House is definitely a B-tier release, but almost everything released since has been A-tier quality. I think the only exceptions that I watched were Scrooge: A Christmas Carol and Marmaduke, the former being a solid B-Tier and the latter being absolute unwatchable garbage, but I think Pinocchio fit's nicely in the A-tier, and I feel that Netflix is starting to shape up. I think movies like Duck Duck Goose and The Larva Island Movie will be, not necessarily a thing of the past, but less common to see on Netflix's service. Which is good because Nimona is set to release in 2023, and I am stoked. It really does seem like Netflix is the best distributor for Nimona, and del Toro's Pinocchio kind of proved that. I can't really recommend this movie enough, this is one of the few times the end result somewhat lived up tot he hype.