Welcome to Fraggle Rock…the animated one!
Dance your cares away…worries for another day…let the music play…down at Fraggle Rock! Red, Boober, Gobo, Wembley, and Mokey are spending their days playing and singing. While Doc and Sprocket question why the pipes are always banging, the Gorgs try to protect their radishes, and Doozers hope that they can keep the Fraggles from eating their buildings, the Fraggles live the best they can!
Fraggle Rock was part of NBC’s Saturday morning cartoon block for one season and aired thirteen episodes from September 12, 1987 to December 5, 1987. The series was a spin-off of the popular Jim Henson Muppet style series which aired on HBO.
I grew up not having cable so I never was a Fraggle Rock watcher. While most people find the animated Fraggle Rock cartoon as a so-so cartoon in comparison to the series, I never had anything to compare it to. The series did however follow the format of the other Jim Henson cartoon series Muppet Babies.
We are the generic Fraggles that no one cares about!!!
I loved Muppet Babies and always found Fraggle Rock as a poor man’s version. Watching it now, it seems like pretty standard fare cartoon. I do enjoy the symbiotic relationship between Doc, the Fraggles, the Doozers, and the Gorgs, but I also find it really weird…so are the Gorgs just outside of Doc’s house? How big are Fraggles and Doozers because it seems like they are always changing size? Maybe if I had watched the series, I could just go with it, but I just found it weird…but not the greatest (plus I bet all the other Fraggles hated Wembley, Red, Gobo, Mokey, and Boober dominating all the time in Fraggle Rock).
Fraggle Rock: The Animated Series is probably a good addition for Fraggle Rock fans but people who never watched the series might not be able to get into it. The series is however fairly cheap to pick-up and a quick watch with above average animation. Now if we could get a full run of Muppet Babies…
Fraggle Rock: The Animated Series—Complete Series Episode Guide:
“No Fraggle is an Island”
Episode 1 No Fraggle Is an Island Airdate: 09/12/87
When Boober is fed up, the Fraggles vow to leave him alone by moving out of the Great Hall. Unfortunately Boober accidentally wakes up the Slurp which takes over the Great Hall.
“Big Trouble for a Little Fraggle”
“Necessity Is the Fraggle of Invention”
Episode 2 Big Trouble for a Little Fraggle/Necessity is the Fraggle of Invention Airdate: 09/19/87
Big Trouble for a Little Fraggle—When Wembley wishes he was taller, his wish comes true, but Wembley discovers that wishes can backfire. Necessity is the Fraggle of Invention—It is Fantastic Fraggle Think It Up Day and Wembley can’t think of anything. When fire threatens Marjory the Trash Heap, Wembley has to think fast.
“The Great Radish Round-Up”
“Lucky Fargy”
Episode 3 The Great Radish Round Up/Lucky Fargy Airdate: 09/26/87
The Great Radish Round Up—The Gorgs decide to grow Banoony Berries instead of radishes to keep Fraggles away and the Fraggles find where they are being stored. The Doozers decide they need to get the Gorgs growing radishes again. Luck Fargy—Boober gets a rag-fraggle from Mokey and decides Fargy must be good luck. When Wembley drops Fargy down the deep dark pit, Wembley and Boober go after him.
“A Fraggle for All Seasons”
“A Growing Relationship”
Episode 4 A Fraggle for All Seasons/A Growing Relationship Airdate: 10/03/87
A Fraggle for All Season—Mokey wishes she could do something more with her life and seeks out a Fraggle for All Seasons by examining all her friends. A Growing Relationship—It is time for the yearly planet contest Green Tail Day at Fraggle Rock, and when Red picks a plant from Doc’s shop, it might grow out of control to destroy the Fraggles.
“Best of the Best”
“Where No Fraggle Has Gone Before”
Episode 5 The Best of the Best/Where No Fraggle Has Gone Before Airdate: 10/10/87
The Best of the Best—It is Red’s Record Breaking Day, and Red forces her friends to help her top her previous records despite the risks. Where No Fraggle Has Gone Before—Gobo and Wembley prepare to climb to the Top of the Universe on the home of the Gorgs. When Gobo is caught up in the pomp and circumstance of his trip, Wembley has to pack his pack with disastrous results.
“Gobo’s Song”
“Wembley and the Bemble”
Episode 6 Gobo’s Song/Wembley and the Bemble Airdate: 10/17/87
Gobo’s Song—Gobo questions if being an explorer is a worthwhile profession but finds himself in the past when he falls asleep while listening to Cantus the Minstrel. Wembley and the Bemble—When the Storyteller Fraggle tells the story of the Bemble and Rathbone Fraggle, Wembley worries the Bemble is real.
“Ambassador Gorg”
“Homebody Matt”
Episode 7 Ambassador Gorg/Homebody Matt Airdate: 10/24/87
Ambassador Gorg—Junior Gorg is sent by his father on a mission to make peace with “the Enemy”. When Junior can’t find the enemy, he hides the peace offering in Fraggle Rock. The Fraggles question if the Gorgs want peace and prepare to go to dinner. Homebody Matt—When Gobo’s Uncle Matt returns from his travels in “Outer Space”, he accidentally loses his memory of his journeys. Faced with an amnesiac Travelling Matt, Gobo sets out to remind his uncle of his adventures.
“The Great Fraggle Freeze”
Episode 8 The Great Fraggle Freeze Airdate: 10/31/87
When Doc’s power and water heater goes out, Fraggle Rock is flooded with cold water. After speaking with the Trash Heap, Gobo sets out to the Mystical Magical Maze to restore the heat. Gobo is faced with the threat of the Furious Garboil but realizes he’s forgotten the weapons left to him by the Trash Heap. The Doozers also seek out the Mystical Magical Maze and work to restore the heat.
“Laundry Never Lies”
“What Boober’s Nose Knows”
Episode 9 Laundry Never Lies/What Boober’s Nose Knows Airdate: 11/07/87
Laundry Never Lies—Red loses her sweater in the river, and Boober’s ability to read laundry leads the Fraggles to believe that something bad happened to her. What Boober’s Nose Knows—The Fraggles find the Sweet Water is gone and realize they need Boober’s keen sense of smell to locate it. The Gorgs store their Sweetberry Juice and don’t realize that the creatures that continue to steal it are Fraggles.
“Mokey’s Flood of Creativity”
“What the Doozers Did”
Episode 10 Mokey’s Flood of Creativity/What the Doozers Did Airdate: 11/14/87
Mokey’s Flood of Creativity—When the Gorgs drain the Fraggle’s pool, the Pipe Bangers realize it is a monumental pipe-banging ceremony. As the Fraggles prepare for the big moment, Mokey plans a poem for the Pipe Bangers. When Mokey’s poem runs long, Fraggle Rock faces flooding. What the Doozers Did—Cotterpin Doozer just doesn’t have the Doozer spirit. Criticized for wanting to make boats and water crafts, Cotterpin reveals to the Doozers that being different could be a good thing when Fraggle Rock floods.
“Red’s Drippy Dilemma”
“Fraggle Babble”
Episode 11 Red’s Drippy Dilemma/Fraggle Babble Airdate: 11/21/87
Red’s Drippy Dilemma—When Red shirks her duties on repairing a dripping pipe to perform a water show, the drip begins to drive the Fraggles crazy and might wreck Red’s show. Fraggle Babble—When Mokey is given the duty of creating new words for the Fraggle language, she decides to change Fraggle-Code by admitting all the Fraggle’s invented words. Mokey finds she can’t get the Fraggles to use the new words and decides to bring in Convincing John to help her. Mokey discovers new words might cause a problem.
“The Radish Fairy”
“Funniest Joke in the Universe”
Episode 12 The Radish Fairy/The Funniest Joke in the Universe Airdate: 11/28/87
The Radish Fairy—Red tricks Junior Gorg into giving the Fraggles an unlimited supply of radishes when he believes her to be the Radish Fairy. As the pile of radishes grow, Red realizes she’s made a mistake. The Funniest Joke in the Universe—Boober finds he can’t laugh at anything and seeks out a joke to make him laugh. When he finds the Funniest Joke in the Universe, Boober accidentally unleashes a laughing plague that could keep the Fraggles laughing forever.
“Fraggle Fool’s Day”
“Wembley’s Trip to Outer Space”
Episode 13 Fraggle Fool’s Day/Wembley’s Trip to Outer Space Airdate: 12/05/87
Fraggle Fool’s Day—It’s Fraggle Fool’s Day and Red is celebrating. When Red’s tricks get out of control, Red and Mokey find themselves in danger. Wembley’s Trip to Outer Space—When Wembley gets a bad case of the Wembliosis, the Fraggles realize the only cure is a big scare…like the ones found in Outer Space!!!
[easyazon-block align=”center” asin=”B002USF1VI” locale=”us”]
