Dance your cares away and save those worries for another day, as Jim Henson's children's programming masterpiece Fraggle Rock will be presented as a complete archive in a beautiful goodie-filled 20 disc collection called Fraggle Rock: The Complete Series Collection – which includes the entire award-winning series – all available on DVD.
HBO ran the Jim Henson Company's television series, Fraggle Rock, for four seasons (96 episodes) from 1983 to 1987.
The world of Fraggle Rock stressed tolerance, living in harmony with neighbors of differing stripes, and the spirit of kindness, teamwork and loyalty. The inventive and addictive series featured a quirky group of magenta, red, brown and yellow hair-colored subterranean species known as the Fraggles.
The Fraggles preferred to sing and dance, and work just thirty minutes a week; a great idea if you ask me.
Their industrious neighbors, the Doozers, are tiny green workers that build elaborate structures the Fraggles find irresistibly tasty; the Gorgs are giant troll-like creatures who live in the garden above Fraggle Rock guarding the delectable (to a Fraggle especially) radish patch. And all of it going on hidden in world underneath Doc (Gerry Parkes) and Sprocket's workshop.
These adorable cave-dwelling creatures revel in one mishap or adventure after another, and each segment of Fraggle Rock is interspersed with film of our world supplied by Gobo's Uncle Matt, who travels our world in search of answers and to explain the mysteries of human existence.
The Fraggle five - practical Gobo; artistic Mokey; athletic Red; indecisive Wembley; worrisome Boober - and the unique mix of music, from folk, blues and gospel to country and rock all entertain and encourage an understanding and embracing of diversity.
Never-before released episodes from season four included in the Fraggle Rock Complete Series Collection are "Sprocket's Big Adventure," "Wembley's Wonderful Whoopie Water," "Sidebottom Blues," "Uncle Matt's Discovery," "Junior Faces the Music," "A Tune For Two," The Perfect Blue Rollie," "A Brush With Jealousy," "Wembley's Flight," "Red's Blue Dragon," "Wonder Mountain," "Space Frog Follies" and "Boober Gorg."
The series has a special place in my heart, as one of my sons grew up watching Wembley, Boober, Mokey and Gobo navigate life's little and larger lessons of responsibility, education and friendship.
Watching Sprocket the dog to this day still just kills me, as the puppeteers who brought the suffering shaggy canine sidekick of Doc to life did so with amazing artistry. Sprocket the puppet pooch has more acting chops in the wag of his head than half of the television actors out there today.
This is one to invest in and purchase and/or gift to any parents of young children; it is rare to have such entertaining and clever children's programming that doesn't pander to kids or annoy the older viewers in the room.
The show spanned 25 years and featured brilliant puppeteering, set design and music that has held up perfectly.
Hard pressed, but to pick my favorite episode, the second season's show, "Wembley's Egg", written by Laura Phillips, about Wembley's existential crisis and his call to action to save a tree creature's "egg house," is tops. Wembley discovers just how hard it is to be the responsible "Mama" and do the right thing with lots of collaboration from his friends.
DVD special features include:
The show has received five international Emmy awards. With more than 1.3 million DVD's sold to date - the Fraggle Rock series is adored by legions of fans around the globe.
Fraggle Rock: The Complete Series Collection is now available at Amazon . As of yet, there is not a release date for this version of the DVD in the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.
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