Fraggle Blog - The Grapes of Generosity

Episode IIIiv, written by Jerry Juhl.

Hmmm...is Sprocket having a dream? The way we transitioned out of Sprocket sleeping in Doc's chair, it was almost like a setup for this episode to be a dream.

Interesting...Gobo just used "gorg" as a verb, saying the other Fraggles would "gorg out" on the grapes.

Gobo's eye focus seems a bit off...noticed it in the last episode too. His left pupil is a little bit too far left.

A fun episode. The floating effects were pulled off well, and the script had a fun "spin" on it that is typical of Jerry Juhl's writing.

Fraggle Blog - Boober and the Glob

Episode IIIiii, written by Jocelyn Stevenson.

"Why did the radish kiss the banana?" Is there an answer to that? I guess because it had "a peel"?

Boober can't tell the Doozers apart. They all look alike to him!

Kind of hard to buy Cotterpin standing so close to the Glob, talking to her mother, after she knows it's eating Doozers...

A nice episode, which really showed the Fraggle/Doozer relationship evolving. And any episode that spotlights Boober already has something going for it!

Fraggle Blog - Red-Handed and the Invisible Thief

Episode IIIii, written by Robert Sandler.

A very good episode. Well told and fun. Lots of good character building for Red.

I do believe that this episode didn't go back to the Doc subplot until the very end. Usually they check back at least once to see how Doc and Sprocket's story is progressing. Did this have anything to do with my feeling that this episode was so well-told?

Fraggle Blog - The Bells of Fraggle Rock

Episode IIIi, written by Jerry Juhl, Jocelyn Stevenson, and Susan Juhl.

Three writers!

And so, season 3 begins. Although apparently, these first 6 shows were shot immediately after season 2 wrapped. So it's kind of a continuation.

Annoying that the season 3 DVD release has this episode out of order, on disc 4. I'm trusting that Muppet Wiki has the airing order correct, rather than HIT.

Man, I love Cantus, and how he seems simultaneously profound and full of crap. Brilliant.

So when Fraggles freeze, their pupils disappear? Except for Wembley's?

A very interesting episode, clearly intended to be a religious parable. Everyone believes in the Great Bell. Gobo challenges this, and goes out looking for concrete proof of the Great Bell's existence. When he gets to where the Bell should be, the cave is empty. But when he returns to his friends, they've all frozen because the Rock has stopped moving. Cantus explains that the Great Bell isn't at the center of the Rock, it's at the heart of the Rock, and that heart is within each of them.

So, assuming the Great Bell stands for the core of a religious belief, does this mean that if you look for concrete proof, you won't find it, but the religion is nonetheless true? Or does it mean that the religion isn't true (the Great Bell wasn't actually there), but it's our relationships and celebration of life itself that makes the world keep turning? And are these mutually exclusive? I'm beginning to sound like Cantus myself. But I like the latter option, and I think it's a mark of a well-written show that it can leave itself open to interpretation, yet still "ring true".

Fraggle Blog - The Invasion of the Toe Ticklers

Episode IIxxiv, written by David Young.

Hmm, Mokey writes right handed. Did she earlier in the show's run?

Mmph, Gerry Parkes is a good actor.

A very nice episode. Mokey thought she was being a good conservationist when she rescued Agnes, but it set off a chain of events that caused havoc. A nice lesson in how difficult it is to maintain the balance of nature, and how the best of intentions can have negative, uncontrollable consequences.

So, that wraps up season 2...although according to Muppet Wiki, they went ahead and shot the first 6 episodes of season 3 before breaking. I must say, things improved a great deal in this season. Looking back at my end-of-season-1 comments, I'm not sure the Gorgs are that much better defined, but we at least have gotten to know them better.

A couple of other thoughts: It seems that absolutely nothing came of what seemed to be a budding Gobo/Mokey romance. It also seems that Sprocket has indeed stopped barking at Gobo, although he hasn't had much opportunity to, since it's been quite a while since we saw Gobo actually fetching Traveling Matt's postcard.

Best of all though, I think the situation with the music has improved a lot. It's been a while since we had a real "stop-the-action" song; the songs have seemed much better integrated into the plot, and better overall. Everyone connected with the show seems to have a firmer grasp on what the show is and how it works best.

On to season 3!

Fraggle Blog - Boober's Quiet Day

Episode IIxxiii, written by Jerry Juhl.

Okay, this is beautiful, Boober floating around in the teacup. Awesome.

Wow, Boober without his hat! Don't think we've ever seen that.

A very, very fun episode. Dave Goelz is awesome. I did feel this episode had a more conventional resolution than the first Sidebottom episode. It was like Boober and Sidebottom reconciled, whereas I'd rather think Boober was locked in an eternal struggle with his fun side. Still, lots of fun. Sidebottom was a brilliant invention.

Fraggle Blog - Doozer Is As Doozer Does

Episode IIxxii, written by Jocelyn Stevenson.

Okay, so this was not my favorite episode. I just don't find the Doozers that involving. Kind of cute, I guess, but the puppets aren't nearly as expressive as the Fraggles, and the characterizations aren't nearly as developed. And the plot was such an obvious "don't succumb to peer pressure", "kids, don't do drugs" metaphor that I just couldn't get with it.

There must be Fraggles.

Fraggle Blog - Wembley and the Great Race

Episode IIxxi, written by Robert Sandler.

A new writer!

Ooh, we actually heard the mumbling of Ned Shimmelfinney over the phone!

I love that old Apple computer gear Doc has...wonder what it all is?

Why does Red have that bandage on her face? Did I miss something?

Wow, some incredible running shots! How did they do that?

A nice episode. Some nice character development for Wembley, and a fun performance by Steve Whitmire.

Fraggle Blog - A Cave of One's Own

Episode IIxx, written by Susan and Jerry Juhl.

This is the first time I've had a strong feeling about the direction of a particular episode, and I don't feel like this one is being handled especially well. These scenes with Mokey and Red at cross purposes seem pretty sloppy and confused...I don't think it's the writing, I think it's the direction.

Hmm...Red can pick up a dumbbell with her tail! I didn't know they were prehensile!

Geez, both Mokey and Red are just talking and shouting at each other at the same time...wasn't there a better way to handle these scenes?

And only Red and Mokey are singing, so why do I hear more than two female voices?

Wow...Mokey getting violent with Red there! Such aggression!

Okay, this was not my favorite episode. So clamorous! The conflict between Mokey and Red wasn't presented cleanly, it was a big mess with both characters screaming at the same time.

Fraggle Blog - Doomsday Soup

Episode XXxix, written by Sugith Varughese.

Boober just broke out into a plot-oriented song, and Gobo and Wembley congratulated him on the great song!

That's rather a nice effect with the disappearing Fraggles!

Hey, Junior's rapping! And in 1980-whatever!

A fun episode, with some nice Gorg/Fraggle interaction.

Fraggle Blog - The Day the Music Died

Episode IIxviii, written by B.P. Nichol.

This morning there are birds singing outside Doc's door. I swear I heard gulls just a couple of episodes ago.

I think Whitmire just flubbed a line. Instead of answering Gobo with a "Me?", he said "You?". And then "Me?", quickly. But they kept going and finished the take.

The dying Ditsies are not only making the lights go out, they're making all the Fraggles grow eyelids!

Interesting episode.

Fraggle Blog - Fraggle Wars

Episode IIxvii, written by Laura Phillips.

Ooh, freaky Fraggles in Fraggle Cave!

Did we hear seagulls outside Doc's workshop when the door was open?

That was an excellently plotted episode. If you told me that within a half hour span, I'd accept that Fraggles were going to go to war against other Fraggles, and then the whole thing would be resolved, I wouldn't believe you. But the motivations and escalation were perfectly believable, something that isn't always the case on this show. Plus, there was still plenty of time for funny stuff, with some really great bits from Goelz and Whitmire. Excellent episode, one of the most tightly written yet.

Fraggle Blog - Junior Sells the Farm

Episode IIxvi, written by Jerry Juhl.

Junior is 473!

Wow, Wander McMooch is weird!

Okay, I'm feeling like I know the Gorgs a bit better after that episode. Nicely done, Mr. Juhl.

Fraggle Blog - Manny's Land of Carpets

Episode IIxv, written by David Young.

Hmm...wasn't there a better way to get the radio into the Fraggle hole than for Sprocket to get scared and put it in there?

Wow, that Santa was the worst actor I've ever seen.

The "Goodbye" song was boring.

I believe this is the first episode where my old Bear Wranglin' buddy Fred Buchholz was credited!

This was a really good episode, with a great premise. I loved the Fraggles having a relic from another civilization and completely misinterpreting what it means. Good one!

Fraggle Blog - The Secret of Convincing John

Episode IIxiv, written by B.P. Nichol.

Yay, Convincing John returns!

Well, Sprocket did bark at Gobo, but perhaps it was only because Gobo fell into the hole.

A fun episode, but then any episode with Convincing John is going to be fun! A nice exploration of Wembley's personality.

Fraggle Blog - Red's Club

Episode IIxiii, written by Jocelyn Stevenson.

Rowlf! Doc mentioned Rowlf!

After Pa Gorg caught the four Fraggles, he went to get his "blunderbuss". This seems like proof positive that he wanted to kill the Fraggles. And he apparently wanted to kill Red, even though she had just helped him.

I wish I hadn't read in the Muppet Wiki that Karen Prell was sick during this taping and Steve Whitmire had to puppeteer Red, with Karen dubbing the lines afterwards. I wonder if I would have had an inkling that something like that was going on. It seemed easy to detect Whitmire's puppetry style with the knowledge in hand, but would I have known? I wish I knew!

This episode was a significant step forward in the evolution of the show. Red and Cotterpin Doozer interacted a good deal, further eroding the barrier between Fraggles and Doozers. But apparently the murderous, bloodthirsty Gorgs are beyond hope. We'll see!

Fraggle Blog - The Doozer Contest

Episode IIxii, written by Sugith Varughese.

Hmm, the Doozers have some odd ideas about what "taking credit" means! They say it means that you think your work is better than everyone else's.

I like this exploration of the Doozer temperament. It seems that they're so used to working together for the good of all Doozers, that when more selfish, competitive feelings surface, they have no understanding of how to control them.

I wonder what building that is that Matt is trying to climb? Looked a bit like the Space Needle in Seattle, but that doesn't make sense if the show was shot in Toronto.

Nice to have another episode that gives us insight into the world of the Doozers. Not a very musical episode! But I guess Doozers aren't as musical as Fraggles anyway.

Fraggle Blog - The Wizard of Fraggle Rock

Episode IIxi, by Jocelyn Stevenson and John Pattison.

Neat, they let a puppeteer co-write an episode! And there isn't even a good part for him in it!

I wonder who that was in the photo as "The Great Doc"?

A fun episode. The Wizard was certainly a Convincing John-type character. But I feel a bit bad for the Poison Cackler. How did it ever get out of that deep pit at the end?

Fraggle Blog - A Friend in Need

Episode IIx, written by Laura Phillips.

Okay, Gobo's pretty stuck on himself this episode...

I really liked Wembley's Piglet-like frightened word-scrambling.

Hmm...this is basically the first Fraggle/Gorg conversation, isn't it?

Okay, this "Count on Me" song is really stopping things in the tracks. Can Sprocket count on you to stop singing and help him get unstuck?

Okay, at least now he's working while he's singing...

Wow, what a beautiful shot of Sprocket spiraling through the air!

Well, that was a very significant episode in terms of the evolution of Fraggle Rock's storyline. Gobo and Sprocket made friends, and Gobo and Ma Gorg had a sympathetic conversation. I guess Sprocket didn't initially chase Gobo back into the hole because he was supposed to be sad about not getting his dinner, but I think it would have been a stronger choice to have him chase Gobo as usual, and then get stuck. That would have given him a longer way to go emotionally, from the usual outrage/anger all the way to sadness and then gratitude.

So will Sprocket not chase Gobo anymore? We'll see!