Fraggle Rock, Season 1

FRAGGLE ROCK SEASON 1 (DVD)
Lionsgate UK 

Release date: October 18th 2010
Certificate (UK): U
Running time: 592 minutes
Year of production: 1983

Created by: Jim Henson

Cast: Gobo, Mokey, Red, Wembley, Boober, Uncle Matt

“Dance your cares away,
Worry’s for another day.
Let the music play,
Down at Fraggle Rock.”

Do you remember getting home from school and turning on the TV for a daily afternoon triple bill of Sesame Street, The Muppet Show and Fraggle Rock? Or was it just me?

From the mid to late 80’s those were some of the best times, back when kids TV shows entertained and taught simultaneously. Before the Teletubbies, Hoobs and that really creepy little fellow, Iggle Piggle came along.

Created by the magical genius known as Jim Henson, Fraggle Rock was in the vein of Sesame Street and The Muppet Show but met somewhere in between playing and learning. The show is set in a world where creatures, including humans, are part of a complex system of symbiotic relationships. Much of the fun was seeing how they continue to exist without realising it!

At the centre of it all is the “Rock” where the fun loving and colourful Fraggles live. There’s Mokey, Red, Wembley and Boober. Gobo is the leader and most level headed and practical member of the group. His Uncle Matt is somewhat of an explorer and ventures out of the Fraggle caves into “Outer Space” where he observes humans. One of them is an inventor called Doc who lives with his dog, Sprocket.

Through another cave exit, the Gorgs live. They are three giant furry creatures; a king, queen and prince of the universe, who are in actual fact a simple family living on a farm. The prince always tries to catch the Fraggles and succeeds on some occasions but his parents regard them as pests.

Let’s not forget the Doozers. They too live in the Fraggle caves, although they are much smaller, only a few inches tall. They are always busy building things and they’re extremely dedicated to their jobs. The Fraggles on the other hand are very dedicated to eating everything the Doozers build.

All 24 episodes are included in this Season 1 boxset. If, like me, you grew up watching American television, you’ll be happy to know that this is the American version. The UK version had the some differences; the inventor was changed to a lighthouse captain and the show was set on an island with a light house.

Though it’s a bare-bones release (no special features are included) and the picture quality looks very grainy, as if from a VHS transfer, it’s still Fraggle Rock and a nice piece of nostalgia from long gone days to have once again.

Patrick Samuel

The founder of Static Mass Emporium and one of its Editors in Chief is an emerging artist with a philosophy degree, working primarily with pastels and graphite pencils, but he also enjoys experimenting with water colours, acrylics, glass and oil paints.

Being on the autistic spectrum with Asperger’s Syndrome, he is stimulated by bold, contrasting colours, intricate details, multiple textures, and varying shades of light and dark. Patrick's work extends to sound and video, and when not drawing or painting, he can be found working on projects he shares online with his followers.

Patrick returned to drawing and painting after a prolonged break in December 2016 as part of his daily art therapy, and is now making the transition to being a full-time artist. As a spokesperson for autism awareness, he also gives talks and presentations on the benefits of creative therapy.

Static Mass is where he lives his passion for film and writing about it. A fan of film classics, documentaries and science fiction, Patrick prefers films with an impeccable way of storytelling that reflect on the human condition.

Patrick Samuel ¦ Asperger Artist

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