I personally think that when it wasn't outright remaking episodes of the original series
What episodes do you think they remade? I never got that impression.
I'm pretty sure the animated "Fraggle Rock" was my first introduction to the Fraggles (my family did have cable in 1987, but it was just the basics, so we didn't have HBO, and I do remember seeing some of the original "Fraggle Rock" during Disney Channel previews, but I couldn't come up with which episodes they were if I tried). I like the series, not as much as the original live action version, but I didn't really get into the original version until 2016/2017, something like that (it was around the time I first joined this forum). And up until then, I hadn't thought about it until I decided to search for it. I still enjoy the animated series, with a few exceptions. Ma and Junior Gorg's voices needed a lot of work, and Gobo's voice was too deep (nothing against Townsend Coleman, though). The show also featured John Stephanson as Doc, who I recognized right away, being the major Hanna-Barbara fan that I am, and Rob Paulsen's Boober was the best of the bunch. Cantus made an appearance in one episode, but the voice was terrible! Nothing against Bob Bergen (who voiced Cantus in that episode, as well as Wembley), but I can't see anyone except Jim Henson do Cantus.
I know the animated "Fraggle Rock" wasn't as good as the original "Muppet Babies" (another Saturday morning staple of my childhood. My sister and I never missed it if we could help it), but it does have some moments.