Thoughts on Fraggle Rock?

[GizmoAkimbo]

So, as crazy as it sounds, I've never watched Fraggle Rock. I might have seen a few episodes when I was fairly young, but I have no recollection of it.

Anyways, I decided that I would give it a gander, knowing that it tends to be one of the most favorited franchises from the Henson Company. Before I do that though, I wanted to gain some insight from those who love the show, and their general reception of it and its characters back when first watching the series (or heck, even rewatching).

So, to those who are fans:
What makes the show enthralling to you?
Who are your favorite characters and why?
What were a few of your favorite episodes?

Thanks for anyone who responds, and hopefully this discussion can get the forums active again!

 

[CL1FFXD]

So, to those who are fans:
What makes the show enthralling to you?
Who are your favorite characters and why?
What were a few of your favorite episodes?

1. I love the idea of little creatures living together in a little world of their own. I know it’s been done before but Fraggle Rock is just so creative with it and does it really well!!!
2. If we're talking og series, my favorite character is Sidebottom, Boober Fraggle's alter ego. He’s just so fun. And in Back to the Rock (the reboot) my favorite one is Pogey. I love the lgbtq representation!!
3. In reality, I’ve never watched any episodes of Fraggle Rock. I’ve just seen alot of clips of it online and read some episode descriptions on the Muppet Wiki.

 

[Harold43]

So, to those who are fans:
What makes the show enthralling to you?
Who are your favorite characters and why?
What were a few of your favorite episodes?

1. From a historical perspective, I view the series as the "sweet spot" between Henson's technical abilities, storytelling abilities and accessibility. Did I like other Henson legacy productions? Of course. However, I just think that this series was the closest when it came to an overall good, technical & accessible product.

From a storytelling perspective, who doesn't love a relatively peaceful civilization where conflict is resolved without bloodshed?

2. I don't hate any of the main characters but I haven't built shrines for any of them, either. The series is written for people to like Gobo (who doesn't like lenient leaders?) and to relate with the other characters (the neurotic Wembley, the laidback Boober, the athletic and determined Red and the artistic Mokey) as need be. After all, who hasn't felt the flair of artistry from time to time or suddenly felt a rush of determination? Who hasn't been stressed out over a situation and, by contrast, been laid back when others have freaked out? As you get older, you get a fondness for all of them and the ancillary characters (Traveling Matt, Cantus, etc.) as well.

3. I can't pinpoint individual episodes like I used to - I just enjoy that this series is from a calmer, more deliberate bygone era that didn't rely upon certain types of humor to elicit amusement. My age is showing but I don't appreciate how often "the fourth wall" is broken these days and even the tiniest bit of snark goes an awful long way with me, especially in a childrens' series. When one of the Minstrels has a lightly snarky retort after one of Cantus' philosophical musings, it cuts through like a knife only because of its rarity; In a modern kids' show, such snark is virtually non-stop.

I haven't seen the new series; My understanding is that it's not as calm and gentle as the original. Whether or not the tone shift is beneficial remains to be seen.