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'Fraggle Rock' - A Classic Children's Show

Dance Your Cares Away!

By Hayley DodwellPublished 5 years ago 4 min read
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Photo Credit: Henson.com

Fraggle Rock was such a classic children's programme, with just the best theme tune ever?! "Dance your cares away. Worry’s for another day. Let the music play. Down at Fraggle Rock!" Such a fun, catchy, happy, uplifting song! How can you not just love it? The song even reached number thirty three in the UK charts, frankly I think it deserved the number one spot!

Fraggle Rock has to be one of the best children’s programmes ever!! It was aimed for all ages, the young and the young at heart. The programme was full of fun, comedy, slapstick, singing and dancing. Which follows the adventures of the Fraggles. Created by Jim Henson, who was the creator of The Muppets. Fraggle Rock was filmed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. With Executive Producer, Jim Henson, and produced by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, HBO. It was co-produced by British TV company, Television South.

Originally the programme was released on January 20th 1983, to March 30th 1987. With five series and ninety six episodes. Each episode was twenty five minutes long. The main characters were the Fraggles, who lived in a system of natural caves, the caves connected to the ‘Land of the Gorgs’ or the ‘Universe’ and to ‘Outer Space’ where the ‘silly creatures’ lived, or also known as ‘humans.’

Down at 'Fraggle Rock'...

Photo Credit: Henson.com

Can you remember all the Fraggles? Let me remind you! There was Gobo Fraggle, he was the leader of the Fraggles, who loved to go on trips and explore the tunnels. Gobo was extremely adventurous. He also played guitar. Mokey Fraggle, she was the oldest of the Fraggles, quiet, artistic, a hippy. She loved painting, reading and writing poetry. She was very optimistic. Wembley Fraggle, who was Gobo’s best friend. Wembley hated to hurt anybody’s feelings. He worked for the fire department, as their siren. Wembley loved to play the bongo drums. My favourite was Red Fraggle. Red was very sporty, athletic and a brilliant swimmer. Last, but certainly not least, was Boober Fraggle. The youngest of the Fraggles. Boober was very intelligent, the most intelligent. He loved blues music, which he sang and he also played the harmonica.

The Fraggle Rock cast was more than those fabulous Fraggles, there was also Uncle ‘Travelling’ Matt, who is Gobo’s Uncle. Uncle ‘Travelling’ Matt was clumsy, absent minded, dithery. He loved exploring, especially in ‘outer space’ where the ‘silly creatures’ live AKA planet earth and humans! Uncle ‘Travelling’ Matt sent Gobo postcards, describing his adventures.

The Doozers, they were the other creatures which lived in the caves. The Doozers, who dedicate their lives to work and industry, spend much of their time constructing and building buildings. Their buildings were made of edible candy, which the Fraggles loved to eat!

Who could forget The Gorgs?! Ma and Pa considered themselves to be the King and Queen of the Universe! They had a son, the Prince, Junior. When really they were simple farmers with a rustic house and a garden patch. They considered the Fraggles to be a pest. Ma, Pa and their son, Junior. Junior often tried to catch the Fraggles though very unsuccessfully.

Uplifting, Delightful, Fun

Photo Credit: Henson.com

Marjory the Trash Heap, who lived in the Gorg’s garden. Marjory was very wise, she gave guidance and advice to the Fraggles. Philo and Gunge. Who lived at the trash heap with Marjory. They watched over the heap. They were humorous, yet they did have bad jokes and puns!

Sprocket the dog, this dog lived in the lighthouse, in ‘Outer Space’ which the Fraggles can reach via their tunnels. Uncle ‘Travelling’ Matt, sent his postcards to the lighthouse, for Gobo to secretly collect. When Gobo secretly entered the lighthouse to pick up a postcard, Sprocket tried to chase Gobo, unsuccessfully though. Then Sprocket tried to tell his Master, the light house keeper, who is a retired sailor, the Captain, that Gobo lived beyond the wall, but Sprocket can’t convince him.

The Fraggles weren’t just on the small screen, oh no, they were on the big screen too! Yes indeed! They appeared in 1987’s, Muppet Family Christmas. There was also one animated series, in 1987 on HBO.

Fraggle Rock was twenty five minute episodes of joy! Funny and uplifting. They were developed from the beginning to be for an international audience. The programme has been broadcast in ninety countries, and in thirteen languages. It was also the first ever American/ Canadian TV show to be broadcast in the Soviet Union.

Jim Henson described Fraggle Rock as, “a high energy, raucous musical romp. It’s a lot of silliness. It’s wonderful.” Well the best place to dance your cares away, will always be, down at Fraggle Rock!

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About the Creator

Hayley Dodwell

I am a freelance writer. As well as Vocal, I have also written articles for numerous websites, including, Eighties Kids, WhatCulture, Child Of The 1980's, Online Book Club, GoNOMAD Travel, Hubpages, and ScreenHub Entertainment.

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