Fraggle Rock: The Animated Series
By Joyce Slaton,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Bland spin-off of Henson series has some positive messages.
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What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.
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What's the Story?
Based on the noted children's fantasy series FRAGGLE ROCK, which starred puppets, this animated version was made to run on Saturday morning television. Like the original Fraggle Rock, this series follows the adventures of a group of tiny creatures with fuzzy heads and tails, who live in a secret subterranean world with many other strange creatures. The Fraggles are always in danger of being captured by the giant, malevolent Gorgs, as well as battling and avoiding other assorted monsters, but Gobo (Townsend Coleman), Wembley (Bob Bergen), Red (Barbara Goodson) and the rest of the Fraggles muddle through together.
Is It Any Good?
Although produced by Jim Henson Productions, like the superior live-action/puppet series Fraggle Rock, the same care and attention was clearly not lavished on the animated counterpart, which has the look and feel of an also-ran made on the cheap.
However, if you're not comparing the animated series to the live-action one, you could do worse with kids' cartoons. If the characters aren't thrilling, neither are they offensive, and though the plots are standard-issue cartoon "message" stories, at least they're relatively innocent. In addition, there are several differentiated female characters on the show, a rarity in the Henson world where Miss Piggy is voiced by a man.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why the Gorgs are so interested in catching Fraggles. What do they want to do with the Fraggles when they catch them? Can big creatures and little creatures ever be friendly?
Have you watched the Fraggle Rock series with Muppets? Which show do you like better? Why? Which show do you think costs more money to make?
TV Details
- Premiere date: September 12, 1987
- Cast: Barbara Goodson, Bob Bergen, Townsend Coleman
- Networks: NBC, Disney Channel
- Genre: Kids' Animation
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Puppets
- TV rating: TV-Y
- Last updated: February 25, 2022
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