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Starring |
Jerry Nelson
,
Dave Goelz
,
Karen Pell
,
Gerry Parkes
,
Kathryn Mullen
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Directed By |
Various Directors
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Audio
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Dolby Digital 2.0
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Visuals
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4:3 Fullscreen
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Running Time |
592 mins
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UK Release Date |
October 18, 2010
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Genre |
Family, TV
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Our Rating |
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User Rating |
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Oftentimes when you revisit shows from your youth as wizened, cynical adult, they simply don’t come close to matching up to your memory of them, which can be a great disappointment. I was all ready for Fraggle Rock, which first hit TV screens in 1983, to strike me the same way, but thankfully it’s still a bit of a treat for children and adults alike.
In case you don’t know, created by Jim Henson in true Muppety puppety fashion, Fraggle Rock is about a race of creatures that live in caves underneath an inventor’s workshop. Gobo, Boober, Red, Mokey and co. live lives of fun, playing and lots and lots of singing, which working only 30 minutes a week, and getting into all manner of adventures. There’s also the little Doozers, who constantly build structures the Fraggles eat (Fraggles also seem slightly obsessed with eating radishes), the Gorgs who love to catch Fraggles, as well as a talking trash heap.
It’s all rather insane and does make you wonder what on Earth the creators were taking when they came up with it, but it’s a huge amount of fun, full of songs, optimism, nice simple morals, gentle humour and just a little bit of education (largely provided by Uncle Matt, who’s left Fraggle World and is exploring Outer Space, aka our world).
While there have been a couple previous ‘best of’ DVD releases, this is the first time a full series of Fraggle Rock has been released on DVD in the UK. It’s been a long time coming, but it’s been worth the wait, as it really is a great show, which may look a little aged compared to modern kids’ series, but nevertheless retains a lot more heart and imagine than most. Although it’s a great nostalgia trip for those in their late 20 and early 30s, it’ll also be appreciated by today’s youngsters, as well as parents looking for some safe entertainment for their kids.
Best of all is that just this single season of Fraggle Rock includes 24 episodes, amounting to nearly 600 minutes on Muppety madness, which should be enough to keep anyone happy until Season 2 arrives. The only thing the package lack is special features, as there aren’t any at all. While that’s a shame, at least the show itself is still a lot of fun.
Overall Verdict: It’s taken a long time to get to the UK, but Fraggle Rock is still a treat for all ages.
Special Features:
None
Reviewer: Tim Isaac
