Fraggle Rock was/is a wonderful children's show from Jim Henson. It aired from 1983 to 1987, and introduced a whole new group of Muppets, including the Fraggles, Gorgs, and Doozers. There comes a time when every child outgrows Sesame Street - ABC's and 123's get old pretty quickly. Fraggle Rock is aimed at those kids who have outgrown Sesame Street, but whose parents don't necessarily want them watching Power Rangers or Pokemon or the like. Fraggle Rock focuses on friendship, fun, music, and values while still managing to not talk down to kids. On a personal note, I was just a bit older than 5 when Fraggle Rock started, and to this day, I can't hear the first couple bars of the theme (see above writeup) without grinning.
Fraggle Rock has three main settings. First, there is the real world, which the Fraggles call "Outer Space." Here we find the lone human, Doc, and his dog, Sprocket. Doc, played by Gerry Parkes, is an inventor, and is fairly oblivious to the presence of the occasional Fraggle in his workshop (until the end of the show, that is); Sprocket, meanwhile, is your typical dog, and doesn’t care much for the neighbor cat Fluffanella. He also lets loose with a barrage of barking whenever Gobo ventures into the workshop.
There is also the land of the Gorgs, a race of very large Muppet creatures. The main Gorgs are Ma and Pa Gorg (the Gorg king and queen), and their son, Junior Gorg. Junior is forever trying to catch a "Fwaggle," while Ma and Pa consider the Fraggles to be vermin. However, Junior's fascination with the Fraggles makes the Gorgs' garden a pretty dangerous place - this is unfortunate, since the garden is the main source of radishes (the Fraggles' food). The Gorgs also have a trash heap, but it's unlike any trash heap you or I have ever seen. This is Marjorie, the Wise Old Trash Heap, who dispenses wisdom and advice. When she finishes with whomever is visiting her, her two faithful rat-like companions, Philo and Gunge, send the person (or Fraggle, more likely) away with the parting words "The Trash Heap has spoken. Nyah."
In between the Gorg Kingdom and Outer Space, there is, of course, Fraggle Rock, the cave-and-tunnel home of the Fraggles. The Fraggles themselves are about a foot tall, furry, and they come in every color of the rainbow. They're a fun bunch, constantly singing, playing, and swimming in the Great Hall. The Fraggles share the Rock with the Doozers, a group of miniscule construction workers. The Doozers are constantly building structures with Doozer sticks, which the Fraggles then eat.
Main Fraggle characters:
- Gobo Fraggle: Gobo, like his Uncle Traveling Matt, is an explorer. Traveling Matt, however, is on an expedition in Outer Space, so Gobo has to venture into Doc's workshop every once in a while to get the postcards that Uncle Matt sends to him. This means many encounters with "that horrible beast" Sprocket. Due to his exploring nature, Gobo isn't very afraid of the unknown. Gobo was voiced by Jerry Nelson, who is also the voice of Snuffleupagus, The Count, and Robin the Frog.
- Red Fraggle:Red is a daredevil, and an experienced rock diver. She is wild, and tons of fun, with a deep love for sport and competition (especially swimming). Red was voiced by Karen Prell.
- Wembley Fraggle: Wembley is Gobo's roommate. He often has trouble making decisions, as he doesn't want to upset anyone by making the wrong decision. Wembley is also the siren for the Fraggle fire department. Wembley was voiced by Steve Whitmire, who is also the voice of Rizzo the Rat.
- Mokey Fraggle: Mokey is a poet, and is very attuned to the beauty of everything around her. Mokey's main job is to get radishes from the Gorgs’ garden. She has a pet plant, a Night-Blooming Yellow-Leaved Deathwort, named Lanford. Mokey was voiced by Patricia Leeper.
- Boober Fraggle:Boober is a Fraggle anomaly. He prefers routine, and worries constantly about germs and doom. Boober always has his hat and his red hair down over his eyes, and he loves doing laundry. He also has a fun-loving alter ego named Sidebottom. Boober was voiced by Bob Stutt.
Editors note:
The lone human actor on the show, Gerald Parks, died at the age of 90 on October 19, 2014 in a nursing home in Toronto, Canada.
Thanks to http://www.punchandjewelry.com/legacy/html/frindex.htm for the voice info.