By James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)
The worlds of Humans, Doozers, Gorgs, and Fraggles will be returning to television in the here and now (and in a digitally remastered form). So dance your cares away and tune in for Fraggle Rock this winter, 2016 on HBO. Muppet creator Jim Henson described Fraggle Rock as “a small place just beyond everyday reality.” The show followed a race of characters known as the Fraggles who showed an enthusiasm for play, adventure and singing songs. The Fraggles’ world existed between that of the humans, a large race of creatures when compared in size to the Fraggles and the Gorgs, an even larger race of creatures. Only the Gorgs took any real notice of Fraggles.
Fraggle Rock was Home Box Office’s first original weekly half-hour program. It spanned 96 episodes from 1983-87 on HBO in the United States, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) in Canada and was recommended family viewing by the National Education Association. The series was first conceived by Henson, head writer Jerry Juhl, and producer Duncan Kenworthy in 1980. The Fraggle Rock license produced an animated series in 1987, two music albums and a plethora of merchandise including plushies and McDonald’s exclusive toys. In 2012 a computer-animated spin-off series, The Doozers, was produced by The Jim Henson Company and DHX Media.
What this might mean is that the Fraggle Rock live-action feature film is finally moving forward and what has been in development for some years may finally come to fruition. In a report by Variety from 2015, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is reportedly signed to star as lead in the film. The Fraggle Rock movie is being produced by New Regency, The Jim Henson Company, and Lisa Henson, Jim Henson’s daughter.
HBO confirmed to TVLine that Fraggle Rock will return to their broadcast channels. Fraggle Rock will also be streaming on HBO Go and HBO Now. The series returns at the end of 2016.
Source(s): TVLine, Deadline, the Glen Falls Post Star, Collider, and Variety.
Video Source(s): Cristoph and Toon Rewind.
