Ryan Dosier - For the past few weeks I've been partaking in one of the best things a Muppet fan can do for him or herself: watching the complete series of
Fraggle Rock on DVD. This beautiful series ran for four seasons and features some of my favorite Muppet moments, perfect songs, and wonderfully rich characters. I don't think that I, personally, have ever written about how much I love
Fraggle Rock here on The Muppet Mindset... and after watching every episode of the series, I knew I had to. Today is the beginning of a new article series by me about why I love
Fraggle Rock so very much. Each week will focus on a different aspect of this wonderful show. Enjoy!
THE CHARACTERS
Is it any wonder that I'm starting here? On this, probably my third or fourth viewing of the entire series, I came to the realization that there is not a single prominent character on
Fraggle Rock that I do not adore.
From the main characters like Wembley, Boober, and Junior Gorg to secondary characters like Cotterpin Doozer, Convincing John, and Large Marvin and even tertiary characters like Felix the Fearless, Architect Doozer, and Sidebottom--all of these joyous characters are flawlessly written, hysterical, touching, and undeniably enjoyable from the start to the finish of the series. Who doesn't love Gobo, Mokey, Red, Cantus, Pa Gorg, Marjory the Trash Heap, Philo, Gunge, or any of the characters here?
Arguably the best part about
Fraggle Rock is watching these characters interact. Whether it's Philo and Gunge being hilariously obnoxious, Mokey being sweet and loving with grumpy Boober, Red running amok with Cotterpin Doozer, Junior driving Pa Gorg nuts, Traveling Matt's ineptitude causing Gobo trifles, or Wembley being hysterical with absolutely anyone, the interactions of characters is what makes
Fraggle Rock such a treat. I dare you to watch the entirety of Season 1's "Marooned" and not be moved by the journey of Red and Boober, who go from total opposites to more than understanding one another, but relying on each other.
One can't discuss the characters of
Fraggle Rock without mentioning Doc and Sprocket. Sprocket, the pantomime dog, and Doc, the charming and bumbling inventor, bookended every episode of the show and were not charged with carrying any of the emotional weight--at least not most of it. Yet the relationship between these two is so beautiful that it becomes something more than just man and dog. Sprocket is clearly Doc's closest companion--and who
wouldn't want a dog like Sprocket as their best friend? His impression of Doc's neighbor Ned Shimmelfinny is enough to sell Sprocket... but of course there's a lot more to him. He's loyal, smart, stubborn, and wonderful. Doc--brilliantly played by Gerry Parks--is forgetful and oblivious and delightful to watch and the perfect partner for Sprocket. Talk about man's best friend... and dog's.
Another thing that I discovered on this run through the series is my love for Richard Hunt on
Fraggle Rock. He performed Junior Gorg's voice and face, Gunge, and a whole host of random Fraggles and creatures, including the Wizard and the Mean Genie. Yes, I love Richard on
The Muppet Show and on
Sesame Street, but it wasn't until watching the series this time that I realized how fantastic he was on
Fraggle Rock. The personality he brought to Junior Gorg is unparalleled and might just be his greatest character. I found myself looking forward to the Junior-centric episodes more than almost any other character (except maybe Wembley) because I knew I would laugh out loud multiple times. Junior's episodes are true classics: "The Garden Plot" in Season 1 where the Fraggles convince Junior he's dead; "Bored Stiff" in Season 3 where Gobo and Junior have to save the Fraggles; "Junior Faces the Music" in Season 4 where Cantus imparts wisdom to the Gorg; and, my personal favorite: "The Battle of Leaking Roof" in Season 3 where Pa and Junior try to fix the castle roof. But Junior's crowning achievement (pun definitely intended) is Season 4's "The Gorg Who Would Be King," which follows Junior into Fraggle Rock where he learns about the inter-connectivity of the world. I love Junior Gorg... and I love Richard Hunt.
Fraggle Rock wouldn't be the same without him.
One can't mention Richard Hunt's
Fraggle Rock contributions without mentioning Jim Henson's as well. Jim was not a regular on the series, leaving it to his trusted team to create magic--which they clearly did. But at least twice every season, Jim would come to play and bring to life two of his greatest characters: Cantus the Minstrel and Convincing John. Nearly everyone will talk about these great Jim characters... but I want to focus on one episode in particular: "The Secret Society of Poohbahs" from Season 3. Yes, Jim loved to balance the sentimental with the silly, but there's no denying that the silly almost always took over. Nowhere is this more true than in "The Secret Society of the Poohbahs." I won't spoil the episode if you haven't seen it, but it is perhaps my favorite
Fraggle Rock episode and Jim Henson makes it so. Hearing Convincing John read off the Poohbah role call will forever be hysterical to me. Present with an exclamation!
Gobo's Uncle Traveling Matt (as Wembley loves to call him) is another one of the best things about
Fraggle Rock. His postcards are such a delight in every episode that I'm surprised Traveling Matt never received his own spin-off series. I could watch Matt ride a roller coaster, imitate a pig, or wrestle a lawn plant all day every day. Dave Goelz created such a brilliantly funny and idiotically charming character. One of the many things I love about Matt is his voice. I can't even explain why... because it is so difficult to talk about what makes voices so special... but when Traveling Matt gets flustered and his voice gets high and freaked out, it's pure magic. I also love the way he says, "The other daaaaaaay..." Uncle Traveling Matt is the charming idiot savant who asserts that he is a hero to Fraggle kind (and maybe he is)--and hilarious to boot.
But my favorite character on
Fraggle Rock is, without a doubt, Wembley Fraggle. What Wembley does throughout the series is just amazing. Even the second episode of the show, "Wembley and the Gorgs" implies that Wembley is the smartest, most accepting of all the Fraggles. Wembley may be the most naive, the most indecisive, the most wacky... but he also proves that he is the bravest, smartest, and noblest of the Fraggles. Wembley sees the worth in the Gorgs, he sings with Cotterpin Doozer, he raises a baby tree creature, he disproves the Wizard, he fights the Mean Genie, and grapples with mortality with a Mudbunny. Steve Whitmire is the only performer who could have brought Wembley to such wonderful life. The sounds he has Wembley make, the songs he sings, the faces he creates, the complete insanity and giddiness he instilled in Wembley all prove why Steve and Wembley are inseparable. If I had to pick one Wembley episode as my favorite, I think it would have to be Season 3's "Wembley's Wonderful Whoopee Water." The spectrum of emotion that Wembley goes through in this episode is magnificent. Wembley is undeniably one of Steve Whitmire's greatest characters.
And yet, all of the prominent characters on
Fraggle Rock are some of their respective performers' bests. Jerry Nelson hit the trifecta with three main characters, each as wonderful as the other, with Gobo Fraggle, Pa Gorg, and Marjory the Trash Heap; three vastly different characters that prove the always impressive variety that Jerry is capable of. Mokey Fraggle and Cotterpin Doozer show us why Kathy Mullen is such a performing force to be reckoned with. Mokey is honest and real and wonderful while Cotterpin in headstrong and stubborn and smart as a tack. The crazy talent of Karen Prell was released through Red Fraggle whose rambunctious tenacity stole the show nearly every episode. Dave Goelz had Boober Fraggle, Large Marvin, Philo, and World's Oldest Fraggle along with Traveling Matt, Steve Whitmire performed Sprocket, Wembley, and a variety of characters, and they all brought to life an entirely new world.
This world, populated with Fraggles and Doozers and Gorgs and Silly Creatures and Hairy Monsters, still holds up wonderfully today. If you haven't seen it, get out there and find yourself some
Fraggle Rock as soon as possible. You are truly missing out on some of the greatest Muppet characters that Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, and the Muppet performers ever created.
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com
Performed by...
Sprocket is a dog who, in all productions of Fraggle Rock, is the pet and best friend of the "Doc" character. Although Sprocket is a Muppet, to everyone he meets, he is seen as a regular dog. Sprocket is able to do humanlike things that most dogs can’t, such as understand whatever language "Doc" is speaking. He is also a wiz at impressions and is known for his impersonation of Ned Shimmelfinny, during which he growls, chokes himself, then faints.
Though he is his master and spends most of his time with him, Doc is not Sprocket’s only friend. Over time, Sprocket formed friendships with the Fraggles living inside the workshop wall. Although at first he is threatened by them, he soon learns to love the little furry creatures. Sprocket's first friendly encounter with a Fraggle came about when Gobo saved him from being stuck in the Fraggle hole. After this encounter, Sprocket no longer seeing the Fraggles as a threat, but still does his best to alert his master of their presence.
Sprocket has successfully entered Fraggle Rock twice, once when Doc pulls up the floorboards and Sprocket decides to dig into the caves to look for Gobo. While there he meets all of the main species: Fraggles, Doozers, Gorgs, and even Marjory the Trash Heap (who can speak fluent dog). Sprocket returns to Fraggle Rock in a later episode simply by digging into a mound of snow while walking with Doc. This time he, Gobo, and Wrench Doozer all go exploring together.
In 1987, Sprocket accompanied Doc to Grizzly Farms in A Muppet Family Christmas to spend a nice quiet Christmas in the country. After the Muppets arrive, Doc is asks Sprocket if the weird creatures are anything like the Fraggles, to which Sprocket replies with a "kind of" hand gesture. He has a spotlight moment when Rowlf the Dog arrives and the two have a conversation by barking (it helps to know a second language). Later, The Swedish Chef tries to cook Sprocket, thinking he's the Christmas turkey. At the very end, Sprocket is seen washing dishes with some fellow named Jim Henson, who suggests Sprocket dry.
Sprocket has made many other, non-descript appearances without Doc by his side. In The Jim Henson Hour we learn Sprocket is a member of the OMD, The Organization of Muppet Dogs. And in the Dog City special, Sprocket gets thrown out of a bar. He also appeared with Traveling Matt at The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years to represent Fraggle Rock. Sprocket also appeared in The Muppets at Walt Disney World, The Muppet Christmas Carol, and Muppet Treasure Island as a background Muppet.
Because every man needs a best friend, and every Fraggle as well. Sprocket was the connecting tissue between the world of Fraggle Rock and the world of “Outer Space.” Without Sprocket, the Fraggles never would have been discovered by Doc, and vice versa. Sprocket is important because he is an example of a magnificently performed pantomime character who is both comical and realistic at once. Sprocket is a crucial part of Fraggle Rock, and it's very hard to imagine the show without him.
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