The Fraggles are back! This past weekend, Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock returned to Apple TV+ for its second season. Red, Mokey, Gobo, Wembley, Boober, and all the wonderful little – and not-so-little – creatures have returned to entertain the young and old. Fraggles have long since been a part of many a fan’s lives. And with the new series, delightfully cheery creatures are brought back for some music and magic. As an old-school fan, seeing that the Fraggles have returned to bring joy to a new generation’s hearts is fantastic.
For this fan, I had the privilege of speaking to “Mokey” and “Red” and meeting a few of these adorable creatures in person. First, I had a fun little conversation with Mokey (puppeteered by Donna Kimbal) and Red (puppeteered by Karen Prell). Sometimes, an “interview” can be a lot of fun. And chatting with Fraggles is about as enjoyable as you can get. And while it brought a massive smile to my face chatting with Fraggles, there was much more in store. We also enjoyed speaking with actual humans, including Executive producers John Tartaglia, Halle Stanford, and Matt Fusfeld.
However, with the interviews on Zoom, we were still working on discovering more about the Fraggles. The following week, I joined other fellow Fraggle lovers for a journey to Jim Henson’s Creature Shop in Burbank, California (where we’ve been before). While the magic wasn’t evident from outside the building, the second you walked in, all the Fraggle love was on full display.
During our visit, live displays of how the talented performers create the magic. When we arrived, EP John Tartaglia led us humans through the adventure. The afternoon began with the “Fabrication Room,” where we looked at the creation of Fraggles. Scott Johnson and Alex “Jurgen” Ferguson gave us insight into how complex of a job it was to bring the Fraggles to life. And yes, we could see these beautiful creatures up close and personal. As a long-time muppet fan, it makes me happy to see the imaginative world from its early stages.
Fraggle Rock also gives us the tiny and adorable “Doozers.” And yes, Bobby Bennett gave us a look at these cute and cuddly little fellas. And we even had the chance to do a little puppeteering ourselves. It takes serious talent to do what these incredible individuals do every week. And to see the craft firsthand, the painstaking work that goes into every element of this creation is truly awe-inspiring.
Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock continues to bring these incredible creatures to life. I fell in love with these characters in my youth. And now, it’s fantastic to see new fans embracing the lovable Fraggles. Thank you to everyone at Jim Henson’s Creature Shop and, of course, everyone who took the time to re-introduce us to the delightful Fraggle Rock. Check out Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock Season 2, which is currently on Apple TV+. Check out more pics from our visit:
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