The Good

This is truly one of the greatest shows ever made. It is a revelation on DVD.

The Bad

I would have loved some straight commentary tracks with the creators or some fun ones with the Fraggles.

I used to religiously watch Fraggle Rock when I was younger. This show with Gobo, Mokey, Wembley, Boober and Red captivated because me of how intelligent, yet kid friendly, it was. The Fraggles live underground in their own world. They have their own homes, their own hierarchy and their own problems (which more often than not come in the forms of the Gorgs). Gobo must venture above ground into a world the Fraggles call "Outer Space" because that's where Gobo's Uncle Travelling Matt is (it's also the human world). He sends Gobo postcards that Doc, the man who owns the home above where the Fraggles live, throw away. In fact, Doc is oblivious that there are even Fraggles living underneath him! His dog Sprocket knows this and half the fun is watching Sprocket try and tell Doc about Gobo picking up his mail.

Fraggle Rock: Complete Second Season was a joy to watch. Comprised of 24 episodes, one thing I loved about this show was that Gobo was the leader, but each episode focused a different Fraggle. More importantly, each episode looked at a different Fraggle's personality. In doing this it allowed kids to examine the many aspects of themselves in a fun and non-threatening way. This says nothing of the social significance of some of the shows which really reflect highly on the Fraggle Rock creative team.

Features

Special Tribute to Jerry Juhl

This warmhearted look back at Jerry Juhl who passed away in 2005 from cancer is a very touching piece. We hear from people like Juhl's wife, Dave Goelz (Boober), Steve Whitmire (Wembley), the Producers of this show and others as they recall what it was like to work with this person. Knowing what I know now about this man, it isn't surprising that Fraggle Rock came from him. He seemed like an honorable man who cared about people and that is the heart and soul of who the Fraggles are.

Exclusive Interviews

There are 6 interviews to be gone through but that isn't really all they are. With titles like "Travelling Matt" and "Docs and Sprockets" we get to hear from members of the cast that we don't always see that much of. Also, these aren't just talking head interviews, but rather they are supplemented with interesting, archived footage from the creation of this show. This extra feature is really a cut above most of what we usually see on DVDs.

Video

Full Screen. Aside from the fact that I can now tell what scenes were shot against a green screen and what scenes weren't, that is the only thing I can say that could even be construed as negative about the look of this show. First off, the puppet work more than holds up as I found myself amazed with all the nuance of the Fraggle's movement. The shows themselves looked really good. I know that the mid 1980s weren't that long ago, but these episodes were alive in a way that few others are.

Audio

They don't list out what kind of sound is utilized in this five disc set but rest assured everything sounded fine. As someone who doesn't like musicals, I think it says something about the power of Fraggle Rock when you read about how much I love this show. All the audio has been kept up really nicely, and one thing about the sounds of Fraggle Rock is how they always gave off the impression that despite the obvious, we really were watching an allegory to the human world.

Package

This embossed front cover features Red, Wembley, Gobo and Boober. Where's Mokey?!?! They sit perched on a purple rock and below them is a Gorg. The back features two shots from this show, a description of what Fraggle Rock: Complete Second Season has in store and a Bonus Features listing. The packaging is one piece of artwork that opens up featuring all 5 discs in their own trays as well as more images from the show. However, one of the coolest things is Jim Henson's pitch book which offers a detailed look at the original ideas behind the show. Show runners and TV producers should cherish this thing! This well put together packaging highly compliments what is already a solid set.

Final Word

Fraggle Rock: Complete Second Season was a pure joy to review. Yes, I know I am much older now but the minute the Fraggle theme started up I fell in love with it all over again. Truthfully, my favorite Fraggle was Wembley but I find that looking back, I really loved all of them. The episodes were all so well done and they really looked at important issues. Jim Henson had a way of creating shows that seemed simple but that was only because they were so brilliantly put together. Also, like many of the greatest shows, Fraggle Rock was educational without calling attention to the fact that it was educating it's viewers.

At the end of the day, some shows come and some shows go, but Fraggle Rock: Complete Second Season shows us just what an institution this show is.

Bring on the Fraggle Rock movie!

Fraggle Rock was released .