When you hear that Fraggle Rock has been lying around for the past three decades it might make a person start counting and realize that yeah, it’s been that long since we got to see one of Jim Henson’s most loved shows on the air. Created back in the 80s, Fraggle Rock was discontinued around 1983 but it’s definitely safe to say that fans have never forgotten the show and now, Apple TV+ is making it possible for people to revisit one of their favorites and explain to their kids why they fell in love with the show years ago. Even better is the fact that it’s not a reboot, but more of a revival, meaning that Apple TV+ is dusting off the old show and making another go of it in roughly the same form with a few additions and updates here and there that are meant to enhance the experience as Ryan Scott of TVWeb alludes to. To be certain that’s an interesting decision that a lot of people might wish that a lot of the reboots today would at least think about before going full steam ahead with some of the most ill-fated ideas that have come along. Plus, the term ‘revival’ just has a more positive ring to it, as it brings to mind the idea that the original isn’t being pushed aside in favor of a new idea. Fraggle Rock after all was one of the most well-known and loved shows on air at one point, and it’s been widely talked about ever since the rumor that it might come back was brought up.
Interestingly enough the show is still in production at this time since it’s being put together in the homes of several different participants in an effort to continue social distancing and still bring different aspects of the show together in a way so that people can fully enjoy something new-ish as the show kicks off and takes place in several different parts of the cavern that the characters call home. As new and innovative ideas go this one is likely to be one of the more popular and creative since it’s bound to push the limits of imagination and keep those involved in the project on their toes, but it does sound as though it has a greater propensity for opening up the world of Fraggle Rock a little more. It’s also possible that once the quarantine is over and people can get back to work as usual that the show might expand in a way that it never could before and build on the content that’s being created as of now. It’s a bit of a shame that other shows and projects can’t always do the same thing since otherwise there might be a serious renaissance in the making and a new era of TV and movies that could be experienced by the home viewers that happen to love being able to see new content streamed directly to their TV’s.
It is a little hard to believe, even though it’s true, that Fraggle Rock and all of its characters have been kept on the shelf for this long since really, when it comes to kids shows this was one of the most talked about when many of us were kids. The Muppets had their time in the sun and lasted longer than many other shows to be fair since they eventually made their way to the big screen and were far more integrated than a lot of puppets, and many other similar shows came and went throughout the years, but somehow Fraggle Rock has always held a place in the hearts of many a viewer that were so enamored by the little critters back in the day. While it didn’t exactly light up the internet like a Christmas tree when the rumor started, there was plenty of buzz about the series coming back, especially since it plays upon the nostalgia that’s been so rampant throughout the entertainment industry in recent years. Bringing back older ideas has been the thing to do lately and while it’s worked in some regards there are plenty of moments when it’s gone south rather quickly. The thing about nostalgia unfortunately is that it works when the shows and movies that we cared about back then are brought up to date and given a decent outing, but if they’re presented in the fashion that we remember there’s a good chance that people will smile and admit that they liked it back then, but there’s just as good of a chance that they’ll realize that it didn’t take much to entertain as kids back in those days. Thankfully it sounds as though Fraggle Rock is being updated just enough to keep the kids of today entertained and engaged, as that’s bound to be what it’ll take to make this a success. Joe Otterson of Variety has more to say on the topic.
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