How lucky we are. How so very, very lucky we are.
Last year, everyone on the ToughPigs team was shocked over how much we loved Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock. I’ve said this many times, and I’ll say it again: There’s no reason this show should’ve worked. Reboots and reunions are always pale comparisons to their predecessors. When a TV series is so special that it maintains a decades-long fandom, it means there was a certain magic about it that made it successful to begin with. Trying to capture that magic again should be impossible.
Add to that the “soft reboot” idea, keeping certain ideas and ditching others for the sake of plot convenience. Add to that the return of a handful of performers, with other puppeteers doing their best impressions of the absent ones. Add to that the Jerry Juhl-shaped hole that would be impossible for even the best writers or showrunners to fill. Add to that any number of elements that should have contributed to the watering-down or outright failure of a Fraggle Rock reboot. This show should not have worked.
And then, here comes Back to the Rock to prove us all wrong.
The first season of the series managed to bring back all of the familiarity of the original Fraggle Rock, including the deep mythology, the stellar puppetry, and quality music we associate with the show. The changes were thoughtful and respectful, finding ways to tell updated stories and not feel too stuck in the 1980s for new viewers. It was fun and exciting while also tickling the nostalgic parts of our brains and letting us live in the era of new Fraggle Rock content once again (or, for most of us, for the first time in our lives).
So of course, excitement was high for season two. Over the next few months, we’ll be reviewing every episode of Back to the Rock week-to-week (despite the fact that the whole season dropped at once… we’re spreading out the love!), so there’s plenty of time for spoilers. In this spoiler-free review, there’s not a lot to say that you don’t already know from watching the first season.
Are you wondering if the music is still good? Yes, it’s great. Do you want to know if your puppety pals are back? They sure are. (Though for this reviewer, I would’ve liked to have seen even more. What a great problem to have!) Does the show still feel like Fraggle Rock? Arguably the most important element, and yes. It’s perfectly Fraggly.
If you’re wondering if season two is better than season one… unfortunately, I’d vote that it’s not. Season one was riding high on the whole “the Fraggles are BACK” wave, and we were just so excited to see Gobo and the Trash Heap and the Merggles and Begoony again. You can’t replicate that feeling, and it’s not season two’s responsibility to recapture that particular bit of magic. This is one of those rare cases where “more of the same” is a good thing. The season takes the same types of metaphorical leaps into the Fraggle lagoon, strengthening the voice of the show and its place in the larger Henson canon.
Much like last season’s recurring themes about social issues, this season attempts the same, but also delving into topics like economics and misinformation. Most of the time, the lessons are written strongly enough that you barely know you’re learning anything. Other times, the lessons are spelled out a little too directly, which I suppose may be important just so no one misses the point.
A highlight for most last season was “The Glow,” which served as an LGBTQ+ allegory for Boober. While we do see Boober’s tail glow again this season, it’s not the focus of any storyline. However, we do get new queer-coded stories in season two, and I predict they’ll be highlights for many viewers.
It’s so great to see The Henson Company and the Fraggle Rock team continue to tackle these important issues and to be a leader – not a follower – in the discourse with a lot of young people and their families. It feels equally brave and natural, and they should be applauded for it.
There’s so much more to talk about, including celebrity voices and whatever’s going on with those wind gusts and Doc’s garden and an influx of strawberries and the re-introduction of Lanford and that really big thing that happens in the final episode. But you’ll have to witness it all yourself, and then we hope you’ll come back here to ToughPigs for our extended and detailed coverage of the season.
Both seasons of Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock are now streaming on Apple TV+. We’re so excited for you to see it, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did. We’ll see you down at Fraggle Rock!
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by Joe Hennes – Joe@ToughPigs.com
