Explaining the ‘Fraggle Rock’ ’80s Callback in the New Christmas Special
What To Know
- The First Snow of Fraggle Rock holiday special features Gobo Fraggle venturing into “Outer Space” (the human world) for the first time.
- This special is described by creators as a “love letter to the fans.”
- In addition to Gobo’s adventure, the special introduces a baby Gorg.
In the first trailer of Apple TV’s The First Snow of Fraggle Rock, Gobo Fraggle is seen going where he’s never gone before: Outer Space. And for longtime fans of the beloved Jim Henson-created series, this is a big deal.
In the new holiday special, The First Snow of Fraggle Rock — a continuation of Apple TV’s 2022 series Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock and the original 1983 HBO series Fraggle Rock — Gobo (John Tartaglia) is struggling to write the perfect holiday song. Afraid it won’t live up to everyone’s expectations, Gobo will do anything to ensure that his new song is absolutely perfect. To find inspiration, Gobo faces his fears and follows his Uncle “Traveling” Matt (Dave Goelz) into “Outer Space,” the world above Fraggle Rock where the “Silly Creatures” (humans) dwell.
Fans of the original HBO series will remember an ongoing gag of the show was Traveling Matt’s adventures in Outer Space, in which he would explore the world of humans and report his findings to Gobo. In his weekly postcards delivered to Doc’s workshop (originally played by Gerard Parkes and now played by Lilli Cooper) Traveling Matt described Silly Creature customs from feeding the sad, starving parking meters with spare change to the strange habit of painting food red.
To pick up his postcards, Gobo would have to get by Sprocket the dog in the workshop, but that was as far as he would wander into the realm of the Silly Creatures, until now.
Apple TV
Now Gobo is seen on the streets outside the workshop, surrounded by snow and Christmas cheer, and he is freaking out. It is a tip of the hat to fans who have waited for this moment for over 40 years, hoping to see more than just Traveling Matt in our world. Puppeteer, voice of Gobo, and executive producer Tartaglia described the special as a “love letter to the fans.”
“We felt this passion to make a holiday special that could be aired in 15 years and feel just as relevant and meaningful and emotional,” says Tartaglia to the Los Angeles Times. “There’s more music in this. There’s more magic in this. There’s more effects. There’s a much more complex storyline. There’s things you don’t always have time to do in a typical episode. It felt like we were firing on all cylinders for the special.”
In addition to Gobo visiting Outer Space, the special will also feature another first: A baby Gorg. In the second season finale Ma Gorg (Ingrid Hansen) announced she was expecting, and now they have a “little” bundle of joy. The holiday special will have Junior Gorg dealing with his new feelings of jealousy now that he is no longer the apple of his parents’ universe.
Apple TV
“[Junior ]Gorg’s subplot is quite robust because he’s been an only child for all this time,” executive producer Lisa Henson told the LA Times. “He’s basically very spoiled, so the idea that a little baby Gorg is gonna come in and disturb that dynamic is quite rich.”
The holiday magic of The First Snow of Fraggle Rock will premiere on December 5 on Apple TV. It’s perfect for silly creatures of all sizes and ages.
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