On Fraggles and Apprehension

Well my beloved Tetrapod Zoology blog has informed me that the "flipper photos" that so captured my eight-year old imagination back in this special (note the bad-ass Phil Tippet stop-motion animation) are fakie-fake-fakes. Wah.

I'm going to come right on out and say that "Fraggle Rock" is the greatest television program for young people ever created. (I know, I know, "Sesame Street" was there first but I'm considering the rewatchability factor here.)

There is a film on the way, which you may have heard of. Reaction from the Muppet fandom has been markedly mixed thus far, though it is hard to blame them as the initial announcement happened in 2005. There have, naturally, been many rumors in all that time. Some of them have been intriguing: Frank Zappa's son Ahmet is involved somehow, as are several original cast members. Some of them have been deeply, deeply troubling: the Fraggles are apparently going to be CGI for no good gorram reason. Try to sit through this clip from "Sid the Science Kid" ("Uncanny Valley - The Musical!") to understand why this is a bad, bad idea.

There is also a spin-off series starring the Doozers coming in the autumn. Sure as heck never saw that coming.

Here's the thing. Honestly, I'd rather have the Season Four/Five DVD box set. Please? Soon? Within the next three years, maybe?