Synopsis: Touring Matt returns to Fraggle Rock, has a feud with Gobo, after which stumbles on a magic portal.
Unique air date: January 27, 1986
Y’all, this episode stinks. Don’t get me incorrect, I like Fraggle Rock, and part of me feels just like the present can’t do any incorrect. And but, there have been occasions after they delivered a clunker. Nearly worse, this episode comes filled with a memorable and vital sequence that makes it not possible to skip.
In “Uncle Matt’s Discovery,” Touring Matt retraces his steps from the season two episode “Uncle Matt Comes House” and… properly, comes house. Whereas sneaking again by Doc’s workshop, he will get mistaken for one of many backyard gnomes that Doc is engaged on repainting, and he flips out when seeing Doc spray paint one of many faces. He assumes Doc is a “face-eraser” and flips the heck out. And actually, I get it!
Matt races into Fraggle Rock, hides beneath a desk, and will get ridiculed for being scared. And in basic Matt kind, he instantly denies ever having been scared.
Now, we see Matt panic rather a lot by his postcards, however he insists on holding his popularity of being a courageous explorer, so it’s no shocker to see him act the way in which he did. Anybody who’s met Matt would know this about him. And that makes Gobo’s response all of the extra baffling.
You see, Gobo pulls an actual dick transfer and chews his uncle out, not for being a scaredy Fraggle, however for mendacity about his emotions. And folk, this isn’t a great search for our boy Gobo. He’s downright merciless and – dare I say – abusive.
Gobo drives a wedge between himself and Matt, and after the requisite “you go your method, I’ll go mine” rift, they reunite and uncover a brand new cave. (Dang, however there are a whole lot of caves down there.) This cave options magical porticos that may whisk the Fraggles to seemingly wherever on this planet. And actually, this a part of the episode is fairly dope. And vital!
We see Gobo and Matt enter three totally different caves. The primary takes them to Australia. Or, we assume it’s Australia, as a result of we see kangaroos. So I suppose it may be the Bronx Zoo. The second cave takes them inside a little bit lady’s closet, thus kicking off a collection of occasions that will likely be adopted up within the documentary Monsters Inc. And the ultimate cave whisks them away to the magical land of Doc’s entrance yard. Wow, what a dream.
This complete episode is sort of a damaged curler coaster. Many of the story is devoted to Gobo shaming Matt for having emotions. Positive, Matt isn’t being sincere with himself or his nephew, however the absolute worst method to assist somebody who’s having hassle with their feelings or nervousness is to shout at them and shut them out. Gobo wanted to spend a while in Fraggle jail for this one.
However then, simply as I used to be prepared to jot down this episode off as a clunker, we get that cool and weird sequence with the teleporting caves. It’s an awesome little bit of Fraggle magic, and it opens the world as much as a whole lot of prospects, and a brand new degree of Fraggle Rock‘s total theme of interconnectivity. However past that, this can be a seed that Fraggle Rock is planting that may come to bloom within the collection finale. No spoilers, however these new teleporting caves are key to the entire idea that “you can not depart the magic,” not solely connecting Fraggle Rock to many various places, however giving humanity a bodily connection between your childhood bed room, the Outback, the desert, a wintery farmhouse, and your personal yard.
Including to the ups and downs and all arounds of this episode, it additionally appears to be lacking an ending. It’s tremendous abrupt, not even wrapping with a Doc and Sprocket second. However I dunno, in any case this, possibly it’s finest for the episode to finish as shortly as doable. Identical to… this.
Strongest Second: Whereas portray the backyard gnomes, Doc asks Sprocket to cross him the “flesh tone” paint, however Sprocket provides him the purple as a substitute, displaying that he’s colorblind – each within the “can’t see colour” method and within the “be extra particular, there are lots of flesh tones, Doc, you racist.” If Sprocket might discuss, I’m certain that’s what he’d be saying.
Weakest Second: “Being a liar is worse than being a coward.” Oh, simply shut up, Gobo.
MVF (Most Priceless Fraggle): Touring Matt will get the crown for getting a full episode to showcase his vary.
Musical Lowlight: There’s just one tune on this episode, and it’s “I Don’t Perceive Him.” And gang, this may be my least favourite tune to look on Fraggle Rock. Once I appeared it up on the Muppet Wiki in preparation for this assessment, no songwriters had been listed, so I assumed it wasn’t a Balsam/Lee joint. However nope, it seems even geniuses have off days.
Coolest Puppetry Impact: Gobo and Touring Matt fall down a hill, and so they appeared to have simply rolled the puppets up into balls and yeeted them previous the digicam. That is my type of puppetry.
Darkest Second: Touring Matt is shamed for having nervousness about his fears. And that’s simply as darkish as any of the life-threatening stuff we see elsewhere within the collection.
Fraggle Lore: Earlier than discovering the brand new magic caves, Gobo and Matt come throughout an historical Fraggle statue to warn them away. There’s not a lot commentary about why it’s there or in regards to the historic implications, however I like that historical Fraggle relics may simply be round any nook.
One Extra Factor…: When Gobo and Matt are exterior Doc’s home, we get each a uncommon view of the place Doc lives when he’s not within the workshop, in addition to some particular pictures of the characters exterior. I kind of want this sequence went on a little bit longer, however I’ll take the tease.
Okay, One Extra Factor…: Matt refers to himself as “Touring Matthew Fraggle,” making it sound like he goes by his center identify. And dang however I like that.
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by Joe Hennes – [email protected]
