Synopsis: To show he can have enjoyable along with his associates, Boober lets Sidebottom take over, however an excessive amount of enjoyable comes with harmful dangers.
Authentic air date, January 20, 1986
Sidebottom is again! … Hooray?
Boober begins out safe in his personal sort of “protected, cozy enjoyable,” carrying a white coat as he provides Wembley a tour of his residence treatments. However a misunderstanding brings out his previous insecurities, and this creates the right alternative for Boober’s suppressed enjoyable aspect to wheedle his approach again into management. When Boober thinks his associates don’t need him round spoiling their enjoyable, Sidebottom affords “Perhaps they might should you’d simply loosen up and be enjoyable occasionally!” When Boober hesitates to let Sidebottom take over, Sidebottom counters with “For a minute, I actually thought you wished to be extra enjoyable.” As a result of they’re the identical man, Sidebottom is aware of precisely what’s going to work on Boober. Sidebottom’s explicit model of manipulation is particularly insidious, because it all the time comes within the guise of innocent enjoyable—this time in a “Dr. Enjoyable” outfit with sparkly stethoscope and springy head mirror.
Sidebottom takes over the cancelled recreation of follow-the-leader and leads Boober’s associates into the trap-filled Gorgs’ backyard. In what’s admittedly one of the vital enjoyable Fraggle-Gorg interactions of the sequence, Sidebottom hypnotizes Junior, convinces him that he’s an enormous Fraggle, and will get everybody dancing collectively to “Enjoyable is Right here to Keep.”
It shortly turns into clear that Sidebottom, often suppressed and powerless, is now on an influence journey. He tells Junior, “You’ll obey my each command!” and loves listening to Junior name him “grasp” (or, fairly, “mastehw”). When Wembley begins bonking from his bonkleberry allergic reactions, Sidebottom asks, “Are you gonna let somewhat allergy spoil everybody’s enjoyable?” He even tells Gobo, “Don’t be such a stick-in-the-mud! We Fraggles have taken over the Gorgs’ empire!” Heedless of the hazard he’s placing all of them in, Sidebottom is blissfully unconcerned with their consolation or security. “There isn’t a such factor as too far should you’re having enjoyable!”
When it turns into clear that solely Boober will help poor bonked-out Wembley, Sidebottom realizes simply how helpless he’s in an actual disaster and the way a lot he wants Boober. Boober, in the meantime, realizes the misunderstanding on the coronary heart of all of it, that his associates by no means considered him as a “huge goof,” and that he must work with Sidebottom if he’s ever going to search out actual peace with himself.
“Enjoyable” is subjective. Boober actually does get pleasure from “protected, cozy enjoyable,” and I gotta say I agree with him. The issue is that “an excessive amount of enjoyable” can also be subjective. It may be infuriatingly onerous to gauge when to cease earlier than issues go “too far,” however Boober is aware of that when somebody will get harm, that’s a tough line—that is why issues like DUIs and the 5 Second Rule exist. Bear in mind, as our previous pal Billy Bones mentioned, “It’s all good enjoyable till someone unfastened an aaaaaah!” “Sidebottom Blues” remains to be nice as a result of it reveals how scary that grey space of subjectivity may be whereas by no means feeling like an after college particular sponsored by D.A.R.E.
Strongest Second: Whereas his associates are singing and dancing with a Gorg, Sidebottom lets Boober out to witness this “golden second.” Boober tries to persuade Sidebottom that they’re all at risk, however Sidebottom’s refined manipulation recreation is robust: “Give up worrying and take heed to your mates laughing, Boober! They’re having enjoyable! And it’s all due to me!” He’s received Boober satisfied that the “huge goof” is best off on the sidelines.
Weakest Second: When Wembley faints, Gobo says “We’ll by no means make it over to the opening carrying Wembley,” however … why?? Gobo has beforehand carried Wembley on his again solo! And so has Boober! Absolutely, between the 4 of you…
MVF (Most Useful Fraggle): Boober and his residence treatments! He’s received yin-yin plant poultices for minor abrasions, yoruba root for giggle fatigue, and the oh-so-crucial pollen ointment for Wembley’s bonkleberry allergy.
Most Basic Second: Whereas Uncle Touring Matt’s postcard has nothing to do with the remainder of the episode, it options Matt making an attempt to carry simultaneous conversations with a tea kettle, a phone, and a cuckoo clock.
Musical Spotlight: “Enjoyable is Right here to Keep” is the one track within the episode, however it’s such a banger that it’s been reused within the animated sequence episode 113 “Fraggle Idiot’s Day,” Again to the Rock episode 209 “The Nice Radish Ball,” and Fraggle Rock: Again to the Rock Dwell.
Coolest Puppetry Impact: Not a extremely an impact, only a ton of groovin’ dance strikes from Junior’s physique puppeteer, Rob Mills.
Darkest Second: When Sidebottom’s hypnosis breaks, Junior threatens to throw him within the stewpot! Perhaps Gorgs do often eat Fraggles?
Obscure Character Watch: Alas, that is the third and last time we get to see Sidebottom, who beforehand appeared in “Boober’s Dream” and “Boober’s Quiet Day.”
One Extra Factor…: Doc, in the meantime, will get roped into pretending to be a sea captain for a bunch of precise sea captains, when actually he will get sick on the mere considered being on the ocean. It’s unclear how Doc’s story pertains to Boober’s—Be sincere about your anxieties from the start? Slightly little bit of enjoyable is sufficient? Is Ms. Ardath like Sidebottom, getting Doc into greater than he bargained for? Anyway, not less than it ends with Doc admitting he likes the foolish little sailor hat and dancing a jig with Sprocket.
Okay, One Extra Factor…: Like Reese Witherspoon mentioned in her 2015 Glamour Girls of the Yr acceptance speech, I hate when a feminine character says to a male character in a second of disaster, “What are we gonna do now?” Mokey, you’re higher than that.
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by Beth Cook dinner
