Synopsis: Pink is feeling adventurous, so she explores the sequence of tunnels within the T. Matthew Fraggle Room and finds a dragon. Gobo and Matt observe her into the tunnels, and chaos ensues.
Air date: March 10, 1986
It is a zany episode of Fraggle Rock! It’s at all times enjoyable to revisit an episode that I don’t keep in mind exceptionally properly and uncover that it’s an excellent one. I feel the explanation “Pink’s blue Dragon” works so properly is that we, the viewers, at all times perceive what’s happening and the characters virtually by no means do. (You may say they’re at midnight — virtually as in the event that they have been dwelling in a cave.)
I understand that’s a simplistic factor to say. Withholding info from characters shouldn’t be a brand new or revolutionary storytelling idea, however gosh, it’s executed properly right here.
It begins with Uncle Touring Matt, who has spent all the sequence exploring our world and misunderstanding every little thing he encounters. His confused notion of his adventures in Outer Area is the explanation he tells Pink it’s a daunting place, which is why she decides to observe him to the T. Matthew Fraggle Room, a large cave with magic teleportation tunnels that result in totally different locations all around the world (and past?). All you need to do is strategy a tunnel, contact the arch at its entrance, and whoosh, you’re off!
When Pink goes by way of a type of magic tunnels and results in a spot the place a tree that grows golden apples is guarded by the titular Blue Dragon, she’s appropriately freaked out — and he or she thinks she’s in Outer Area. However she doesn’t know that she’s not in the identical world that Uncle Matt has been exploring all this time. However who does know that? Us! You and me!
Because the motion escalates, Gobo, Matt, Pink, and the Blue Dragon all go careening by way of the magic tunnels between totally different locations. None of them know what the others are experiencing, however we get to look at all of the chaos and chuckle. At instances, the episode resembles a basic theatrical farce with characters operating out and in of rooms and slamming doorways — solely on this case, they’re operating out and in of far-flung areas and whooshing by way of tunnels.
When the Blue Dragon will get zapped to the area beneath Doc’s entrance porch, it’s an astonishing second for us, the longtime Fraggle Rock followers — the boundaries between worlds are collapsing! However the Dragon has no thought the place it’s, and when Doc sees the Dragon he assumes it’s Fluffinella the cat sporting an elaborate costume for an upcoming masquerade ball. You see what I imply? No one besides us understands!
And when Matt will get zapped again to Outer Area and finds himself in a bookstore, and he seems to be for Pink between the covers of a e-book, Matt doesn’t know that it is a very foolish factor to do as a result of he’s a dummy. However we all know!
It is a very humorous episode. It’s assembled so successfully, and the Blue Dragon makes for an incredible further wild card. And all constructed across the easy thought of “The viewers is aware of stuff the characters don’t know.”
However wait… There’s nonetheless rather a lot we don’t know, isn’t there? If the T. Matthew Fraggle Room has a tunnel that results in Doc’s workshop, does it even have a tunnel that results in the Gorg’s citadel? What if Pink had climbed over that hill as an alternative of operating away from the Dragon? How large is the Dragon’s world? Are there different Dragons? And are these locations alternate dimensions in the identical universe, or pocket universes, or microverses, or what? Are the tunnels wormholes?
I do know, I do know. I ought to cease there as a result of none of these questions have solutions and the Fraggle Rock individuals have been virtually definitely by no means contemplating them after they made this episode. They simply got down to make an entertaining episode of tv. And one factor I do know is that they succeeded!
Strongest Second: The entire sequence the place Matt, Pink, and the Dragon hold getting sucked into totally different tunnels resulting in totally different worlds.
MVF (Most Invaluable Fraggle): I’ll give it to Pink. She goes by way of some stuff on this one and endures it with the bravery of her literary hero, Princess Gwenalot.
First Look Of…: The Blue Dragon. And its final look, so far as I do know. It’s an appealingly bizarre puppet!
Most Traditional Second: Residents of Fraggle Rock discovering themselves transported to the area beneath Doc’s porch, which beforehand occurred in “Uncle Matt’s Discovery,” feels prefer it’s bringing us one step nearer to the sequence’ highly effective ending.
Coolest Puppetry Impact: There are a couple of photographs the place we see Sprocket’s entire physique as he stands on all 4 legs and demonstrates his potential costumes for the masquerade ball. I like that.
Fraggle Lore: It might have been cool to see the T. Matthew Fraggle Room once more. Simply think about the chances for extra worlds on the market! However I suppose that is Fraggle Rock, not Sliders.
One Extra Factor…: Pink’s favourite character Princess Gwenalot is the star of a sequence of books, together with Princess Gwenalot and the Blue Dragon. Apparently princesses are simply as in style in Fraggle Rock as they’re right here in Outer Area. However what are we to make of the truth that Pink’s favourite e-book is a couple of hero assembly a blue dragon, after which she meets a blue dragon herself? Do the tunnels within the T. Matthew Fraggle Room have some type of mind-reading property? Okay, okay, I’ll cease.
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by Ryan Roe – [email protected]
