A Few Words About A few words about...™ Meet the Fraggles -- DVD (1 Viewer)

Robert Harris · May 2, 2013

The new DVD of Meet the Fraggles from Vivendi isn't about image quality. The image is what it is, as the shows were created for broadcast two decades ago -- long before Sony was thinking about 4k monitors.

What it is, for those who didn't have the pleasure of seeing it when it in original release, is quite extraordinary programming for young children. I'm actually sending this disc on to my son, as he cut his television teeth on it, especially via laserdiscs.

That said, color is okay. Shadow detail is extremely limited. The image isn't terribly sharp, especially if projected, which I don't suggest.

But as far as programming, I don't believe there's been much better produced since 1983.

Image - 1.5

Audio - 3

Highly Recommended

RAH

Traveling Matt · May 2, 2013

The greatest family series of all time. I don't call it a "children's" show.

If you've never seen it, watch the whole series from beginning to end. Don't skip around seasons, and don't stop if you're not impressed with the first season. The show improves each year, no more dramatically than from Season 1 to Season 2.

Ejanss · May 3, 2013

Traveling Matt said:
The greatest family series of all time. I don't call it a "children's" show.

If you've never seen it, watch the whole series from beginning to end. Don't skip around seasons, and don't stop if you're not impressed with the first season. The show improves each year, no more dramatically than from Season 1 to Season 2.

Hate to admit it thirty years later, but it IS a "children's show"--Today, we'd call it just above well-done preschool cable, but that didn't exist back then, so we were all convinced it was the next cult-discovery followup to the Muppet Show. Still holds up in places, though.
Sounds like this's just the one-disk sampler, though; the series already made it to complete boxset elsewhere.

And yes, the first season tries HARD to find its groove, but it finds it in the second season.
Until it all comes crashing down with--not one big fat jumped shark but a whole tank of four or five of them, by my count--in Seasons 4-5, but the performers still manage to carry their moments.
(I used to be such a fan of Karen Prell as Red, but I'm at the mellowed age where I identify with Kathryn Mullen's Mokey.) ^_^

Traveling Matt · May 3, 2013

It's interesting you think the show jumped the shark at a certain point. Most seem to find each season better than the one prior, with the final season the best of all (myself included).

As for it being a children's show - I'd love to check out another series made since, for any audience, that demonstrates more heart, humility and discovery.

Ejanss · May 3, 2013

Traveling Matt said:
It's interesting you think the show jumped the shark at a certain point. Most seem to find each season better than the one prior, with the final season the best of all (myself included).

Think I was actually at some puppetry convention/seminar thing or another, the year that head writer Jerry Juhl was addressing a fan-filled audience and talked about all the new, breakout plot sharks he wanted to jump in Season 4:
He didn't actually say, "I want to bring Traveling Matt HOME, so he can be a disillusioning stumblebum comedy-relief annoyance, instead of a comically larger-than-life legend to his nephew!", he just talked about the idea and made it sound interesting. The ideas about "New tunnels, so we can pretty much throw any unity to the premise out the window and write whatever fantasy idea we come up with" also sounded good at the time.

TonyD · May 3, 2013

I admit that I'm confused.What is Meet the Fraggles and what tv show is being referred to as getting better as the show continued.
Also this is a few words about a dvd in the Blu-ray section.

:wacko:

Ejanss · May 4, 2013

TonyD said:
I admit that I'm confused.What is Meet the Fraggles and what tv show is being referred to as getting better as the show continued.
Also this is a few words about a dvd in the Blu-ray section.

"Fraggle Rock" (1983-87), Jim Henson's next Muppet followup (and last good series, as "Muppets Tonight" was a poor pretender and "The Storyteller" was melodramatically overwrought), available in kiddy samplers or on boxset.
And so, yes, should probably be moved to the TV Disk section.

Traveling Matt · May 4, 2013

Ejanss said:
Think I was actually at some puppetry convention/seminar thing or another, the year that head writer Jerry Juhl was addressing a fan-filled audience and talked about all the new, breakout plot sharks he wanted to jump in Season 4:
He didn't actually say, "I want to bring Traveling Matt HOME, so he can be a disillusioning stumblebum comedy-relief annoyance, instead of a comically larger-than-life legend to his nephew!", he just talked about the idea and made it sound interesting. The ideas about "New tunnels, so we can pretty much throw any unity to the premise out the window and write whatever fantasy idea we come up with" also sounded good at the time.

Well, the "new tunnels" development was why Traveling Matt came home.

In a weird way, I can understand your perspective. As someone who grew up on the show and who enjoys it as much now as I did then, though, I've always thought of the development as one of the best moves the show made. Discovery is what the series is really about, and it was important the show's chief "discoverer" was given an opportunity for further growth - especially in such a literal way, as he's an explorer. It was also important to show that the Fraggle world physically evolves, providing further opportunity for growth elsewhere and with other characters (see the last episode).

That probably sounds somewhat flightly, but there's an alternate view for you.

TonyD · May 4, 2013

Sorry but I'm still not following.

I know what the Fraggles are and what Fraggle rock is.

What I don't know is, what is Meet the fraggles.
Is it a new dvd called Meet the Fraggles?
Why is it in the bluray section?
Is it an opinion on an older release?

Is it this.....?

"Dance your cares away with this collection of 6 episodes highlighting everyone's favorite fun-loving furry creatures Fraggles! Get to know Gobo, Red, Boober, Wembly and Mokey as they explore outer space, dodge the Gorgs and learn about themselves and the world around them in this silly compilation."

Ejanss · May 4, 2013

TonyD said:
Sorry but I'm still not following.

I know what the Fraggles are and what Fraggle rock is.

What I don't know is, what is Meet the fraggles.
Is it a new dvd called Meet the Fraggles?
Why is it in the bluray section?
Is it an opinion on an older release?

Is it this.....?

"Dance your cares away with this collection of 6 episodes highlighting everyone's favorite fun-loving furry creatures Fraggles! Get to know Gobo, Red, Boober, Wembly and Mokey as they explore outer space, dodge the Gorgs and learn about themselves and the world around them in this silly compilation."

Yyyyyep--It's the original first three-episode Best-Of samplers that came out before to test the market before they did the season boxsets, so that they could use the Cheap Warner Excuse of repackaging mass-market kids'-samplers instead of full collector boxes.
(Think Vivendi now owns the HiT! titles which already came out about seven years ago, and are now on their second marketing dip, along with the Pingu collections.)

And as to why they're in the Blu-ray column...that's because that's where Robert A. Harris can TELL us about them!

Robert Harris said:
I'm actually sending this disc on to my son, as he cut his television teeth on it, especially via laserdiscs.
But as far as programming, I don't believe there's been much better produced since 1983.

(sigh) Only us 80's survivors understand--
It's hard to explain the exact context to the new generation grown up with a healthy plethora of Elmo, Curious George and Dora just what was the vibe that got so many post-Muppet Show adults watching.
Nowadays, we just find ourselves having to explain to the younger kids, "No, for the last time, Red does NOT 'look like Abby Cadabby'!"

Robert Harris · May 5, 2013

Ejanss said:
Yyyyyep--It's the original first three-episode Best-Of samplers that came out before to test the market before they did the season boxsets, so that they could use the Cheap Warner Excuse of repackaging mass-market kids'-samplers instead of full collector boxes.(Think Vivendi now owns the HiT! titles which already came out about seven years ago, and are now on their second marketing dip, along with the Pingu collections.) And as to why they're in the Blu-ray column...that's because that's where Robert A. Harris can TELL us about them! (sigh) Only us 80's survivors understand--It's hard to explain the exact context to the new generation grown up with a healthy plethora of Elmo, Curious George and Dora just what was the vibe that got so many post-Muppet Show adults watching.Nowadays, we just find ourselves having to explain to the younger kids, "No, for the last time, Red does NOT 'look like Abby Cadabby'!"

Precisely.

Robert Harris · May 7, 2013

While I have reviewed a "sampler," Vivendi has released all four seasons, hitting stores May 14. As I've not seen any of it, I can't speak to quality. Might it be better than the old SD masters used for Meet the Fraggles? Someone else will have to report on that.

RAH

AlexF · May 9, 2013

I've got the original release of the Fraggles seasons, and having seen a portion of this new disc at a friend's, it looks completely identical to the image on the ones I have (HiT released I think...)

As such, I suspect that these new releases are just (for all intents and purposes) repackagings of the old.

Home Theater

Entertainment & Streaming Content

Physical Media

Home Theater Equipment and Hardware

Other Diversions

Bargains and Classifieds

Home Theater Forum

Archives

A Few Words About A few words about...™ Meet the Fraggles -- DVD (1 Viewer)

Archivist

Supporting Actor

Supporting Actor

Who do we think I am?

Supporting Actor

Who do we think I am?

Archivist

Archivist

Supporting Actor

Similar threads

Users who are viewing this thread

Sign up for our newsletter

and receive essential news, curated deals, and much more

Forum statistics