The First Snow of Fraggle Rock

Synopsis

In a house belonging to a woman named Doc and her dog Sprocket is a hole that leads into Fraggle Rock. The Fraggles, Gobo, Mokey, Wembley, Boober, and Red live their lives within Fraggle Rock while experiencing different adventures along the way as well as interacting with Doozers and avoiding the Gorgs while harvesting radishes.

Episodes

Cast

Lilli Cooper as Doc

Puppeteers

John Tartaglia as Gobo Fraggle, Sprocket, Architect Doozer, Gunge, Barry Blueberry, and Lyle Craggle (puppetry only)

Karen Prell as Red Fraggle, Icy Joe, Merggle Queen (puppetry only), and Princess Gorg (eye performance only)

Donna Kimball as Mokey Fraggle, Cotterpin Doozer, and Storyteller Fraggle

Jordan Lockhart as Wembley Fraggle, and Murray the Minstrel

Frank Meschkuleit as Boober Fraggle (puppetry only), Uncle Traveling Matt (puppetry only in select episodes), The World's Oldest Fraggle (puppetry only), Pa Gorg (face and voice performance), Large Marvin Fraggle, and Mantivore

Aymee Garcia as Ma Gorg (face and voice performance), Archivist (puppetry only), Marjorie the Trash Heap, Brool the Minstrel, Henchy Fraggle, Bongo, and Styles Craggle

Dan Garza as Junior Gorg (face and voice performance), Philo, and Kyle Craggle

Ali J. Eisner as Turbo Doozer, Jack Hammer Doozer (puppetry only), Joogie the Inkspot, and Balsam the Minstrel

Kira Hall as Brio the Minstrel, Princess Gorg

Kanja Chen as Pogey

Kevin Clash as Uncle Traveling Matt (puppetry only in select episodes)

Andy Hayward as Pa Gorg (in-suit performance), Wrench Doozer, Jamdolin (puppetry only), Rupert Fraggle, and Giant Talking Radish

Ingrid Hansen as Ma Gorg (in-suit performance), and Skitter Stone

Voices

Dave Goelz as Boober Fraggle, Uncle Traveling Matt and The World's Oldest Fraggle

Daveed Diggs as Jamdolin

Cynthia Erivo as Archivist

Ed Helms as Lyle Craggle

Patti LaBelle as Merggle Queen

Kenan Thompson as Jack Hammer Doozer

Brett Goldstein as Pryce Fraggle

Catherine O'Hara as Lost Fraggles Leader

Adam Lambert as The Great Glitterini

Ariana DeBose as Mezzo

Production

On May 26, 2020, following the success of the Fraggle Rock: Rock On! shorts that were released in April 2020, Apple TV+ announced a deal with The Jim Henson Company to produce a full reboot of Fraggle Rock, consisting of half-hour episodes, in addition to exclusive streaming rights to the original series and specials. In January 2021, The Jim Henson Company announced that production had officially started on a reboot of the show. The show is filmed at the Calgary Film Centre. Each episode features original songs, and reprises of songs from the original series.

Pre-production on the series began in late 2020 with the working title Raphanis (derived from the Latin word for "radish"). Filming commenced on January 25, 2021, in-studio at the Calgary Film Centre in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and wrapped in June.

In November 2021, a trailer revealed the Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock title, and the January 21, 2022 premiere date.

Several original characters return, and new characters are voiced by celebrity guests, including Patti LaBelle, Cynthia Erivo, Daveed Diggs, Ed Helms, and Kenan Thompson. Foo Fighters make a cameo in one episode.

Reception

Critical response

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds a score of 100% based on 14 reviews, with an average rating of 8.1/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Back to the Rock gives Jim Henson's beloved production a brand new fleece that fits just right, sure to delight longtime fans while enthralling a whole new generation." On Metacritic, the series has a weighted average score of 89 out of 100 based on eight critics, indicating "universal acclaim".

Accolades

The show won Outstanding Art Direction at the 1st Children's and Family Emmy Awards and received three additional nominations for Outstanding Children's or Family Viewing Series, Outstanding Cinematography and Outstanding Editing.