Phil Balsam Movies

Miniscule Fraggle leader Travelling Matt issues his final 13 reports on the wonders of Outer Space (aka the "real" world) during the fifth and last season of the live-action puppet series Fraggle Rock. As always, things are moving apace in Fraggle Rock, the tiny community hidden under the huge stone lying in the backyard of the house owned by human inventor, Doc. In the season opener, a Magic Mirror reveals quite a few surprises to Red Fraggle on the occasion of her 28th birthday. In later episodes, Matt's nephew, Gobo, attempts to solve the "Riddle of Rhyming Rock"; Doc's dog, Sprocket, pays another chaotic visit to the Fraggles; Boober Fraggle comes to the rescue when the "Silly Creatures" pollute Fraggle Rock's water supply; the annual arrival of the pink Knobblie vines precipitates a most unusual adventure; and gruesome Junior Gorg prepares to become king, whether anyone likes it or not. In the series' last episode, Doc finally tumbles to the existence of Fraggle Rock -- placing the fate of everyone in that world in the balance. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Season three of the live-action puppet series Fraggle Rock serves up 13 new adventures, taking place in the tiny world hidden beneath the big rock that rests in the backyard of human inventor, Doc. As before, head Fraggle Travelling Matt continues in his explorations of Outer Space (otherwise known as the "real world"), sending back his discoveries in the form of postcards to his home turf of Fraggle Rock. A Christmas parable, "The Bells of Fraggle Rock," opens the series' third season. In subsequent episodes, a huge, pink glob from the gruesome Gorg Family's castle wreaks havoc during Fraggle Rock's annual Joke Day; Gobo Fraggle seeks out a cure for the dread Pebble Pox; Wembley Fraggle finds a magic bottle and uncorks a surprisingly nasty genie; the ability of the Fraggles' furry tales to register "fear" is given quite a workout; Pa Gorg's fear of heights is exposed during a cloudburst, and the hardworking Doozers accept the wrong creature as their long-awaited king. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Although kindly old inventor Doc is unaware that a tiny civilization lives beneath the rock behind his house, Doc's dog, Sprocket, is all too cognizant of this phenomenon. Thus is established the premise of the live-action puppet show Fraggle Rock, which launched its first season's worth of 24 half-hour episodes in January of 1983. The stories deal with the colorful, carefree Fraggles, the hardworking and industrious Doozers, and the gross, dictatorial Gorgs. The first episode, adroitly titled "Beginnings," finds head Fraggle Travelling Matt venturing out of Fraggle Rock and into "Outer Space" (aka the real world), sending postcards of the various wonders he's witnessed to his nephew, Gobo. In later episodes, Wembley Fraggle's willingness to be agreeable to everyone he meets plays right into the hands of the Gorgs; the Doozers are frustrated by the Fraggles' insistence upon eating their construction jobs; Gobo and Red Fraggle go on a treasure hunt; Boober Fraggle gets his feelings hurt once too often; the Fraggles' precious radish supply runs out; and Mokey's efforts to one-up the Gorgs culminate in her funeral -- even though she's very much alive! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi