(A synopsis style review)
A running theme in Fraggle Rock is the celebration of difference, opposites reaching understandings to exist in the same world harmoniously. At a first glance this episode is just another finding common ground story featuring Boober and Red, but it doesn't take long to recognize that the real messages here are those set so cheekily in the first lines of the episode, death and perseverance (suicide in subtext).
Boober – "On my birthday I worry about the grim reaper."
Mokey – "But Boober, the time to worry about the grim reaper is when you stop having birthdays."
The first musical number is Boober receiving his Birthday Wisdom from the Trash Heap as is Fraggle tradition. "Listen, some things are worth worrying about, impending doom is not one of them, life is for living." She says, and sings "When every dream you've had has gone from good to bad, get a move on. When everything's goodbye, and you're ready to die, you wouldn't give a nickel for a hot apple pie, get a move on, go with the flow." Sometimes, little Fraggle, you are going to feel bad, but you can't allow your life to just stop, because if you stop you're never going to move from the awful place you are. Being on auto- pilot is okay and going just going through the motions can help get you through the tough times. Possibly the soundest advice the Trash Heap ever gave. This was no ordinary script.
Red reluctantly agrees to go on an "Adventure hike" down to the Spiral Caverns (which Boober ominously calls "the downward spiral") with Boober on Mokey's recommendation and they find themselves in a falling rock zone. Boober and Red become entombed by a cave-in. Boober complains of claustrophobia occasionally, and here it is revealed that Red is also claustrophobic. Known for his depressive personality type the somber optimism of "We've got to cope. If I can cope, anybody can cope." from Boober is particularly potent, and he remains the more level-headed in crisis of the pair.
Gobo, Mokey, and Wembley mount a rescue expedition. When reaching the cave-in Gobo is determined to move the cave blockage asks Wembley to give Mokey all the help he can, as " it may not have a happy ending."
(Cuts to Doc and Sprocket: At the beginning of the episode, Doc and Sprocket were trapped in by a blizzard with no power. Fluffanella the cat, whom Sprocket hates, had been stranded in the snow outside their front door but Sprocket hasn't wanted to let her in. Now their scene is of Doc translating what Sprocket is saying: "You have come to realize that no dog is a pancake ... oh, no dog is an island, and in times of great peril and shared suffering all of us set aside our differences and reach out to one another in the spirit of love and understanding." Doc lets her in and Fluffanella cuddles Sprocket to get warm.)
As the rescue attempt goes on the unstable cavern continues to collapse. Red and Boober are forced further back into the cave and sing "The Friendship Song", which with the slightest shift in context the sweet melody can be heard as a sensitive appeal to lost souls not to choose death as it will hurt the people who love them.
The Friendship Song:
Remember when now and then everything went wrong?
And then our friends would sing the friendship song?
(Remember, Red) You and I, we've nearly cried to know their love was strong
And by and by we'd start to sing along.
We sang, "Try a little longer for your friends, try a little stronger for your friends."
You work all night, you work all day, you still can't keep those worried blues away
"Try a little longer for your friends, Try a little stronger for your friends"
Life comes up life goes down, there's just one way to keep it going 'round,
Try a little longer for your friends, try a little stronger for your friends.
Try a little longer for your friends, try a little stronger for your friends.
Remember when now and then everything went wrong?
And then our friends would sing the friendship song.
When the cavern grows quiet, Boober and Red guess that the rescue attempt has stopped and realize they may never escape. Death is not an unusual theme for a Fraggle, particularly Boober, to talk about and the show has the unique quality of treating the issue without sugar coating. Instead this children's show grants the audience the respect of delivering a sincere and emotional scene.
Red – "We're running out of air. What do you think it's like to die?"
Boober – "I don't know, Red. I don't think anybody does. You know, I remember this one day, I was doing my laundry, and then this big soap bubble floated right up from the tub, and there is was, in front of my face, beautiful and shiny, and then it was gone. (Red cries) Red, don't be sad."
Red – "I can't help it."
Boober – "It was fun while it lasted. All the good times, and the songs, and the laughs and stuff."
There is no talk of an after-life, no religious offense or insight, it simply presents the fact that life ends and leaves it there for parents to discuss with their children. Fortunately Boober and Red don't have to wait much longer as the rescue party liberates them and all the Fraggles cheer and sing "Stay a little longer with your friends, play a little longer with your friends!"
A running theme in Fraggle Rock is the celebration of difference, opposites reaching understandings to exist in the same world harmoniously. At a first glance this episode is just another finding common ground story featuring Boober and Red, but it doesn't take long to recognize that the real messages here are those set so cheekily in the first lines of the episode, death and perseverance (suicide in subtext).
Boober – "On my birthday I worry about the grim reaper."
Mokey – "But Boober, the time to worry about the grim reaper is when you stop having birthdays."
The first musical number is Boober receiving his Birthday Wisdom from the Trash Heap as is Fraggle tradition. "Listen, some things are worth worrying about, impending doom is not one of them, life is for living." She says, and sings "When every dream you've had has gone from good to bad, get a move on. When everything's goodbye, and you're ready to die, you wouldn't give a nickel for a hot apple pie, get a move on, go with the flow." Sometimes, little Fraggle, you are going to feel bad, but you can't allow your life to just stop, because if you stop you're never going to move from the awful place you are. Being on auto- pilot is okay and going just going through the motions can help get you through the tough times. Possibly the soundest advice the Trash Heap ever gave. This was no ordinary script.
Red reluctantly agrees to go on an "Adventure hike" down to the Spiral Caverns (which Boober ominously calls "the downward spiral") with Boober on Mokey's recommendation and they find themselves in a falling rock zone. Boober and Red become entombed by a cave-in. Boober complains of claustrophobia occasionally, and here it is revealed that Red is also claustrophobic. Known for his depressive personality type the somber optimism of "We've got to cope. If I can cope, anybody can cope." from Boober is particularly potent, and he remains the more level-headed in crisis of the pair.
Gobo, Mokey, and Wembley mount a rescue expedition. When reaching the cave-in Gobo is determined to move the cave blockage asks Wembley to give Mokey all the help he can, as " it may not have a happy ending."
(Cuts to Doc and Sprocket: At the beginning of the episode, Doc and Sprocket were trapped in by a blizzard with no power. Fluffanella the cat, whom Sprocket hates, had been stranded in the snow outside their front door but Sprocket hasn't wanted to let her in. Now their scene is of Doc translating what Sprocket is saying: "You have come to realize that no dog is a pancake ... oh, no dog is an island, and in times of great peril and shared suffering all of us set aside our differences and reach out to one another in the spirit of love and understanding." Doc lets her in and Fluffanella cuddles Sprocket to get warm.)
As the rescue attempt goes on the unstable cavern continues to collapse. Red and Boober are forced further back into the cave and sing "The Friendship Song", which with the slightest shift in context the sweet melody can be heard as a sensitive appeal to lost souls not to choose death as it will hurt the people who love them.
The Friendship Song:
Remember when now and then everything went wrong?
And then our friends would sing the friendship song?
(Remember, Red) You and I, we've nearly cried to know their love was strong
And by and by we'd start to sing along.
We sang, "Try a little longer for your friends, try a little stronger for your friends."
You work all night, you work all day, you still can't keep those worried blues away
"Try a little longer for your friends, Try a little stronger for your friends"
Life comes up life goes down, there's just one way to keep it going 'round,
Try a little longer for your friends, try a little stronger for your friends.
Try a little longer for your friends, try a little stronger for your friends.
Remember when now and then everything went wrong?
And then our friends would sing the friendship song.
When the cavern grows quiet, Boober and Red guess that the rescue attempt has stopped and realize they may never escape. Death is not an unusual theme for a Fraggle, particularly Boober, to talk about and the show has the unique quality of treating the issue without sugar coating. Instead this children's show grants the audience the respect of delivering a sincere and emotional scene.
Red – "We're running out of air. What do you think it's like to die?"
Boober – "I don't know, Red. I don't think anybody does. You know, I remember this one day, I was doing my laundry, and then this big soap bubble floated right up from the tub, and there is was, in front of my face, beautiful and shiny, and then it was gone. (Red cries) Red, don't be sad."
Red – "I can't help it."
Boober – "It was fun while it lasted. All the good times, and the songs, and the laughs and stuff."
There is no talk of an after-life, no religious offense or insight, it simply presents the fact that life ends and leaves it there for parents to discuss with their children. Fortunately Boober and Red don't have to wait much longer as the rescue party liberates them and all the Fraggles cheer and sing "Stay a little longer with your friends, play a little longer with your friends!"
