Stream It Or Skip It: ‘The First Snow of Fraggle Rock’ on Apple TV, a fluffy holiday special from the Muppet spin-off franchise

I don’t want to call the Fraggles “lesser Muppets” but… I think I just did. The First Snow of Fraggle Rock (now streaming on Apple TV) is the second holiday special born from the 2020s franchise reboot, Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock, and it further cements the franchise as the Muppet middle child that exists between the innocent charms of Sesame Street and the sublimely goofy Muppet Show and its many spinoffs. But maybe this seasonal outing stirs up enough cheer to make us forget – for about a half an hour, anyway – how all the other Muppet properties are superior entertainment.

The Gist: I don’t think they celebrate Christmas in Fraggle Rock. They do have some kind of holiday in the season of snow and food and togetherness, and it’s a lot like Christmas, but we’re a little short on detail here. But at least all the Fraggles are excited and participating in a big heavily choreographed musical number, in anticipation of the first snow, which I think is manufactured by their little Doozer friends? I’m not sure about the science behind all this, Lou. 

Anyway, every year our main Fraggle Gobo (John Tartaglia) writes a new song to sing in celebration of the fluffy white stuff. Boober (Dave Goelz) has a new recipe to make that requires melted snow (there’s a running joke here about how melted snow is just regular water, and it’s rendered amusing because it’s reiterated by a small sentient worm). Red (Karen Prell) has a new sled she wants to take down Slippity Slope. Wembley (Jordan Lockhart) is gonna build a snow version of himself. When the big moment comes, there’s only one lonely sentient flake. Everybody’s plans are shot to heck – except Gobo, who has a rough case of writer’s block, and can’t come up with a fresh wintertime tune.

Meanwhile, in the garage above Fraggle Rock, human person Doc (Lilli Cooper) and her dog Sprocket prep for the holiday. And over yonder in the Gorgs’ hovel, Ma and Pa Gorg are anticipating the hatching of an egg containing their new offspring – and Junior Gorg (voice of Dan Garza) acts all weird and dumb about it, especially after it hatches and he hides in the closet from his new baby sister. Back to the non-subplot, Gobo gets a letter from his Uncle Matt (also Goelz) that might just lead him to accidentally meet a Venezuelan YouTube pop star and Dancing with the Stars contestant I just learned existed, Lele Pons. I wonder if she knows anything about songwriting? No spoilers, and I assume Lady Gaga and Tom Waits weren’t available.   

What Movies Will It Remind You Of? Well, it’s no Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas. Then again, NOTHING is Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas, save for Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas.

Performance Worth Watching: I guess Gobo is the least-annoying Fraggle. 

Memorable Dialogue: Red gets all cuss-happy when the snow doesn’t happen: “Pardon my language, but this is rinky-dinky-stinky!”

A Holiday Tradition: Well, the word “Christmas” is never uttered. But Marjory the Trash Heap is decorated with festive lights for the nondescript holiday, and nondescript seasonal songs are sung. 

Does The Title Make Any Sense? Youth-oriented shows tend to be pretty on-the-nose. So, yes, yes it does.

Our Take: I know this is going to be a controversial hot take, but: Elmo > any Fraggle. There’s a contingent of society that wants to see Elmo immolated, and those people are cranky ol’ fartknockers. Not that we need to turn the flamethrower on the Fraggles; they’re fine. Perfectly acceptable children’s entertainment, and the little weirdo eccentricities emblematic of the Jim Henson Workshop come through in the side characters, e.g., the Worm Thing and the Trash Heap and the Talking Moss. The Gorgs are hideous in a bad way, and Doc and her pup are fine, but they don’t really need to be in this special, but apparently their contracts obligate the writers to shoehorn in their expendable subplots.

There is some messageering (is that a word?) in The First Snow that justifies its existence, and it has to do with not clinging to holiday traditions so tightly that it ruins the joy of togetherness, which of course is the reason for the season, although the Baby Jesus stans out there might debate that, and some might insist that their reason for the season is the only reason for the season and never accept that the holiday has evolved to mean different things to different people. That’s sort of the progressive subtext of this Fraggle Rock nonsense, anyway, that a just-go-with-it looseness will make the season fun despite the lack of snow. Oh, and it also finds Gobo screaming at the sky just outside what appears to be an Urban Outfitters knockoff during Xmastime, which accurately reflects our consumerist suburban holiday stresses. He has something highly relatable to share about all this: It’s a wonderful time of the year, but at the same time, AGHGHHGGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHHGGGGGG! 

Our Call: The First Snow of Fraggle Rock is light and fluffy and good enough for younger audiences to enjoy – but only after Emmet Otter gets the annual half-dozen watches it deserves. STREAM IT.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! (At least, that’s what Andy Williams promised.) The holidays are a time to celebrate with family, friends, food, and, let’s not forget, fun things to watch. Whether you’re huddled up with the whole family in your living room or cozying up under the covers with your tablet, let Decider be your guide to all things festive this holiday season.

John Serba is a freelance film critic from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Werner Herzog hugged him once.