Season Two Too?: Part 2 (Fraggle Rock)

Yesterday, I talked about "The Muppet Show - Season 2" DVD, today I have some information on Fraggle Rock's future. It has been 8 days since the impressive “Fraggle Rock: Complete First Season” DVD box set hit store shelves, and already fans are asking “what’s up with season 2?”. The five disc set of the complete first season surpassed expectations of fans who have been campaigning for the show to get a proper DVD treatment for over three years. With such high demand pushing for the sets, HIT Entertainment finally decided to release the first season on DVD, it would seem obvious that if the fans “won” the battle for season 1, that season 2-5 would also eventually come too, right? I mean if their was enough demand for season 1, why wouldn’t there be enough for seasons 2-5? Although season 1 got the DVD treatment, season 2’s fate is harder to predict (even for HIT).

HIT wants to see if all the people who signed the petitions, wrote letters, made calls, and sent e-mail are willing to put their money where their mouth is. Instead of making the decision based on how many people ask for a season set, they can now make it based on how many people actually buy a season set. So the best way to insure that season 2 gets released is to buy season 1…now! Buy copies for friends, buy copies as gifts or collectors items, get friends to buy the season 1 set, help boost sales. The better season 1 does the better HIT will feel about making more season sets.

You are probably wondering how season one is doing. I don’t know for sure, and being that’s it only been out for a little over a week, it’s still hard to tell. But it did rank as high as 31 on Amazon.com’s top selling DVD list - this is a record high for a HIT Entertainment DVD release. And there have been some reports of stores selling out of copies. The set is doing fairly well so far (especially given the overall lack of promotion and press). I think the set will do well, but will it do well enough for HIT to want to do it again with season 2?

HIT has never released a season box set before. This is their first; they are still just getting their feet wet. They don’t want to make a mistake and pump money into a big release like “Season 2” only to see it tank. They want to make sure if they make it, people will buy it (and enough people to justify the costs of production). So give them some time to make up their mind on what they are going to do.

The Jim Henson Company is reportedly backing HIT with the series, and says they hope the other seasons are released in such sets. But HIT is still saying “there is nothing to report yet”, “no decision has been made”, and “it is under consideration”. The producers are really feeling out the market for the season sets.

It took HIT about 9-months to put together the season 1 set, and depending on when they make the decision to move on with the series, and depending on how much additional work has to go into the next season, it could take longer (the earliest season 2 would probably should up would be May/June 2006, but that is being very optimistic).

Aside from “when”, everyone else wants to know “what”; “what will be on the season 2 set?” I don’t know; HIT doesn’t know; no one really knows, because they haven’t started work on the next set yet. However I hope that there are more all-new cast and crew interviews and other goodies placed on there for the fans. There are a ton of other topics they can discuss (from the theme song, to individual episodes, to details looks at the different characters, to the international versions, and everything in between). There are also a ton of related material they can provide to entertain us (from the sing-along videos, to the reworked international Uncle Matt segments, to the alternate openings, concept sketches, and even the animated show). The producers put a lot of work into season 1, let’s hope they continue the treatment when they decide to do season 2.

More information may become available in January - after HIT releases the single-disc Fraggle release “Down in Fraggle Rock” (maybe news will come with the DVD – similar to how the news of season 1 came along with “Live by the Rule of the Rock”). Only time will tell, but for now HIT is just “considering” season 2. With such a big product for HIT (a company that normally releases small single-disc DVDs) they are going to not want to over extend themselves (and they will want to “milk” the big collectors’ item for all they can). They do not want to rush. HIT has the distribution rights to Fraggle Rock until 2009 (and they may end up extending the contract with Henson), so even at a season set per year they could still get the whole show out (season 1 in fall 2005, season 2 in fall 2006, season 3 in fall 2007, season 4 in fall 2008, and season 5 in fall 2009 – plus seasons 4 and 5 are half the size of the other seasons, so a “complete 4th & 5th seasons” set might be how the series ends instead of two separate sets). Only time will tell, but HIT producers say that they don’t want to rush into it and just pump out the next season right away (so don’t expect to see it along with “Down in Fraggle Rock” in January) - maybe next spring/summer, or even next fall.

So, to summarize everything here: HIT is thinking about the subsequent seasons; but there are not set plans yet. When they will make the final decision is unknown. What all the features will be is unknown. I’ll keep you all posted and let you know as soon as I hear anything more about this (and any other) Fraggle title. Until then, just be patient, enjoy season 1, get others to buy the set, and show HIT that they made the right decision (show them that the consumers who demanded season 1 are really there). As Leon the Muppet would say “Buy this Show! Buy! Buy! Buy!” As soon as I hear anything more I’ll let you all know, but there is not much more to report on the subject now – I’ll keep you posted, until then feel free to give HIT a little nudge by sending a letter or e-mail asking for season 2 (it couldn’t hurt).