Episode 108: The Terrible Tunnel

Fraggle Rock
Air Date	February 28, 1983
Written by	Jocelyn Stevenson
Director	George Bloomfield

Doc is pleased to find a horseshoe from Sprocket, an item he needs for his collapsible bookcase.

The Storyteller unravels the tale of the fate of Sir Blunderbrain.

Gobo, Red, and Wembley return after visiting the Terrible Tunnel.

The Storyteller tells the Fraggles the story of the brave Sir Blunderbrain, who disappeared long ago in the fabled Terrible Tunnel. Gobo says that it's just a story, but then Wembley stumbles into the Terrible Tunnel himself. No one believes that he was there, so Wembley decides that to prove that he escaped from the Terrible Tunnel... he'll have to find it again!

Meanwhile, Sprocket has dug up an old horseshoe and Doc wants to trade anything to Sprocket for the horseshoe that he wants to use for his collapsible bookcase.

Fraggle Facts

• The Storyteller is one of the few Fraggles who perform a ritual function in Fraggle Rock (Others include Cantus the Minstrel, the World's Oldest Fraggle, and Archbanger Fraggle). The Storyteller's job is to remember the oral history of the Fraggles, and she'll tell any story on request.

Notes

• The Storyteller appears for the first time in this episode, although this is the only episode in which she is performed by Richard Hunt. In later appearances, the Storyteller is performed by Terry Angus.
• This episode originally aired with an alternate opening theme, with Wembley saying "Down at Fraggle Rock!" instead of Boober. Starting with the Disney Channel, the Wembley version was replaced with Boober, although Gobo's opening was repalced later, starting with the Odyssey Network. However, the Wembley opening still exists in the promotion for the episode, which was seen in the Third Season Release bonus features, and can alternatively be seen here.
• The Storyteller gives a hint as to how Fraggles are born: she mentioned that Fedora Fraggle was "hatched," thus giving the impression that Fraggles come from eggs, like birds. This, however, is directly contradicted in the second-season episode Wembley's Egg, when none of the Fraggles except Wembley have any clue what an egg is and find the entire concept absurd, so it's possible this may have simply been a slang term.
• This was the first episode to be directed by George Bloomfield, who would go on to direct more Fraggle Rock episodes than anyone else.

International versions

• French version: Doc remains amorous towards Madame Pontaven, preparing house decorations for their dinner that evening. He also displays a superstitious side, unnerved when Croquette wanders under his ladder, and seeking reassurance of romantic success from his horoscope and from tarot cards. Ultimately, all the labor is for nought, as Madame cancels, having lost her appetite.

Songs

• "The Ballad of Sir Blunderbrain"
• "I'm Not Scared"
• "Bad News"

Supporting Cast

• Storyteller Fraggle (Richard Hunt)
• Sir Blunderbrain (Steve Whitmire)

Video releases

• Fraggle Rock: Complete First Season (HIT!, 2005) -- Wembley opening replaced with standard Boober opening
• Fraggle Rock: Complete Series Collection (HIT!, 2008)
• Scared Silly (Lionsgate, 2010)

International episode titles

• Brazil: "O Túnel Terrível"
• Denmark: "Den frygtelige tunnel"
• France: "L'horrible Tunnel" (The Horrible Tunnel)
• Germany: "Der Tunnel des Schreckens" (The Tunnel of Horror)
• Japan: "おそろし穴見つけた" (I Found a Terrifying Tunnel)
• Netherlands: "De verschrikkelijke tunnel"
• Norway: "Den fryktelige tunnelen"
• Poland: "Straszliwy tunel" (Horrible tunnel)
• Spain: "El túnel terrible"
• Sweden: "Vembi och legenden" (Wembley and the Legend)

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