Episode 301: The Bells of Fraggle Rock

Fraggle Rock
Air Date	December 24, 1984
Written by	Jerry Juhl Jocelyn Stevenson Susan Juhl
Director	Doug Williams

Gobo thinks the Fraggles' own Solstice holiday, the Festival of the Bells, is a big waste of time. Despite Cantus' warnings, Gobo goes on a journey to find out if the mythical Great Bell at the heart of Fraggle Rock is real. When the Rock slows down in the winter, the Fraggles hold the Festival of the Bells to make sure it keeps moving. As part of the celebration, they ring bells to awaken the Great Bell at the heart of the Rock. They also dress up as a Weebabeast, who used to guard the Great Bell when the Rock was small.

Meanwhile, Doc and Sprocket explore mid-winter holiday traditions from around the world.

Notes

• All of the Fraggle Rock seasons began on HBO at the beginning of January, except for the third season, which began a week early so that this solstice episode could air before Christmas. The episode was repeated each year at Christmas time.

• The songs "Weeba Weeba" and "The Festival of the Bells" were both written by Phil Balsam and Steve Whitmire.

• The episode premiered in the UK, on December 22, 1984.

• This episode ends with a reprise of "There's a Promise" over the credits, a departure from other episodes which features an instrumental/scat version of the theme. This marks the first of three times that the regular end theme is being replaced by an alternate song. The other two episodes are The River of Life and Change of Address. This is replaced with the standard closing theme, when international versions of this episode aired.

• This is the only alternate ending to not feature the Fraggle Rock logo before the credits.

• Cantus is unaccompanied by the other minstrels.

International versions

UK version: The Captain and Sprocket wait for Christmas dinner in the middle of a storm. The opening credits feature a unique shot of the lighthouse interior with decorations while the Captain gives Sprocket a present.

Supporting cast

• Cantus the Minstrel (Jim Henson)

Songs

• "Weeba Weeba"
• "There's a Promise"
• "The Festival of the Bells"

Video releases

• A Festive Fraggle Holiday! (Jim Henson Video, 1993) -- closing credits cut
• Jim Henson Presents Fraggle Rock: The Bells of Fraggle Rock & Blanket of Snow, Blanket of Woe (Virgin Video, 1985)
• Fraggle Rock: Complete Third Season (HIT!, 2007)
• Fraggle Rock: Complete Series Collection (HIT!, 2008)
• A Merry Fraggle Holiday (Lions Gate Entertainment, 2009)

International episode titles

• France: "Les Cloches de Fraggle Rock"
• Germany: "Die Glocken von Fraggle-Rock"
• Japan: "きみのベルを鳴らせ" (Let Your Bell Ring)
• Spain: "Las campanas de Fraggle Rock"

German title

Japanese title

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