Episode 114: The Challenge

Gobo's always been the leader of the five Fraggle friends -- until Red decides she's sick of doing things Gobo's way. Between them, they "lead" themselves and Boober right into the Gorgs' Garden, where Junior Gorg is looking for a genie to rescue him from his drudgery.
Meanwhile, Doc buys a computer and a game on it has him and Sprocket competing for the high score until Ned Shimmelfinney wants to try the game.
==Fraggle Facts==
* The Fraggles still don't know the Gorgs very well. When Gobo, Red, and Boober are trapped, they wonder if the Gorgs will eat them. That's probably because Junior himself seems unclear on the subject, sometimes trying to catch Fraggles for pets, and sometimes threatening to "thump" them.
* Mokey Fraggle does not appear in this episode, though she is mentioned.
* This episode has the most mentioned but unseen characters: Mokey, The Trash Heap, Ned Shimmelfinney and Fluffinella.
* Pa Gorg spends the entire episode in Ma Gorg's crown from the first 12 episodes instead of his regular crown.
==Notes==
* Cheryl Henson and Art Almeida (Rollie Krewson's husband) cameo as the two Silly Creatures smoking in the postcard segment. The scene was shot in San Francisco rather than in the production's primary shooting location of Toronto."Fraggle Rock: A Celebration" at Museum of the Moving Image.
* When this episode aired on The Hub, the computer game that Doc and Sprocket were playing (Zombie Attack) had the word "attack" muted whenever Doc said it and the game's box was blurred.
* On Apple TV+, the postcards segment is removed.
==International versions==
*French version: Doc and Croquette are entranced by a new video game system, but are reluctant to take turns with the sole controller. After Croquette sets a record, the system short-circuits. Doc repairs it, and adds a second controller, so the pair can play together. Meanwhile, Uncle Traveling Matt finds a stone lion and assumes the lion is alive. He climbs up and waves, hoping to make friends. Tourists spot him through their pay telescopes.
*UK version: While playing chess against himself, the Captain hears a police message on the radio concerning an escaped criminal has been spotted around Fraggle Rock. Constable Pedigral calls to let the Captain know someone has stolen a motor boat from the village. Just then he and Sprocket hear a motorboat approaching. Someone approaches the door, and the Captain tells Sprocket to bark, but Sprocket is too afraid, so the Captain does it himself. When someone knocks at the door, it turns out to be Commander Ponsomby and his cat. Uncle Matt's postcard is the same, but as usual in the UK version, featured a loud instrumental version of Travelling Matt's theme in the background. After the Commander leaves, the Captain notices that the door is open and the lights have gone out. The generator has been tampered with, so the Captain calls a telephone operator and asks them to send the police. The Captain orders Sprocket to be brave and catch the intruder, who turns out to be Ponsomby's cat. Then the police arrive outside.
==Songs==
* "Noodlin' Nut"
* "Dum De Dum II (I Wish I Had a Genie)"
* "Dixie Wailin'"
==Video releases==
* Fraggle Rock: Complete First Season (HIT!, 2005)
* Fraggle Rock: Complete Series Collection (HIT!, 2008)
==International episode titles==
* Denmark: "Udfordringen"
* Finland: "Haaste"
* France: "Le défi"
* Germany: "Die Herausforderung"
* Japan: "リーダーはどっち" (Which is the Leader?)
* Netherlands: "De uitdaging"
* Norway: "Utfordringen"
* Poland: "Wyzwanie"
* Spain: "El desafío"
* Sweden: "Utmaningen"
==References==
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