Muppets (including The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock)

A friend really wanted to watch the new special so we made it a viewing party with another friend and the new special was... okay. Felt very odd and Sabrina attacking all the Muppets in the bar during her song felt odd.

I never watched OG Muppets but did Kermit always evoke Lorne Michaels in how he runs the show? The bit about everything running long and cutting sketches felt just like Saturday Night (a movie I really enjoyed - if you like uncontrolled BTS chaos, watch it!!).

Because the new special was so short I suggested we watch the 2015 Muppets show because the way Chef says "Groban Groban" has never left my brain - and that show I thought was way better! Kermit has the wrong energy but a better voice, and The Muppets putting on a show as a concept felt much more current and energized in that iteration.
 
If you didn't watch the original Muppet Show, you'll be missing a lot of the context. It was done pretty much in this exact same format; this is a faithful remake. Kermit was the "Lorne Michaels" of the original show, also sometimes appearing in the skits. It was also a show that ran a half hour on network TV (CBS I think) so factoring in commercials, it was probably only about 25 minutes of screen time per episode. It had a lot of the biggest stars of the time (late '70s) as guests, so the equivalent of today's Sabrina Carpenters. The real difference with this show is that it doesn't have the sharp wit of Jim Henson behind it. It's there in spirit, but hardly recreated in a satisfying way. I'd recommend watching just about any episode of the original show. When Harry Belafonte hosted, that's one that I remember most from growing up. Lynda Carter, Milton Berle, Elton John, Debbie Harry, were also really great episodes. The new show might make more sense after even one of those episodes.
 
That’s basically exactly how Kermit was presented. Good guy, nervous about making the right decisions for the show vs the antics of his friends. Alice Cooper and Debbie Harry stand out as great episodes of the original run. Many more. Carpenter was good in the skits. Jealous Piggy was right on point. That first song was just ugh. Not just the song but the presentation seemed a little too polished. The swamp one was much more in the realm of Muppets charm.
 
I think I get what you mean by looking too polished. Overall, I loved the special and really hope it leads to a full series. I think it did an excellent job of capturing the spirit of the original show with the right amount of modernization. My main complaint is that there was an over-reliance on camera tricks instead of puppet tricks, which led to many quick camera cuts that I found a bit distracting/jarring. I like that they kept many aspects of the show more 'rough around the edges', like leaving the arm rods in or showing wear on Muppets (Beautiful Day, for instance). I would have preferred if they used longer shots, even if it meant things didn't always look perfect. The bar fight scene is an example of quick cuts that I hope don't carry into the series.

At Toy Fair next week (Already!), I wonder how many Muppets NECA will have on display. I assume they'll have Kermit, Gonzo, and Fozzy from the social post, plus Piggy that Blake mentioned. I'm greedily hoping they have Rowlf and another, maybe Crazy Harry or Janice. Whoever they have, I am ready to see them!
 
I think they could get to that sharp wit, and experimentalism with puppetry, again - but can see why they focused it as they did for this reintroduction. I was pleased they went as far as they did with Gonzo and Muppet Labs and the "Bridgerton" sketch as the Muppets themselves putting on sketches of questionable quality. Kermit was always a mix of supportive and embarrassed by the acts...

I agree, the editing was a bit too modern, but it worked. Ironically I think they should have cut a segment and let the other segments breathe a bit more...
 
I can't imagine that NECA sculpts will look that different from what Palisades made. I think what I'm looking for is how they execute articulation. What kinds of extras these will come with, alternate heads/facial expressions, I hope. Maybe smaller Muppet pack ins like the vegetables or chickens or Robin.
 
NORM said:
I can't imagine that NECA sculpts will look that different from what Palisades made. I think what I'm looking for is how they execute articulation. What kinds of extras these will come with, alternate heads/facial expressions, I hope. Maybe smaller Muppet pack ins like the vegetables or chickens or Robin.
Click to expand...
Ken Lilly recently had a IG post about how he wished he included more pack in Muppets in the Palisades line. I think the ones they included were great additions, like the Javas and food. I agree with you. I hope/expect NECA to include some pack in Muppets, plus improved articulation and extra hands and faces. NECA's IG post showing Kermit with a holding hand has me excited for more options.
 
NORM said:
Watched the new Muppet Show. It definitely evokes the same tone as the original, but I don’t think I’ll ever get used to someone other than Jim voicing Kermit. Whenever I hear it sounding wrong, it distracts me and makes me sad. Because it’s not just the voice, it’s the timing, it’s the spirit. Jim had a way of making it feel like unscripted chaos but he was always in control, in the most subtle ways. Like a master teacher, he made you feel like you as a student were the inventor, even though he secretly gave you the idea for free without you noticing. That kind of magic isn’t present in modern Muppets. So Kermit will never feel like Kermit to me. The rest of the Muppets were passable though. I do wish the show success. Maybe some really good guests will draw me in.
Click to expand...
You sound like my brother. I liked it. Jim and Frank aren't coming back (unless via soulless AI…) The Maya Rudolph is dead” was the old irreverence updated. And the Beaker stuff was genuinely weird and funny (Beaker was not always my thing). Overall the show was like wearing a comfy sweater, but not sure if today’s audience (under 50?) cares about the Muppets. When the show was in syndication, MTV didn’t exist (is that an obscure reference as well), and it did a good job lampooning the musical numbers on variety shows of that era. I hope we get more Muppets in any format
 
I think that’s part of the downfall of the Muppets. No one has had a good enough idea to maintain any momentum for relevance. It was always Jim’s brainchild, and he was a genius we apparently did not deserve. No one will ever be as earnest, no one will ever match that sincerity, no one will ever be as creative.
 
fac said:
Super7 is doing blind box international versions of Big Bird from various countries. Have to admit I am intrigued, and might be interested in NECA following suit (despite the cost).

Click to expand...
If not for the blind box crap, I would have already ordered them. I’d love to see international characters from NECA, but, regardless of price, I don’t know where I’d put a bunch of Big Birds.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top