Apparently Disney is trying to kill the Muppets

[BrianL]

And hey, I'm still waiting for History of the World: Part II! (not SCTV of course, but same concept)

I know, right? Is that ever coming out?

Seriously, though, I still want to see more of the actual show, or really just more time in the writers' room, because that's where all the funniest stuff was.

 

[SaintsManiac]

in 1979 I was allowed to watch SNL at 4 years old and apparently acted out all of the skits the next day.

 

[Land Shark]

Put me in the "liked" category but there is room for improvement. I too think Denise was just a bit "off". I thought the scenes with Bergeron were hilarious and can see that as a running bit. And for those who think it should be on later, do you even watch other 8:00 pm shows?

 

[Toad_Passenger]

I think all of the people saying this version is too edgy have some clouded memories.

From the original Muppet Show, you are obviously forgetting things like:

1) Raquel Welch dancing around in a "barely there" dress, telling Fozzie that he's "Sexsational."
2) "You're Always Welcome at My House" which referenced stealing children and tying up them in the closet and freezer.
3) A more famous one is Alice Cooper's entire episode trying to get Miss Piggy to sell her soul to the Devil.
4) Johnny Cash, a Confederate Flag and a rendition of "Dirty Old Egg-Sucking Dog" with Johnny threatening to kill Rowlf.
5) Rowlf tricking Sam Eagle to say certain words that are part of the song "Tit Willow"

There are plenty, plenty more (just google/YouTube some). The Muppets were NEVER supposed to be a childrens' act. Glad to see the new show keeps that edge, since that's their bread & butter.

 

[Aurora0427]

I think all of the people saying this version is too edgy have some clouded memories.

From the original Muppet Show, you are obviously forgetting things like:

1) Raquel Welch dancing around in a "barely there" dress, telling Fozzie that he's "Sexsational."
2) "You're Always Welcome at My House" which referenced stealing children and tying up them in the closet and freezer.
3) A more famous one is Alice Cooper's entire episode trying to get Miss Piggy to sell her soul to the Devil.
4) Johnny Cash, a Confederate Flag and a rendition of "Dirty Old Egg-Sucking Dog" with Johnny threatening to kill Rowlf.
5) Rowlf tricking Sam Eagle to say certain words that are part of the song "Tit Willow"

There are plenty, plenty more (just google/YouTube some). The Muppets were NEVER supposed to be a childrens' act. Glad to see the new show keeps that edge, since that's their bread & butter.

Thank you! I'm so surprised people are upset that the show wasn't appropriate for small children. It was never intended to be for littles! That was Sesame Street.

 

[mjallemand]

If you think The Muppets are "For Kids", you haven't watched a whole lot of the 70s Muppet Show.

 

[BarbieGal457]

I loved it! I've always loved the Muppets and I think they've honestly always had cheeky humor. When I go back and re-watch older things, I always catch jokes that are a bit "naughty" and flew over my head as a kid. I also never considered the Muppets to be just for kids. In fact when we saw the last Muppet movie, the theatre was entirely adults! I don't believe it was ever intended to be marketed towards kids. I'm not really sure why people think suddenly the Muppets are too crude in their jokes when it really has always been part of their "act" to have some naughtiness to them.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I think the reaction in general (not here) is because people are used to the movies which were PG.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

The only problem I had with it was that a lot of the jokes in this episode were recycled from the promo (which I'm sure most people hadn't seen).

Fozzie talking about his online dating profile....still laughing at that one.

 

[Robo]

The only problem I had with it was that a lot of the jokes in this episode were recycled from the promo...

Well, that's not really the situation. (The promos are made after the show is produced.)

What I think you mean is that the promo revealed too many of the jokes in the show.

 

[RabFlmom]

The original muppets were not the Sesame Street characters and always had sexual undertones coming from Miss Piggy and the old guys in the balcony etc. . It was a variety show for adults that kids also watched. It might just be a fun show to watch for a while this time. I guess it is a wait and see if they can do it without getting too stupid with the jokes or going too far.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Well, that's not really the situation. (The promos are made after the show is produced.)

What I think you mean is that the promo revealed too many of the jokes in the show.

Not in this case. The "promo" I'm referring to was made by the producers to try to convince the executives to let them run the show. The jokes were the same, but the situations/actors were different. For instance, Fozzie's girlfriend Becky was a different actress in the promo.

 

[Robo]

Not in this case. The "promo" I'm referring to was made by the producers to try to convince the executives to let them run the show. The jokes were the same, but the situations/actors were different. For instance, Fozzie's girlfriend Becky was a different actress in the promo.

Do you, maybe, mean the "pilot?"

 

[Skywise]

Put me in the strong dislike column.

In the words of Kermit the Frog from this episode "I hate everything about it."

No energy. Jokes falling flatter than an uninflated whoopie cushion and the muppets are absolutely not sardonic or hateful which this show, for some unfathomable reason, thinks its what the muppets are all about. Jim Henson was never about that and would go out of his way not to allow that either on the show or behind the scenes!

Just another hack writer who can think up quips and strings them together and thinks that's comedy - You could've removed any of these lines and replaced them with actual office characters (including the pig and bear jokes) and it would have still had the same impact.

It's already off my TiVo and off the OnePass.

I had more fun watching this trying to find it for this post!

 

[bpadair32]

Put me in the strong dislike column.

In the words of Kermit the Frog from this episode "I hate everything about it."

No energy. Jokes falling flatter than an uninflated whoopie cushion and the muppets are absolutely not sardonic or hateful which this show, for some unfathomable reason, thinks its what the muppets are all about. Jim Henson was never about that and would go out of his way not to allow that either on the show or behind the scenes!

Just another hack writer who can think up quips and strings them together and thinks that's comedy - You could've removed any of these lines and replaced them with actual office characters (including the pig and bear jokes) and it would have still had the same impact.

It's already off my TiVo and off the OnePass.

I had more fun watching this trying to find it for this post!

Wow, were we watching the same show?

 

[Skywise]

Wow, were we watching the same show?

Yes.

 

[bookgirl2632]

I think the new show is brilliant. I'll definitely continue to watch.

 

[cavepig]

My problem with it was I can't stand the Office style editing. It makes me ill. They changed the characters personalities too much for me & just wasn't original. It's not because of the adult like humor it's because they didn't keep to what the Muppet's is in my opinion. The new pig is wrong too, just seemed odd and Kermit's personality was changed. The whole thing seemed off and forced to be like other modern shows.

 

[Ladyfish77]

DH and I both had the same thought--it's like "The Muppet Show" meets "The Office". We'll see if they smooth out some of the bumps.

 

[Robo]

Just to be clear about the show structure, the "to the camera testimonials" is not just the style of The Office.
It is a mainstay of virtually every "reality TV show" on the planet.

That style of cutaway from the action was around long before The Office came along and
adopted it.