Premiering on Disney+ and ABC February 4th is the new ‘The Muppet Show‘ Special, which will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the groundbreaking original series.
Ec3rmvbIBvDVBF1oIuTJ45Executive produced by Seth Rogen and featuring guest stars Sabrina Carpenter and Maya Rudolph, the new special features all your favorite Muppet characters including Kermit, Fozzie, Miss Piggy and Animal, and is a revival of the original 1976 ‘The Muppet Show‘.
Related Article: Every Muppets TV Show Ranked Including the New ‘Muppet Show Special’
Initial Thoughts
When Disney bought the Muppets in the early 2000s, it seemed like the perfect home for Jim Henson’s characters after his death in the 1990s. However, more than 20 years later, the “House of Mouse” has struggled with their Muppet assets.
Except for the MuppetVision 3D* attraction at Disney’s amusement parks, the beloved felt characters basically laid dormant until Jason Segel successfully resurrected them with the feature film ‘The Muppets’ in 2011. While the movie was considered a hit, it didn’t exactly break box office records and led to the disappointing sequel, 2014’s ‘Muppets Most Wanted’.
Following that, an attempt to resurrect the Muppets again on television began with the disastrous ABC series ‘The Muppets’, which tried desperately to update the classic characters. Mistake! They would try again with ‘Muppets Now’ on Disney+, which was an update of the original format but failed to connect with audiences and was a casualty of the chaotic COVID era. Even an attempt to give Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem their own show with ‘The Muppets Mayhem’ was met with a mixed response.
So, Disney has finally decided to do the only thing left to do with the Muppets, which is to bring back their original show and format. The result is ‘The Muppet Show’ Special, which is basically an expensive pilot for a possible revival series. But I’m happy to report that the special works on all levels.
Yes, it’s just an updated version on the 70s series, filled with nostalgia for the original show, but it also feels fresh and new thanks to host Sabrina Carpenter (who has great chemistry with Kermit and Piggy), and executive producer Seth Rogen. With many characters to serve, the special does a great job of giving each Muppet a moment to shine, and while some of the sketches are just updated versions of sketches from the original series, the updated songs and characters make the special, well, feel special.
Story and Direction
The special begins with a nostalgic look at the Muppet theater, dark and somber from years of vacancy, suddenly brought to life when Kermit turns on the stage lights. Then the show pretty much follows the same template as the original series. Scooter tells the guest host there is “2 minutes to curtain,” then Kermit introduces the show from the Muppet Show logo, waving his arms with excitement, and the Muppets perform the theme song intro with Gonzo blowing his trumpet at the end.
Like the original, we get a mix of on-stage performances, and behind the scenes chaos. This week’s dilemma is that Kermit in his excitement booked too many acts for the show and now must tell Miss Piggy he is cutting one of her numbers. That doesn’t go well as you can imagine. Familiar acts return like ‘Muppets Lab’ with Beaker and Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, as well as Statler and Waldorf ridiculing the show from their balcony seats.
But the show is not without its updates, which all work in tone with the original. For example, instead of ‘Pigs in Space’, we get ‘Pigs in Wigs’, a sendoff of ‘Bridgerton’ starring Miss Piggy. Another update is that the audience, which use to only feature other Muppets watching, now has a mix of Muppets and humans in attendance. The music is also updated, with Sabrina Carpenter performing one of her songs, ‘Manchild’, in addition to duetting with Kermit on Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton’s classic ‘Islands in the Stream’, while Rizzo and his rat friends performed ‘Blinding Lights’ by The Weeknd.
Also returning is Gonzo the Great, who once again performs one of his tragic daredevil stunts. This time roller skating through blades and fire hoops while reciting every Best Supporting Actress winner ever. My mom is a huge Gonzo fan, but to tell the truth, I never really thought he was all that funny. However, he was a standout on the special and the running gag of him skating in and out of frame shouting “Lupita Nyong’o” or “Dianne Wiest” had me in stitches.
You can tell that Disney put a lot of money behind this special as the production design looks incredible, almost too good to match the original 70s show. It’s a tad bit too slick for the Muppets, but it certainly doesn’t take away from the excitement of seeing the gang back together, and never affects the Muppet tone, which for the first time in a long time, Disney has gotten right.
It’s clear that Seth Rogen and his team has a lot of love for the original show and these characters and has spent a lot of time and thought into reviving the beloved program. In that sense, if the special was an experiment to see if the Muppets are still relevant, then I’m ready to say it was a success!
Cast and Performances
As great as it was to see all my childhood friends back together again, if you are a fan of the original, there is one thing that might bother you … the Muppets have different voices now! Jim Henson is gone, Frank Oz has retired, and the only original Muppeteer left is Dave Goelz, who voices Gonzo, Waldorf, and a few other characters. But Kermit, Fozzie, Dr. Teeth, Piggy, and pretty much everyone else sounds very different, and it takes a little getting used to for longtime fans.
One very important ingredient in the ‘Muppet Show’ recipe is the guest star and the original show was famous for having talented guests who were ready to have fun with the Muppets. Original hosts included Steve Martin, Elton John, Debbie Harry, Rita Moreno, Lynda Carter, Roger Moore, Sylvester Stallone, and Mark Hamill. In that tradition, I couldn’t think of a better guest star for this special than superstar Sabrina Carpenter.
The pop diva has an infectious energy that mixes well with the Muppet chaos, and her onscreen admiration for one of the greatest divas of all time, Miss Piggy, is a highlight of the show. Kermit even says to her at the end, “You fit right in with us.” To which Carpenter replies, “Well, it helps we’re the same height.”
Executive producer Seth Rogen has a funny cameo with Fozzie Bear, who non-diplomatically tells Rogen that he has been cut from his own show. Maya Rudolph’s appearance is also just a cameo, but she has some great comedic moments in the audience and during a Muppets News Flash, ushering in the return of the bumbling Muppet Newsman.
My only complaint is as a hard-core Animal fan, and fan of Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem in general, they did not get enough screen time. But to be fair, they all had a moment to shine, with Janice having her own scene opposite Kermit, and I guess they did all just recently have their own series.
The special does do its best to give every Muppet their moment, putting some in the background as Easter eggs, but with so many characters, not everyone is going to get enough time. Which is exactly why I hope the special is successful and Disney and Rogen decide to turn it into an ongoing series. Then there will be time to reintroduce and explore each character more, and maybe even introduce some new ones.
Final Thoughts
Seth Rogen has done the impossible … he’s made The Muppets relevant again. I think he’s also proven that the first way is the best way, and the Muppets are at their best on TV doing their classic form of a variety show. ‘The Muppet Show’ Special is sure to be a hit with old and new fans alike.
There is really nothing left to say except:
“It’s time to play the music, it’s time to light the lights, it’s time to raise the curtain on the Muppet Show tonight!”
‘The Muppet Show’ Special receives a score of 95 out of 100.
What is the plot of ‘The Muppet Show’ Special?
Music, comedy, and a whole lot of chaos is bound to ensue when The Muppets once again take the stage of the original Muppet Theatre with their very special guest, Sabrina Carpenter!
Who is in the cast of ‘The Muppet Show’ Special?
- Sabrina Carpenter as Herself
- Seth Rogen as Himself
- Maya Rudolph as Herself
Movies and TV Shows Featuring The Muppets:
- ‘The Muppet Show‘ (1976-1981)
- ‘The Muppet Movie‘ (1979)
- ‘The Great Muppet Caper‘ (1981)
- ‘The Muppets Take Manhattan‘ (1984)
- ‘Muppet Babies‘ (1984-1990)
- ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol‘ (1992)
- ‘Muppet Treasure Island‘ (1996)
- ‘Muppets Tonight‘ (1996-1998)
- ‘Muppets from Space‘ (1999)
- ‘The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz‘ (2005)
- ‘The Muppets: Bohemian Rhapsody‘ (2009)
- ‘The Muppets‘ (2011)
- ‘Muppets Most Wanted‘ (2014)
- ‘Muppets Now‘ (2020)
- ‘Muppets Haunted Mansion‘ (2021)
- ‘The Muppets Mayhem‘ (2023)
- ‘The Muppet Show‘ Special (2026)
