Warning: Full spoilers for the season below.
To review The Muppets' official return to TV is to tell the story of the mistakes that were made in the fall and then the attempt to course correct those missteps with a new show runner, added halfway through the season. And look, the show was by no means laugh-less. There were funny lines and several standout characters, but what happened was that these beloved, iconic puppets - who were successfully, and endearingly, resurrected in a 2011 movie - were "updated" and inserted into a modern workplace comedy. Which only served to turn them into dour, glum shells of their former selves.
Using the Late Night TV format as a base, The Muppets now all worked on an after-primetime talk show hosted by Miss Piggy. Their roles were delegated out, 30-Rock style, from producers to writers to reception. Of course, the classic Muppets series also involved the running of a TV show. That of a yesteryear variety hour filled with skits, songs, and special guests. But this new incarnation really leaned into the soul-sucking grind of production. Such that Kermit now experienced endless anxiety and had trouble sleeping.
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Continue reading...
To review The Muppets' official return to TV is to tell the story of the mistakes that were made in the fall and then the attempt to course correct those missteps with a new show runner, added halfway through the season. And look, the show was by no means laugh-less. There were funny lines and several standout characters, but what happened was that these beloved, iconic puppets - who were successfully, and endearingly, resurrected in a 2011 movie - were "updated" and inserted into a modern workplace comedy. Which only served to turn them into dour, glum shells of their former selves.
Using the Late Night TV format as a base, The Muppets now all worked on an after-primetime talk show hosted by Miss Piggy. Their roles were delegated out, 30-Rock style, from producers to writers to reception. Of course, the classic Muppets series also involved the running of a TV show. That of a yesteryear variety hour filled with skits, songs, and special guests. But this new incarnation really leaned into the soul-sucking grind of production. Such that Kermit now experienced endless anxiety and had trouble sleeping.
Continue reading…
Continue reading...