Why I Couldn’t Be More Excited About the New Muppet Show

In honor of the (insanely early) political election season, I’m gonna make like a presidential candidate and completely reverse my position.

Again, woman. I’m allowed. 

Recently I lamented the direction ABC told us they were taking with the new Muppet show and wondered if they truly understood the spirit of the Muppets.

Then I watched the San Diego Comic Con Panel. And today’s D23 panel (fabulously live tweeted by my man, Scooter).

And I just wanna say, Muppets, my dear, wonderful Muppets, I’m sorry I ever doubted you. Please forgive me. You clearly know what you’re doing.

For those that don’t spend their precious free time watching hour-long comic con panels or rabidly clicking the refresh button on The Muppet’s twitter feed, first, let me ask, what does outside look like? And then let me catch you up on the latest run-down of the new show coming to ABC this fall.

Okay, so originally the crux of the rundown given by the network was:

  • “Not your grandmother’s muppets”.
  • Exploring the Muppet’s personal lives in a more “adult” manner.
  • It will use “The Office” mockumentary style of shooting.
  • Miss Piggy has some sort of talk show, which really didn’t seem to be the focus, based on the previews, which heavily featured Kermit sitting in traffic…something I was originally not a fan of…until I realized it was probably at least partly shot to remind us of the fact that they can puppeteer driving, how did I not marvel at that before!?


Moving right along. It turns out that the preview that I had some concerns with was not using clips from the actual show that will premiere next month, but from a “first presentation” that was shot to convince the network to do this show. So it was basically a super elaborate, ten-minute pitch. The writers, producers, and muppeteers have since outlined what the actual show will be, and it sounds much more like, well, the one I said they should be writing. (See how in sync we are? This just shows I’m secretly meant to be a Muppet).

[Big Bro’s note: Not such a secret.]

So here are the new things we’ve learned from the comic con and D23 panels:

  • The show will revolve around Miss Piggy’s late night talk show – how much will be backstage versus “at home” with the Muppets I do not yet know. But it apparently airs “after the Jimmy Kimmel show.”
  • Kermit is the producer, Gonzo is the head writer, and Rizzo and Pepe are his staff writers.
  • Sam Eagle is head of standards in practices.

And at this point, I immediately dropped my judgey super-fan face of skepticism.

You’re telling me Sam Eagle has to argue with Gonzo, Rizzo, and Pepe about show content!? So there could be a scene where Sam Eagle has to take a meeting and indignantly proclaim that a strip-tease done by a clutch of chickens is un-American, while Gonzo argues that it will be “very tastefully done,” Pepe suggests they substitute in Helen Mirren instead (“she is still very sexy, okay?”) and Rizzo yells, “Not a strip tease, you idiots. I said I was hungry and wanted chicken strips!”

(By the way, that took me about two seconds to think up. This show will literally write itself).

This is BRILLIANT.

I’m in, Muppets. Steer me towards your merchandise.

Ah! Not that. What the hell is that!? Anyway. That alone was enough to get me on board. But it gets better.

    • Bobo is the stage manager

Bobo! I love Bobo. Of course, this means that poor Scooter loses his former gig. The SDCC panel stated that he’ll be a talent coordinator, but today’s D23 tweets (provided by Scooter) suggested that his role may be undecided, and might possibly involve being Miss Piggy’s personal gopher.

    • Swedish Chef is head of crafts services.

    • Rowlf runs the tavern they all hang out at after work.


[Big Bro’s note: I’d drink there.]

    • Bunson Honeydew and Beaker run the props department

This is almost as good as Sam Eagle running standards in practices.

    • Fozzie is Miss Piggy’s sidekick

Of course.

    • Uncle Deadly is head of wardrobe

This one is weirdly wonderful.

    • And, naturally, Electric Mayhem is the house band.

If this doesn’t have every Muppet fan jumping out of their fuzzy felt skin in sheer excitement, then I don’t know what to tell you. This set up is so good, it would be astounding to me if it doesn’t work out well.

See? Complete and utter reversal. But hey, they’ve earned it. Just the tweet-action alone has been hilarious.

I just really can’t wait until September 22.

For those who want to obsess as much as I do, here are the videos of the SDCC panel, as well as the full aforementioned ABC pitch video.