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May 22, 2013

Will the Muppets finally return to primetime?

by Adam Finley, posted Jan 24th 2007 10:02AM

kermitWhile the Jim Henson Company works away on film and TV projects, we've been constantly teased with the promise of a new Muppet series. The last time this happened was with the short-lived Muppets Tonight in the '90s. Attempts to bring the gang back to television haven't come to fruition, including a pilot in 2004 for America's Next Muppet that was never picked up as a series.

Now, a brand new pilot for a Muppet mini-series is being passed around Disney, a spoof on mockumentary series like The Office that has the Muppet gang getting back together to put on a new show after venturing off on their own to find new jobs. That plot actually sounds very similar to The Muppets Take Manhattan. Word has it that the mini-series, if successful, could spawn a brand new primetime Muppet series.

I would love to see the Muppets return to weekly television, but I don't think the franchise ever fully recovered from Jim Henson's death. Henson could not have accomplished what he did without the talented people who worked with him, but without his vision and guidance, the quality of subsequent Muppet productions have been scattershot at best. The Muppets will always be a favorite, but it's difficult to watch them now without the feeling that something always feels out of place. It's unfortunate, but at the same time it's a testament to the impact Jim Henson had when it's clear those he left behind are still struggling to live up to what he created.

Thanks to Trevor for the info.

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TVSeriesFinale.com

>>However, I live with the hope that "The Cheapest Muppet Movie Ever Made" will be produced.

Amen!

Original story:
http://www.tvseriesfinale.com/2007/01/muppet_show_kermit_the_frog_and_friends_to_return.html

January 25 2007 at 11:50 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
majortom1981

Remember Disney just bought the mupepts. A lot of the failures were not from the disney company. rememebr before disney some german company owned them

January 25 2007 at 11:48 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
GhaleonQ

I sure hope that it makes it.

Meh. I think Juhl's death had much more to do with it. He was fading while working on "Muppets From Space," the first major drop in quality for The Muppets, and everything since has been disappointing.

However, I live with the hope that "The Cheapest Muppet Movie Ever Made" will be produced.

January 25 2007 at 12:33 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
TVSeriesFinale.com

I still enjoy seeing them (in short form more than long) but over time, the specials and movies have become more and more aimed specifically at children. The early Muppet material was very smart and entertined both children and adults equally.

January 24 2007 at 12:28 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mark

I've long felt that the Muppets lost their way after Jim Henson's death, and now with the sale to Disney. However, I was especially encouraged to catch "Jim Henson's Puppet Up! Uncensored" on TBS, the improv comedy special starring a new roster of puppeteer talent including Henson's son Brian. I think that's the closest the Henson Company has come to reinvigorating itself since Henson died. I don't remember off-hand if TBS has/will pick up "Puppet Up" for a full series or if it was just a special, but I would certainly love to see more of them.

January 24 2007 at 12:26 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Fred

I think it was both Jim Henson's death and the sale to Disney. The Henson Company really has nothing whatsoever to do with the Muppets anymore...and I think that unfortunately shows.

January 24 2007 at 11:26 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
David

I think you got the America's Next Muppet info messed up. I remember reading last year that the America's Next Muppet was going forward along with several other Jim Henson Company TV shows. So how could the pilot be made 2 years before I read the info about it being made?

January 24 2007 at 11:18 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Rudy Jahchan

I always felt that, after Henson left, the Muppets lost their edge. Most of features and shows that came out of the workshop were either Muppet-ized versions of classic (Muppet Treasure Island) or were more pop culture oriented humor (Muppets In Space) both of which were oriented to children. The show and the movies that followed were original works and while family friendly the humor had a wacky, satirical, Python-esque touch that adults could appreciate.

With the franchise under Disney, I have little hope of it returning to that ...

January 24 2007 at 10:55 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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