The Muppet Show 50th Anniversary Special: End, Begin, All the Same…
I, being a child of the 00s, was not someone who grew up with the Muppet Show but, like most, The Muppets was a franchise I couldn't stay away from. There were of course many Christmases spent with reruns of The Muppet Christmas Carol (banger) and even their Letters to Santa. Muppets from Space, Muppets taking Manhattan, there wasn't anywhere these guys weren't. I remember going to the cinema with my auntie in 2011 to watch The Muppets (as in the film). Like I said, at this time I'd never seen an episode of The Muppet Show and still, as we walked into the Vue, we sang the theme song. The Muppets have dominated pop culture in a way no one could have predicted but, more than that, they've gained the love and affection of every generation. In all honesty, I was a little worried about the special. Afterall, Disney loves to purposelessly reanimate a dead horse, ask it 'why the long face?', and have it dance for critics to beat. Luckily, the Muppets aren't a dead horse and this is no live action remake, this special, directed by Alex Timbers, is The Muppet Show as you know it, as you love it.
The special starts with a short trip down memory lane, accompanied by Rowlf playing a vaguely familiar tune on the piano. The catches I got of Rainbow Connection (there's probably a technical term I don't know for the way in which it's suggested rather than outright played) as Kermit meandered through the halls of the old theatre genuinely made me feel a little emotional, playing into the nostalgia that echoed through the rest of the episode. Sabrina Carpenter was a great choice of guest, she played so well into the cheekiness and had great chemistry with the other characters. The way she looked into Kermit's eyes during their duet of Islands in the Stream genuinely made me wonder if she was going to try that one, if you catch my meaning. The set for this scene was beautiful too, the blue-toned, moon drenched swamp was such a romantic setting and I appreciate Disney's commitment to delivering a practical set and effects.
On the topic of the duet, I'm not a personal fan of lyric changes; I find they're often obvious, jarring to the audience, and typically unnecessary. Though Carpenter and Piggy's change to "from one diva to another" was cute, my first thought was that it was Disney dodging lesbian accusations; not the writers trying to communicate comradery between the two performers.
Pigs in Wigs acted as a nice homage to Pigs in Space. I thought it was very well timed with the current Bridgerton hype and the classical rendition of Carpenter's Espresso was, presumably, a fun inspiration they took from the series. It wasn't all brand new though, fear not, with the return of Muppet Labs and Muppet News and well as The Amazing Gonzo taking to the stage once more to entertain us with his…innovative stunts. Seth Rogen and Maya Rudolph were two welcome cameos as well. Alongside the abundant cast of Muppets you'll have a wonderful Where's Wally watch.
The humour of the show was as expected, self referential and slapstick, though I would say it could have benefitted from the drier humour I love in films like The Muppet Movie. They played it safe, sticking to what has worked, but if the show were to continue after the special I think it would benefit from getting a little more experimental and varied.
That's the big question though, isn't it, will the show continue after the special? My prediction is yes, but not for long, this is primarily due to the nature of streaming. I presume it'll remain exclusive to Disney Plus, on demand, which doesn't quite play into how people watched telly when the show was at its prime. Streaming prevents it from having that Britain's Got Talent, Saturday night entertainment feel that really makes shows like it work. Equally, how would the episodes be released? In the more nostalgic 'let's gather around the telly once a week at X time for the new episode' format, or simply dumped onto the site for binging? I think that's the biggest risk to the show, people simply don't experience television the way they used to and if the show were to be successful in its revival it will have to respond to that. I'd say longer episodes with longer skits would be the way to go, taking inspiration from SNL's format. Longer skits would also allow for a wider array of comedy; I think Pigs in Wigs could make for a fun comedy of manners, blurring the historical setting with modern day social dynamics which would also lend itself well to character comedy and that drier wit too.
Speaking of change, I think it's only right to address Kermit's "new" performer. I use quotation marks because Matt Vogel has been playing the role for the last four years. I'll admit, the voice did catch me off guard at first even with all of the press tour content I'd engaged with. But you cannot deny, right down to the iconic face scrunches, that is Kermit the Frog. I understand why people are upset, but even when a franchise outlives its creators it doesn't grant them true immortality. Jim was a mind and heart like no other and his was a loss the creative arts will grieve what seems like forever, but his creation, the Muppets, is an idea and ideas can endure lifespans. If we want to see the idea of the Muppets continue to carry their torch in the industry we have to grieve our losses and accept new talent, which Vogel is full of, with an open mind.
Whether the show continues or not I think it's safe to say people just want more Muppets in their life and it's lovely to see Disney actually doing something with them (I'm still hoping for some Jane Austin adaptations, if any Disney bigwigs are reading). The 50th anniversary special was charming and nostalgic and didn't try too hard to be anything new or cutting edge which worked for a one off, but should definitely be a talking point should they continue their revival.
