Favorite Season of the Muppet Show

Muppet Master

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2014
Messages
2,743
Reaction score
1,560
I read an interview at one time with Frank Oz, and he had said that they wouldn't be able to do a "new" Muppet Show without Jim because he was really the glue that held everything together. He went on to say that "he (Jim) was so vital that to attempt a reboot of The Muppet Show and make it relevant to today's audience just wouldn't work because TMS was a culmination of everything coming together perfectly. It was just the right talent, time and place that made it so special. You can't remake TMS anymore than you can I love Lucy".
Of course Jim held the muppets together, but if Frank Oz is reading this then how was The Muppets 2011 such a success? And, of course you can't remake I Love Lucky all the main actors died before 1990 and Little Ricky is like 60 years old. But, Frank Oz, they're still making that I love lucky broadway show. Sometimes, whether good or bad you've got to keep a franchise going.
 

Muppet Master

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2014
Messages
2,743
Reaction score
1,560
Okay, after actually watching all of seasons 1-4 of TMS and halfway through season 5, my opinion has changed greatly. My favorite season of TMS is season 2, simply because it just had mostly great episodes. There were only like two that I did not like and even those episodes had great sketches. So, in my opinion, basically all the episodes were great. There was a nice balance of sketches, numbers, and backstage scenes which really helped. After that, I think I like season 3 the best, because it adds some great characters like Beauregard, Lew Zealand, and Annie Sue as well as introducing the canteen which would probably be my favorite place in the muppet theater, and just keeping the quality high. After that I would put season 4, because while good it just could not live up to the other seasons, then season 5, and last season 1. So, my ranking now reads.

  1. Season 2
  2. Season 3
  3. Season 4
  4. Season 5
  5. Season 1
No wonder season 2 won the primetime emmy for best comedy variety or music series, it really deserved the award.
 

jobi71

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2008
Messages
247
Reaction score
254
This is a tough question. Because I think some might think of best as favorite. Season 1 had a much looser feel - almost as if they were improvising it. Character designs were not set. No one knew who was performing Miss Piggy at any given moment. I love watching season 1 because they were figuring it all out. Seasons 4 and 5 they were in their prime. Guest stars knew what they were getting into. They could be bold and have episodes based around Star Wars or a Pirate Ship. People knew they were quality. Season 3 has one of my top three episodes (Pearl Bailey) and I think one of the most important (Harry Belafonte). So, that leaves season 2. A season where Rudolph Nureyev makes the show an international sensation. Where Muppet friends like Julie Andrews appeared. Where Muppet inspiration Edgar Bergen appears. Where John Cleese co-wrote his episode as one of the funniest 30 mins. And where my personal favorite 208 Steve Martin. It gets no better than this.
 
Top