60 Years of Muppets...

[beaker]

60 years. 40 years removed from a century. Next year marks the incredible sixty year anniversary of The Muppets and Jim and Jane Henson's vision. This is so incredible to me. Ten years ago the Muppets were, despite a great merchandise presence, languishing in relative obscurity and development heck.

Think of how strong Sesame Street is, the fact we have countless total saturation Muppet tv appearances dovetailing with an amazing new film, and in some small capacity Fraggle Rock is back(tho sadly Bear in the Big Blue House is dead) Is there anything more we could ask for? We even have a possible Broadway Muppet musical on the way.

Well...ok there is one thing...

A RETURN TO WEEKLY TELEVISION.

Just curious what some of your wishes are either for the 60 year anniversary or for the franchise in general. What do you want to see? Disney California Muppet expansion? New TV specials? Specific merchandise? Home releases? Video games?

 

[Pinkflower7783]

I just want to see them out. Whether it's in tv specials, tv shows, movies or whatever I just want to see them back in the public eye where they belong not collecting dust for another 12 years or worse.

 

[JimAndFrank]

Well, what I'd really love to see is a TV special where they celebrate Kermit's 60th birthday and the Muppets anniversary simultaneously. You could have Jimmy Fallon or possibly Adam Hills guest starring. They could play old clips and regale each other with musical numbers they've done in the past and maybe even pay tribute to the puppeteers who started it all and have passed on.

...Oh and seasons 4 & 5 of the Muppet Show on DVD would be nice too.

 

[Pinkflower7783]

I'd like a wedding but I know that'll be when seasons 4 and 5 are out on DVD.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Good news, Pinkflower, we already got one!

 

[beaker]

1. Pinkflower: Well...I want to see quality. In the 2000's we did have The Muppets visible in a number of things, but many people felt the quality just felt lacking.

2. You know, a street blocking huge media event wedding in Hollywood between Kermit and Piggy would be a really smart publicity stunt for the Muppets. And it'd just be fun for the fans and celebs. It's become tiresome for Kermit to be asked the "so whats up with you and Piggy" question and then for Kermit to sheepishly answer. Have a wedding already!

 

[beaker]

Well, what I'd really love to see is a TV special where they celebrate Kermit's 60th birthday and the Muppets anniversary simultaneously. You could have Jimmy Fallon or possibly Adam Hills guest starring. They could play old clips and regale each other with musical numbers they've done in the past and maybe even pay tribute to the puppeteers who started it all and have passed on.

...Oh and seasons 4 & 5 of the Muppet Show on DVD would be nice too.

BRILLIANT! Just like the 1985 "30 year" tv special. Really hope the people at Disney's ABC or Muppet fan loving NBC think of this. Jimmy Fallon would be perfect to be involved.

 

[beaker]

This may be the closest we get to a new Muppet show on tv for awhile...

 

[Pinkflower7783]

Good news, Pinkflower, we already got one!

Yes and you know how I feel about that. lol

I should've noted that I want a legit one! No movies, or TV movies, the real deal! I'm sure Kermit really wants to say "well when Disney says I can!" However I'm just happy to hear kermit say their in a committed relationship. He's been pretty romantic and even frisky in some of the interviews they've been doing to promote the film.

And yes I know the Muppets were lacking in the 2000's I was one of those fans who left them.

 

[minor muppetz]

It'd be great if Henson and Disney would collaborate on a project celebrating the anniversary of the Jim Henson Company and the Muppets. Back when the Muppets were sold, I thought the chances of a new biography of Jim Henson would be slim, because it'd be incomplete without the Muppets (which take up the majority of Jim Henson's career). But then in recent years we've gotten the books Imagination Illustrated and Jim Henson: The Biography, both including plenty of Muppet info. And when I first read this thread, I was thinking that due to those recent books it might be too soon for a new Jim Henson book, but then I was thinking, there hasn't really been a book about The Jim Henson Company (Jim Henson: The Works comes close, since it does have information about productions the company made after Jim's death).

Perhaps a book celebrating the history of The Jim Henson Company. I'd structure it as:

• Chapter 1: The Early Years (1954-1969 or so)
• Chapter 2: Sesame Street
• Chapter 3: The Muppets
• Chapter 4: Fraggle Rock
• Chapter 5: Additional Children's Puppet Entertainment
• Chapter 6: Creature Shop
• Chapter 7: Computer Animation
• Chapter 8: Henson Alternative
• Chapter 9: The People Behind the Company
• Timeline

Hopefully, Disney will give the Muppets some sort of celebration. Then again, the anniversary of the Muppets coincides with the anniversary of Disneyland (and Disney made that the bigger priority during the 50th anniversary).

It would be great if Disney would put out more stuff for the 60th anniversary. An anniversary line of toys, more productions on DVD, various marathons on ABC Family and The Disney Channel, maybe put every Muppet production Disney owns on Netflix or Hulu, start an official YouTube channel featuring classic Muppet clips... I especially want Disney to make the older specials officially available in some way.

I'd also like a book focusing on the various Muppet productions (though it would be a little sad if it avoided behind-the-scenes information). Maybe DK can put it out, as a companion to The Muppets Character Encyclopedia. Include plenty of info on every movie, special, TV series, web series, direct-to-video project, and maybe also many of the Muppet guest appearances on TV shows and commercials. I'd kind of like an official book like this to include full episode guides to all the Muppet shows (readers of The Muppets Character Encyclopedia who don't have the internet could use this as reference to each Muppet episode number), though if I was doing such a book, which would I rather have: chapters/sections one each individual season of The Muppet Show, or info on every single episode?

And there should be a big TV special celebrating the anniversary. Hopefully it'd leave out the Studio DC and Lady Gaga specials, unless it were trying to represent everything.

Another great idea: Add a special anniversary stage to My Muppets Show. A location big enough for 60 characters (60 years, 60 characters!). It can include everybody already in the game, plus loads of additional characters. The rest of the essential characters, plus all kinds of minor, obscure, and fan favorite characters. Add more characters from Muppets Tonight as well as MuppeTelevision, maybe include adult Skeeter, put in some set pieces and props from various productions... It could be the ultimate anniversary stage! Maybe it could resemble the set from the 30th anniversary special, or maybe Fozzie's mom's farm house.