Muppets Most Wanted Box Office Numbers

[Pinkflower7783]

Still, I'm sure they said that very same thing circa 1975.

A VERY valid point!

 

[Drtooth]

Still, I'm sure they said that very same thing circa 1975.

The keyword is the 70's. The Muppets were able to get away with a vaudeville show because Variety shows were all the rage back then. Plus, it also (and I can't stress this enough) took advantage of being syndicated. The 2 pilots were never picked up by ABC.

Personally, I almost wish we got a show like Sex and Violence (only with Kermit as the host and the fully formed skits seen in the actual series). Something that jumps around from one segment to another. That was way too ahead of it's time. If the Muppets ever got a TV show again, they should try that. It's more common place now.

 

[charlietheowl]

Not to mention that a more tightly-plotted show would reduce the dependence on guest stars. You can tell on TMS which guests were excited to be there and which ones weren't. If a new show were to move the Muppets front-and-center with development, you can better select people for guest appearances, getting only people who would be excited about working with the Muppets.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I remember the 60 Minutes special mentioning that the Muppets were about the only successful Vaudeville left, both on and off Television. That's a pretty impressive feat, even with variety shows being all the rage. But I get what DrTooth means, the '70s was an unusual time. I mean, mimes had a TV show. MIMES!

 

[beaker]

I apologize for saying that fans stuck in the 70's aren't real Muppet fans...but the notion of a 70's styled vaudville show making it past 6 episodes, let alone 13(and most likely dumped as a mid season test) in 2014 or beyond is ridiculous.

Didn't they do a few test shows of a "mockumentary" Office/Curb styled Muppet show?

 

[beaker]

So uh...how'd we do?

 

[CensoredAlso]

That's the thing. There was no such thing as a "70's styled vaudeville show." Vaudeville was dead. The Muppets reinvented the idea and pretty much owned it. I'm not saying a copy of Muppet Show is required. But you never know what will catch on with Television (or won't). Surprises happen all the time.

 

[Drtooth]

I apologize for saying that fans stuck in the 70's aren't real Muppet fans...but the notion of a 70's styled vaudville show making it past 6 episodes, let alone 13(and most likely dumped as a mid season test) in 2014 or beyond is ridiculous.

To be honest, I don't think that even in the 70's it would have lasted that long on network TV. I don't want to repeat the whole "Muppets don't work on network TV unless they're a cartoon about baby versions of themselves," thing again, but that's a sad truth. Not even in the 70's.

But I don't think a variety type format would work in this day and age. The only merits of doing The Muppet Show again are nostalgic. I'll say it again, I LOVE The Muppet Show, but I tend to think the Muppet Central bit of The Jim Henson Hour was excellent. Too bad it didn't last.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Guys, nostalgia is half the reason Bayformers was successful. Don't discount it.

 

[Pinkflower7783]

You won't know till you try!