The Muppets Episode 2 - Hostile Makeover

[CensoredAlso]

He isn't talking about every adult in the world.

Ladywarrior is right though, a lot of these jokes are more Middle School than adult. The Muppet Movie had jokes about Nazi scientists and religious cults (which I didn't understand as a kid and had to explain to younger viewers years later as well). And these writers think naughty drawings and saying "Oh God" is edgy?

 

[Big Bird Fan]

Ladywarrior is right though, a lot of these jokes are more Middle School than adult. The Muppet Movie had jokes about Nazi scientists and religious cults (which I didn't understand as a kid and had to explain to younger viewers years later as well). And these writers think naughty drawings and saying "Oh God" is edgy?

But there are adults who act this way. I understand not liking the Muppets doing this kind of humor, but at the same time, I feel it would be pretty unrealistic if there wasn't any at all. As long as they don't go overboard with it (which I don't feel they have) I think it's a good way to make things more realistic.

 

[CensoredAlso]

But there are adults who act this way. I understand not liking the Muppets doing this kind of humor, but at the same time, I feel it would be pretty unrealistic if there wasn't any at all. As long as they don't go overboard with it (which I don't feel they have) I think it's a good way to make things more realistic.

I can very easily go on record saying I don't buy into this very recent realistic trend, whether it's comic book movies or Muppets. I've been known to say "Oh God" in real life as a verbal tick. Doesn't mean I'll think it's clever when a writer puts it in Kermit's mouth. I don't need the Muppets dropping down to my level, lol.

Storytelling is a heightened reality where you use willing suspension of disbelief. And saying "Oh God" isn't going to make me think a talking frog that runs a TV show and breaks up with a pig is any more realistic.

 

[Blue Frackle]

The thing about Fozzie taking the souvenir was when he initially took it, it didn't seem bad or anything; like I thought he put it under his hat as just a place to put it (seeing how he doesn't have pockets or anything), with no bad intentions. It was understandable because the Muppets kind of represent a naiveness and all, but the second time he took it, it was just dumb. He didn't learn anything, thus making me not feel bad for him. It just felt like he was a compulsive thief or something, lol.

2:43-2:53... 10 of the greatest seconds of my life...

And Bein' Green is just a song that's too beautiful for life itself.

The Muppets always had ace music, from Joe Raposo to Paul Williams.

 

[dwayne1115]

I think this is how I feel about this issue.
https://levyontv.wordpress.com/2015/09/30/abcs-the-muppets-stays-true-to-jim-hensons-vision/

 

[Drtooth]

But there are adults who act this way. I understand not liking the Muppets doing this kind of humor, but at the same time, I feel it would be pretty unrealistic if there wasn't any at all. As long as they don't go overboard with it (which I don't feel they have) I think it's a good way to make things more realistic.

I wouldn't in the least doubt that was an inside joke. Seems that someone who once worked with Chuck Lorre would have gotten a card with something lewd drawn in it. Show makers are kinda... well... even kid's show writers get a little rowdy sometimes. And sometimes they sneak it into their work and hope the censors are too placated to pick them up. Who could forget Animaniacs's famous "finger Prints" joke or when being shown ink blots, Yakko quips "Hey, you're the one showing me sexy pictures." What about the constant suicide jokes about Squidward on Spongebob? Even 4Kids hid some filthy stuff in their Ultimate Muscle and Funky Cops dubs. AND THEY'RE 4KIDS!!! And let's not forget the time Porky Pig said "Son of a Bi-bi-son of a Bi-bi- Son of a Bi-bi-bi Gun!" 19freaking40's, yo!

By all means, the supposed filthy jokes in this series I've seen worse in kid's shows (again, everyone's favorite, Animaniacs). This is really nickle and dime stuff, not Robot Chicken/Family Guy type deals. I'm sensing this is another "Fart Shoes" situation where it's not even the joke, the stigma that the nostalgically clean and contractually pure "not at all for kids, but they have to be clean for them" Muppets say and do something that they wouldn't have done, but totally did. Like that idiotic crap supposed Superman fans gave to Man of Steel because Supes killed Zod under extreme circumstances. The whole "Superman would never kill" mindset, even though he did and has done worse stuff in the comics (both morally and quality wise).

Now I understand. Old schoolers will never be happy about something that wasn't exactly the same as what they got 20+ years ago. Even if they were exactly the darn same. But what I don't get at all is this "the Muppets were never meant for kids, but they must always be kid friendly" contradiction. I don't want to compile a list of kid-unfriendly Muppet sequences, some of which are worse than this. By all means, this show could have turned into a Greg the Bunny clone. It didn't. It walks a nice line between too much and too little. Now I really dig VMX for what it was, but the jokes were more adult and less clever in some cases in that one. Glad to see it didn't turn out exactly like that one.

 

[CensoredAlso]

But what I don't get at all is this "the Muppets were never meant for kids, but they must always be kid friendly" contradiction.

I think if the jokes on this new show were more subtle and implied, people wouldn't be worrying so much about what their kids are hearing.

 

[Ladywarrior]

I think this is how I feel about this issue.
https://levyontv.wordpress.com/2015/09/30/abcs-the-muppets-stays-true-to-jim-hensons-vision/

because you know henson would have LOVED to see zoot drawing male sex organs on birthday cards! He would have LOVED THAT SO MUCH! /sarc/

 

[Oscarfan]

because you know henson would have LOVED to see zoot drawing male sex organs on birthday cards! He would have LOVED THAT SO MUCH! /sarc/

Jim probably could've handled a risque joke like that. You know what he put on the screen; you don't know what his thoughts are on anything.

 

[Ladywarrior]

Oscar I don't think he would have but that's just me talking and I am so veeeeeery ignorant about everything according to some people here who seem to think adult shows can't be watched by kids. Like adult somehow means NO CHILDREN ALLOWED! WE DON'T WANT YOU!
Let me point this out here; Even IF(I know they were) muppets were for adults when henson created them it doesn't erase the fact that CHILDREN love muppets as well. I am PRETTY sure when this show was announced children saw the commercials and wanted their parents to let them see it and I'm pretty sure that parents let the kids watch it because MUPPETS = family friendly.
Now I am sure plenty of people don't CARE that muppets attract children and will keep using the tired old "muppets were never meant for kids" excuse but it does NOT suddenly remove the fact that KIDS watch muppets. Now think about how the patents of these kids must have felt watching what they thought would be a show they could let their kids see and then there are jokes that are ADULT ONLY themed. Kids would wind up asking their parents what the muppets meant by certain things and the parents would probably felt embarrassed trying to explain these things. I am sure they weren't happy about it as the whole "One million moms" thing already proves.
Now I know the show is on at 8:00 pm but not all children go to bed that early and their parents would very likely let them see it... until they see the content then block the show and don't let the kids see it anymore.
*shrug* I'm wasting my time with this. I'll just get the same dead horse argument about these things anyway.
Also if henson had wanted to make an adult themed muppet film even in the 70s he could have done so because MOVIES back then had more freedom to be raunchy than tv shows and there are 3 older muppet films and they're not NO KIDS ALLOWED!