"The Muppets" show runner exits, series to be relaunched February 2 with episodes 11-16

[Drtooth]

Yeah...

This news is not good. After they give the show the ultimate chance by bumping the series to 16 episodes, they decide "Hey, let's take a hiatus and redo the show for the last 6 episodes."

Ugh. The series is just gradually finding its footing after being rushed to production. The last two episodes showed huge signs of improvement, proving the Muppets can work the Office tone of the show. Now Disney's saying "Feh" to that. That's not a lot of confidence.

What I really hope to not see is some lame retread of the old series. I don't think they can do it justice and it'll just be an unintentional clone of what didn't work in Muppets Tonight. I really think they can make the most of the mockumentary format if they let a little less Office and a little more Parks and Rec (there is a slight difference), maybe some more 30 Rock in there.

 

[Drtooth]

I'm afraid they're reacting to the negative reception of the show instead of addressing the issues brought up and slowly dealing with them with each episode. You know, gradually making the show more Muppety but keeping the more sitcom tone of the show. I don't blame Disney for the showrunner leaving, but this report heavily hints at some higher up not liking the direction the show took.

If there's one problem the show has had, it can all be attributed to this being rushed out the gate. Some of the past Muppet projects had that same problem, but unlike LTS and the Gaga special, a running show can gradually improve.

Now whatever the result of this was, I really wanted to see a Muppet series follow a sitcom format instead of a variety show with some small backstage plots maybe. I don't want Muppet Show 2.0 because that's why Muppets Tonight failed. There's a way to keep the format and improve on it. Throw in some chickens and some singing vegetables if they must. Add in one musical number like Piggy's apology in "Walk the Swine." Show some of the sketches. They can add just a little more of the Miss Piggy show and still keep the show format. And hopefully that's what the relaunch will entail. Not cowtowing to the demands of those who just want a pale copy of what they've done before. Just addressing concerns and working them out. This show's not perfect by any stretch. Neither was the first season of the original show.

 

[RealWonderman]

I think it's good news. A mild reboot to adjust the tone. And it's likely that the sequence of events was that Kushell decided to exit, then ABC ordered more episodes to allow the mild reboot, and then reported it out of order.

I love some of it, but some of it was not great....but I really like the show over all and I'm excited to see what they do. Bets so far was Reese Witherspoon!

 

[LaRanaRene]

I hope they don't change the documentary style. I really love it. I do NOT want a reboot of The Muppet Show. I don't think it can be replicated.

 

[Drtooth]

I think it's good news. A mild reboot to adjust the tone. And it's likley that the sequence of events was Kushell decides to exit, ABC orders more episodes to allow the mild reboot, but reported vice versa.

If it's a soft retooling of the show, I think it could use it. Just, don't throw out dangling plot lines to satisfy an audience that the show lost for not being the exact same thing they remembered watching decades ago. If they can keep the break up going for the rest of the season and hopefully have the series get picked up for another season while addressing the concepts, I'm all for it. If they're just giving in to negative reviews online, that's a sign of weakness. I don't mind the idea of issues being addressed to help improve or shape the show into something better, I'd just hate to see conflicting reasons why the audience left screw the series up.

I hope they don't change the documentary style. I really love it. I do NOT want a reboot of The Muppet Show. I don't think it can be replicated.

That's exactly what I've been saying. The only one who did The Muppet Show proud was Roger Langridge, and even then, he had to fiddle around with the concept to work as a comic book. And frankly, it's that fiddling around that I think he not only accurately brought back The Muppet Show but improved the heck out of it. I don't see that. I see a photocopy of a photocopy (at best) with celebrities that we'd all whine about instead of entertainers we like. MT and JHH failed at trying to recapture that series. JHH succeeded in it's hour long segments and some of the sotryteller stuff as well as the concept of the Muppet Central segments (it was strictly hit or miss otherwise). MT was only good when they turned to outside behind the scenes segments and stories outside the theater, and it took a more sitcomy tone.

As long as the sitcomy tone is preserved, I think they can go from first season clunkiness to something special.

 

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

Their saying that Bob is leaving for creative differences with Bill Prady.

http://variety.com/2015/tv/news/the-muppets-bob-kushell-showrunner-out-1201633158/

 

[Ladywarrior]

Interesting.

 

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

Well I can't be sure but given Bill Prady's track record with The Muppets,it could be possible that many of the things that people don't like about this show could be Kushell's fault. I mean when you think about it, Bill Prady's humor tends to be a bit softer,whereas Kushell wrote for more sarcastic shows that deal with more human problems.

 

[Drtooth]

Well I can't be sure but given Bill Prady's track record with The Muppets,it could be possible that many of the things that people don't like about this show could be Kushell's fault. I mean when you think about it, Bill Prady's humor tends to be a bit softer,whereas Kushell wrote for more sarcastic shows that deal with more human problems.

Would be great if that was the case and the show could gradually turn into what the most finicky fans would like to see. The humor of the show is becoming more gentle than the first few episodes, and there's less sex and drug innuendo lately. Hopefully that's the push Prady was trying to get in.

It's just the reboot thing leaves a bad taste in my mouth. The show doesn't need to throw away it's current state to improve, and I'm afraid it will push the show back and seem like a desperate attempt that will further plunge viewership to the inevitable cancellation and greenlighting of a terrible show starring a former 90's sitcom star that doesn't even get a full season, leading to more Dancing with C-List Celebrities and Controversial Figures.

 

[terrimonster]

Exiting showrunners and mid-season retools don't usually signal good news, but I'm excited (or at least optimistic) about this. The rumored replacement comes from "Galavant" and "The Neighbors," which both had wacky, silly humor and big comic musical numbers. The Neighbors had a bad rap and I had extremely low expectations for it, but I thought it was hilarious, especially as the series went on. It had the vibe I'd like to see from The Muppets.