MONDAY FUNDAY! This was great!
This episode was a BIG improvement on last week. While last week was very character driven and not particularly funny, this episode was a good mix of the two.
A-Story
This whole plot line surprised me more than once. I was expecting to see Kermit doting over Robin, but wasn’t expecting him to be so full of beans about it. Jump scaring Robin and Scooter was hilarious and it was refreshing to see the frog being so relaxed and playful. Miss Piggy also caught me off guard with her reaction to Robin’s arrival, but I suppose it only makes sense that they have spent some time together in the past.
It usually irks me when old sitcom tropes are used over and over, but The Muppets always seem to make it fun. I don’t blame Kermit for wanting to protect his nephew from the truth. Parents getting divorced is bad enough without knowing that a couple Robin seems to hold on a pedestal has also given up on love. Piggy was wonderful this episode. Genuine sympathy for Kermit’s break up and agreeing to keep up the charade shows that Piggy really is improving.
I never thought I’d say this, but Piggy is getting close to being in my Top 5 Favourite Muppets. She’s just behind Kermit, Lips, Rowlf, Rizzo and Beaker.
All in all, the plot was predictable, but sweet and what you’d expect for anything to do with Robin. There was a heap of great Muppet moments when Kermit asked them to play along and Laser Tag was an awesome Muppet first. Watching Kermit and Piggy team up reminds you why they lasted as long as they did. The camaraderie was fun to see from those two again and it continued until they were at Rowlf’s Tavern.
Let’s hope we see Robin again someday soon. Matt Vogel obviously had a hard time keeping the voice true to Jerry Nelson. Robin (and Gobo Fraggle for that matter) are particularly hard due to their voice being so similar to Jerry’s natural voice. Matt’s overall performance was that clean and good that I really didn’t mind it.
B-Story
I really don’t have much to say about this one other than I enjoyed it. It was another sitcom trope with a girl gate-crashing a bachelor pad. There was some excellent puppetry with the couple’s yoga, even if Gonzo did accidently kick Camilla in her dark meat! We found out why Rizzo won’t date snails and Drunk Pepe being rejected by his GMA crush after one too many photo-shopped bath photos. And if course we can’t forget Chip, Sam and Big Mean Carl somehow winning the hearts of women that are waaaaaayyyyyy out of their league!
Other Notes:
· Great opening scene with Zoot and Kermit: “It said ‘fire door’, so I didn’t want to risk it.”
· The entire cold opening was fun. There was a great reference to Robin not aging or growing a single inch. Very clever Muppet writers! Bravo to you!
· “Oh no, Robin! Don’t eat that!”
· I loved seeing the entire troupe messing around and watching Fozzie trying to toss the ball into Big Carl’s mouth. One big insane family.
· FOO FOO!
· So many great character moments here! Fozzie’s acting skills and everyone scrambling from Robin.
· Insert Uncle Deadly awesomeness here-The Electric Mayhem never ceases to astound me.
· LIPS SPOKE-………a single word……Yeah, that still counts- LIPS SPOKE AGAIN!
· Any excuse to give Sweetums more screen time is a good one. Even if his goldfish died!
· Scooter, you idiot. “Oh no, you made the first person to lie on Twitter!
· Drunk Pepe. Enough said
· “I’ll go easy when life does”- We all feel that way sometimes.
· Piggy and Kermit have become the new Bones and Booth for me. Especially in the last scene when they find an obscure way to say that there is still something between them without actually saying it.
· “NOT HELPING!”- Thank you Rowlf for being the amazing comedic relief you are.