I'll admit. When I heard about the show's
only guest star being a Good Morning America anchor, and only because of synergy, I was a little worried. Seeing the episode, they could have written her part as
anyone, and that's the only tiny complaint I have. This episode really didn't
need a guest star and she was shoehorned in. I'm glad the plots revolved around the characters, whether it's out of necessity or not.
I really like how, no matter how awkward at best and nasty at worst Piggy's relationships with the characters have (and usually have) been, she has a very positive relationship with Robin. It would be cruel to make her diva-ish to a child, especially one related to Kermit. Tap dancing around their break up while making a sort of subliminal meta joke about how the casual fans were turned off by Kermit and Piggy not being lovey dovey together the entire series so far. Scooter blabbing it to the media while Kermit and Piggy try very hard not just to say that they're a couple, but trying to deny the fact that they should be. Robin even stops to point it out. His parents grew apart, but Piggy and Kermit was his constant and role model for a relationship.
The bit at the end where Rowlf was singing the song from Casablanca (clearly an intended homage), and Kermit and Piggy yell "not helping!"
Gonzo, Rizzo, and Pepe continue to be my favorite part of the show.
Even since MFS, I really think that Pepe, Rizzo, and Gonzo are a winning combination. Those three (and the new characters from MT) were the best part of that film, and the sign that it is
indeed a good film at least in part. They're really rocking this series, and they're segments are much more fun than they need to be. Love how Camilla is back in the mix and how she's used as an awkward 4th wheel, throwing the balance off for the group. Loved how they assumed she wanted to watch Chicken Run when she really said Logan's Run. Also loved seeing a depressed, drunk Pepe pretty much realizing his woman hopping wasn't satisfying him, missing Gonzo, and the sad single friend of a couple dilemma, having one of their friends grow up around them while nothing changes. At least, that's what I'm taking out of it.
I also like how they showed
just enough of the show to give the audience a small taste, but not big enough that it cuts too deep into the story, Thirty Rock style. Anyone else think Janice's line about keeping cows in a freezer is an unintentional reference to the comic strip where she was talking about an Avocado (or some vegetation) Ranch ("Having to brand those poor Avocados" or something like that)? Great to see Carl eat FooFoo, only for him to cough him up several scenes later. The show needs more of that.
Anyway, this is the thing about the show that frustrates me. The show has a
lot of potential and I'll admit the first part of the season sort of used it. They really sped up the Denise and Kermit eventually breaking up bit, and it really seems this kind of story was what the love triangle needed. There was a lot of drama to be tapped and while they certainly could have done a lot more with it before the break up happened, they certainly are getting mileage out of it now. But what makes it doubly frustrating is the lack of an audience almost guaranteeing the show's end. These last few episodes really showed that something was there and if it went onto another season they could have found a better balance between the Muppet characters and the docudramacomedy format, free of first season jitters. There's a lot more that can be done with the show and the characters, but unless ABC digs its heels in and refuses to treat this as a failure, we're not going to see that.