The Muppets 2015: What went wrong?

[BlakeConor14]

The muppets 2015 was the most anticipated show that year and possibly one of the most anticipated of all time but many people stopped watching after episode 2 and was cancelled after one season.
I personally had no problems with the show and wanted a second season but I'm looking at why it never got that second season and what exactly went wrong

1. It wasn't the muppet show- Many people probably saw there was a new muppets TV show and instantly thought it was a like for like copy of the 1976 series and when they found out it wasn't they switched it off
2. Too adult. Grow the f*ck up.
3. Kermit vs piggy: I was thinking of this the other day that it was more kermit vs piggy than the muppets. When episodes like going going Gonzo or too hot to handler aired they were the best of the series as they focused on different characters.
4. Sh*t guest stars: I only enjoyed 3 of the guest stars (Jason Bateman, Key and Peele and Willy Nelson)

This was my opinion on why the muppets failed. What is your opinion

 

[jobi71]

The muppets 2015 was the most anticipated show that year and possibly one of the most anticipated of all time but many people stopped watching after episode 2 and was cancelled after one season.
I personally had no problems with the show and wanted a second season but I'm looking at why it never got that second season and what exactly went wrong

1. It wasn't the muppet show- Many people probably saw there was a new muppets TV show and instantly thought it was a like for like copy of the 1976 series and when they found out it wasn't they switched it off
2. Too adult. Grow the f*ck up.
3. Kermit vs piggy: I was thinking of this the other day that it was more kermit vs piggy than the muppets. When episodes like going going Gonzo or too hot to handler aired they were the best of the series as they focused on different characters.
4. Sh*t guest stars: I only enjoyed 3 of the guest stars (Jason Bateman, Key and Peele and Willy Nelson)

This was my opinion on why the muppets failed. What is your opinion

I think two key factors in it not being a success were: the rushed schedule. The promo pitch was so good that they rushed the product before they had solid footing as to what they wanted to do. The second was the lack of joy in the earlier episodes. The Muppets always faced adversity and borderline incompetence in their productions, but their positivity pushed them through. In the first half of the season most of them seemed to be at a job they would rather not have. I think the guest stars were all game and excited to be working with the Muppets, but you are right some worked better than others. I would add Mindy Kaling to your list of outstanding guest stars because her plot was so perfectly Muppety. She wants to sing. She cannot sing. They don't want to tell her this, so rather than have her embarrass herself on TV the Muppets all join in, so she is one voice in a choir. I wished it got a second season as well - even a limited 6 episode one - because they seemed to have figured out what they wanted to do by the end.

 

[BlakeConor14]

I think two key factors in it not being a success were: the rushed schedule. The promo pitch was so good that they rushed the product before they had solid footing as to what they wanted to do. The second was the lack of joy in the earlier episodes. The Muppets always faced adversity and borderline incompetence in their productions, but their positivity pushed them through. In the first half of the season most of them seemed to be at a job they would rather not have. I think the guest stars were all game and excited to be working with the Muppets, but you are right some worked better than others. I would add Mindy Kaling to your list of outstanding guest stars because her plot was so perfectly Muppety. She wants to sing. She cannot sing. They don't want to tell her this, so rather than have her embarrass herself on TV the Muppets all join in, so she is one voice in a choir. I wished it got a second season as well - even a limited 6 episode one - because they seemed to have figured out what they wanted to do by the end.

Yes I forgot Mindy Kailing she was actually quite funny. And yes the show lacked in the earlier episodes alot of warmth so that's when in the 15 episode with piggy at the hospital the willy nelson song was one of the highlights along with Gonzos cannon stunt and any scene with uncle deadly

 

[jobi71]

Yes I forgot Mindy Kailing she was actually quite funny. And yes the show lacked in the earlier episodes alot of warmth so that's when in the 15 episode with piggy at the hospital the willy nelson song was one of the highlights along with Gonzos cannon stunt and any scene with uncle deadly

I think it goes without saying that Uncle Deadly was the breakout star of the show. If The Love Boat was still a program he would be setting sail this week with the likes of Cloris Leachman, Rainn Wilson, one of the Kardashians and Megan Mullaly.

 

[Sgt Floyd]

I only watched a few episodes and...eh...i just couldn't get into it. My issue was that they were trying to make it like every other modern sitcom out there, and i don't really like modern sitcoms. It felt like they didnt really know who the target audience was. Either muppet fans or modern sitcom fans, but not really both.

 

[D'Snowth]

We're still griping about this? Haven't we moved beyond this yet?

My issue was that they were trying to make it like every other modern sitcom out there, and i don't really like modern sitcoms. It felt like they didnt really know who the target audience was. Either muppet fans or modern sitcom fans, but not really both.

This!

This was the main problem with the show: for one thing, unless there's some kind of legality that prevents them from doing so, we can't seem to get Disney to bring in actual Muppet writers to write for the Muppets. It's as if they're afraid to let the Muppets do their own thing, and think they need more mainstream appeal, so instead, they bring in mainstream writers from other mainstream shows, so what we ended up getting was essentially THE BIG MODERN MUPPET OFFICE BANG FAMILY THEORY.

And yes, there's always been adult humor in the Muppets, but it was always sly and sophisticated: it went over the kids heads, but adults got it, so that was something for them without being inappropriate for kids to enjoy . . . there's a difference between subtly and being blatant and in-your-face.

 

[Oscarfan]

2. Too adult. Grow the f*ck up.

Contradictory much?

Anywho, hot take here: I don't see how anyone could like, say, MTM and dislike this series. They are extremely similar in tone and their reality-based approach to the Muppets as characters and how they, as a frog, bear, pig, etc. function in the real world.

I think the main problem with the series stemmed from the fact that it was rushed, and I don't know who would be to blame for that. Their pilot pitch was done in an extremely short amount of time, and I'm pretty sure it was a re-purposed script from their earlier attempt to do a mockumentary series (Gonzo's "six movies" line suggests they didn't change much). And they intended it for the 2016-2017 TV season, but instead, ABC wanted it for that fall, leaving them little development time.

The series wasn't perfect, no one will argue it was. Honestly, I thought it was funnier before they had the mid-season retooling (when Kermit said their in-universe show needed more joy, literally, I rolled me eyes). But it was probably their best TV outing since TMS.

Also, I hate the argument people made along the lines of "Why should I care about the relationship problems of a fictional frog and pig?" Virtually all TV shows are fictional. Why should I care about Don Draper? Or the Gilmore Girls? Or any other character from any other popular show?

 

[Froggy Fool]

Basically, it was just trying too hard to be like every other popular sitcom on TV. And the thing is, that's not who the Muppets are. They try to do something different and creative. Not same ol', same ol'.

 

[LittleJerry92]

I wanna check out the 2015 series but keep forgetting.

I know they're on the abc website. I will check 'em out soon though because I definitely missed out.

The only reason I haven't gotten around them recently is due to real life stress I've been dealing with. But once things clear up, I'll definitely get around to them.

 

[LittleJerry92]

Also, I hate the argument people made along the lines of "Why should I care about the relationship problems of a fictional frog and pig?" Virtually all TV shows are fictional. Why should I care about Don Draper? Or the Gilmore Girls? Or any other character from any other popular show?

Honestly if people got beef with Piggy x Kermit then good for them.

Personally I didn't really have much to say on their breaking up because their relationship was never even meant to be officially canon. Disney just kind of.... milked it a bit.

I will say though, end of the day, if you're sad to see a fictional couple break up, that's how you know it was good.