Disney Channel Preps for Muppet "Mini Movies"

[Philip Kippel]

And now, Kermit is in character limbo and Mickey has been turned into a Dora-wannabe.

I very highly disagree with such a ridiculous assessment.

Kermit is not really in limbo--he's still active, but it's just a slow process as part of Disney wanting to take their time with the Muppets to avoid messing things up.

And in no way has Mickey become a "Dora-wannabe"! Just because he hosts a pre-school show now DOES NOT make him a Dora-wannabe! His current show (which is WAAAAAY better and more entertaining than Dora, BTW) is just the newer, younger generation recieving an opportunity to get to know him better...as an actual, active and not as just a corporate symbol.

So, once again, please do not deny today's youth such opportunities to get know our beloved classic characters better.

 

[Drtooth]

Then suddenly he wasn't there, and after a few years we now have the Muppets controlled by what is now a largely corporate machine that, while it is in the business of cranking out TV/Movie properties targeted at children, is in fact a machine. It isn't guided by creative genius, it's guided by money. That does a lot to change how the Muppets will look, feel, and be presented.

I will say that comment doesn't just single Disney out. Warners, Viacom, Universal... they are all the same, and they all utilize the most popular things over and over to get money. A lot of what any studio churns out is mechanical, inorganic, and just fake, and some of us just don't like it. I love the Office and My Name is Earl, but I don't like a lot of companies that take a sterile version of the laugh trackless, theatrical aspect sitcoms (I.e. Aliens in America for example).

Honestly, even I have to say I can't even get mad at Disney anymore. I hate how they handle a lot of things, especially the Muppets. And I really am not happy about them flooding their own network with the same lie action tween coms, especially since Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network now feel obligated to suckle that teat instead of coming up with brilliant stuff on their own.

Personally, i'd be happy if Disney at least announced all the box sets, and plans to relaunch Muppet babies, at least as a product line, instead of Baby Mickey or anything like that. I have pretty low standards.

Though honestly, I do not think anyone at Disney is reading this. But criticism can be a good thing. If we just sat here quietly waiting, I don't think the message would go out. And if no message goes out, then no one will be able to fix something the fans see as wrong.

 

[TheJimHensonHour]

The way i see it Disney has a plan for the Muppets and it works. They start by releasing The Muppet Show season boxed sets uncut as possable, then Muppets tonight, and muppet specials and movies so everyone has a chance to see it. Then there will be a new show and things. This is so the Muppets aren't remembered for things no one can see, fans can enjoy it, and the new shows that build off of the classic things for new Muppet Show and movies will make sense to new viewers. We will get more Muppets just give it time.

Oh yeah I can't wait for that great new project to happen in 2020 with how long it would take them to release that stuff joking or not it really would be something like that. lol
That idea just doesn't work.

 

[Philip Kippel]

Oh yeah I can't wait for that great new project to happen in 2020 with how long it would take them to release that stuff joking or not it really would be something like that. lol
That idea just doesn't work.

Tsk, tsk, tsk. You people don't know ANYTHING, do you?

Where's Phillip Chapman when you need him?

 

[Drtooth]

Actually, we don't know anything... mainly because we haven't heard anything but "secret project." And 10 to 1 it'll be another unsold pilot before they decide to go in another direction 50 more times.

 

[TheJimHensonHour]

Tsk, tsk, tsk. You people don't know ANYTHING, do you?

Where's Phillip Chapman when you need him?

Can you please stop talking down to fans like your better than other people it's very rude.
What I was saying was that by that theory if Disney releases all of those wonderful Muppet projects first before doing something new we will be around to the year 2020 and I was being very serious because that's roughly how long it will take them.
I was sticking up for them oddly enough because I highly doubt it would take that long.
I have been saying in other parts of this forum that I believe they are the ones integrating the muppets into all of these other shows jokes like family guy and snl I really wouldn't doubt it at all.
Phillip Chapman is more than likely busy with his life not insulting members of an Internet forum.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Tsk, tsk, tsk. You people don't know ANYTHING, do you?

Where's Phillip Chapman when you need him?

Hi, Philip,

I do agree with your opinions in post #136, but please don't talk down to others on the forum. It's negative and doesn't reinforce what we try to be about here, which is a positive attitude--something that Jim Henson wanted his fans to practice that, if anybody knew anything, it would be to know that.

Also, if you just have to post something negative like that, I'd like to see something a bit more substantial following it, like more information about the topic since you obviously know something the rest of the folks here do not.

And if it was only joking with the community, then please follow that up with a "ha!" It'll help folks understand where you're coming from because it's very hard to understand the emphasizing of tone in posts unlike when folks are talking to one another in person and sarcasm is better understood.

I'd also appreciate if after this post folks can continue to discuss the topic and not worry about the trolling statement made above.

Keep in mind that CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is one thing, gang, and demeaning Diz isn't going to help anything. They read these forums like we do, as Philip K. posted above, so try to be constructive in what you say about Diz's treatment of The Muppets (and I will, too).

Thanks,
Kev

 

[Fragglemuppet]

You know, I have oppinions of my own, but I don't want to add more fuel to the fire here, (let's just say I agree with a lot of you.) All I want to know is, has anyone actually seen any of these yet?

I think that says it all, don't you?

 

[CensoredAlso]

Personally, if Disney does release new projects, that's alright. But for me, I'm mainly hoping they release more of the older material. It deserves to be seen again and definitely would have an audience (despite contrary opinions heh). It could happen eventually, I've learned not to be entirely negative.

 

[Drtooth]

I've just stopped singling out Disney out for why the entertianment INDUSTRY is in such bad shape now. I mean, I will say, they actually handle things better than other companies. There's a lot of things they do I don't like, no question. But they eventually released some of the Disney Afternoon in box sets, after fans got fed up with the non-stop barrage of pointless modern tweencoms they've been exploiting for the past few years. They decided to let John Lassiter run the animation department, after their failures since Lilo and Stitch were creaping up on them. And now we will see little or no DTV sequals.

I do not like their handling of the Muppets. That's no secret. I do swear other companies could do worse, and I would kill for Disney to sell them to a joint effort between the Weinstine company and Sesame Workshop (who already have a DVD distribution deal for SS DVD's). I said it before and I'll say it again, much as I hate that TMS S2 took 2 years to release, it was due to music rights. Now, if I saw that kind of care with the rest of the company, I wouldn't complain. If they at least leaked the unsold pilots on Youtube themselves or released them as specials, I'd be happy. If they at least had someone post here time to time about news updates, i'd be happy.

But here's the problem. Less and less of the entertainment congloms are run by brilliant wizkids who have visions of great ideas for TV shows and movies, and more and more greedy industrialite trust fund junkies who want to make the most profit with the least ammount of effort. Saturday mornings are dead. More of these companies just want to buy cheap reruns to fill the FCC educational TV requirement, and no doubt they'll pay some government officials to pull that requirement. know why? Infomercials are more profitable, and that means they don't have to exponge any effort. And creative people get the boot. Apparently, they don't want their big wall of money to be touched. It's really sad.

Sometimes Disney actually seems like the lesser of 5 evils.