Disney Channel Preps for Muppet "Mini Movies"

[frogboy4]

Well, remember...children were what even Jim Henson's work was usually aimed at, although his work--like many others'--did reach other demographics as well.

That's not true.

Jim Henson's work on Sesame Street was aimed to educate children without the benefit of pre-school. The Fraggle Rock project was to inspire understanding in children so that future generations would seek out peaceful solutions to problems.

For that, Jim Henson was labeled a children's performer - something he kept trying to break out of. The roots of Jim Henson are actually in graphic design, short film, advertising with puppetry and his Sam & Friends program aimed at an older audience. Sesame Street came later.

Jim geared the bulk of his work for a general audience that you are mistaking for a kid's demographic. So, no - his work was not usually aimed at children. I think most Muppet fans understand that.

 

[TheJimHensonHour]

That's not true.

Jim Henson's work on Sesame Street was aimed to educate children without the benefit of pre-school. The Fraggle Rock project was to inspire understanding in children so that future generations would seek out peaceful solutions to problems.

For that, Jim Henson was labeled a children's performer - something he kept trying to break out of. The roots of Jim Henson are actually in graphic design, short film, advertising with puppetry and his Sam & Friends program aimed at an older audience. Sesame Street came later.

Jim geared the bulk of his work for a general audience that you are mistaking for a kid's demographic. So, no - his work was not usually aimed at children. I think most Muppet fans understand that.

Exactly and you'd be suprised how many muppet fans don't understand.

 

[frogboy4]

Exactly and you'd be suprised how many muppet fans don't understand.

To be fair, Jim Henson did make all of those kiddie vids with Fozzie, Rowlf and Kermit in the late 80s. I was upset how he caved and did that. It helps to feed the confusion. That's what Sesame and Muppet Babies are for.

I like my Muppet Show characters edgy (without going too far, of course), but some fans would like to seal them in a time capsule to keep them as they are. They need to grow (some) to be relevant.

 

[Drtooth]

To be fair, Jim Henson did make all of those kiddie vids with Fozzie, Rowlf and Kermit in the late 80s. I was upset how he caved and did that. It helps to feed the confusion. That's what Sesame and Muppet Babies are for.

I will always be a conspiracy theorist that he was trying to make the Muppet Show characters more kid friendly in the 80's. That's where the videos and MB came in. Really disliked Your as Funny as Fozzie Bear (as he was only in one small segment), but I loved seeing Picklepuss and Pops in Wow you're a cartoonist (though I really wish they called it, Wow! You can draw just like us. Or Wow... you're picking one heck of a bad career choice!). But that's besides the point.

Disney, to me, will always be a money making opperation. But what does a smart money making opperation do? Why, the cater to as many markets as possible. And I will state Disney does a wonderful job at doing just that. Take something like Pirates of the Carribean. That has several markets. Action film fans, 7-10 year old boys, 7-12 year old girls, and 12+ female Johnny Depp fans who crush on him (like my sister).

And then you get into what they're doing wrong. HSM and Hannah Montana only caters to 9-12 year old girls, and their soccermoms that want to have an attempt to be cool. And then you get into the other demographic, preschoolers with pathetic preschooler shows like MMCH and that Tool Box guy who's a paper thin knockoff of Bob the Builder. Now, I will say, MMCH at least has the main characters in a merchandising spotlight, and I was able to find dollar store figures of Goofy and Donald. But other than that, they care mostly about those 2 demographics. Little kids and tween girls.

Now, there are things I'm fearcely glad that Disney had done. Releasing most of the Disney Afternoon to DVD (though a lot of the sets will be incomplete series, it looks like), releasing the Tick which they only got by aquisition (dispite the fact they want to have incomplete 12 episode sets, due to a Marvel Hiccup, which I'll go onto later), and making sure that Muppet Show season 2 was uncut after fans complained. But then there are things I don't like. A lot of their classic stuff stays in the Ghoul guarded vault, it takes them forever to recognise classic characters at all (Where's the Ludwig VonDrake, Peg leg Pete and Gyro Gearloose Merchandise?), and then the fact they still own the Saban produced Marvel series (which lead them to believe Marvel would sue them again if they show the Tick episodes that parody their characters). amongst other things.

Now, I really want them to find a good market for the muppets, try it out, and fail on the level of we got them out there, and the ideas weren;t great, but we got them out there. Seems like when no body liked Muppet Wizard of Oz, they shoved them away until they could think of something else to do, and were too afraid to think of what they could do.

 

[TheJimHensonHour]

To be fair, Jim Henson did make all of those kiddie vids with Fozzie, Rowlf and Kermit in the late 80s. I was upset how he caved and did that. It helps to feed the confusion. That's what Sesame and Muppet Babies are for.

I like my Muppet Show characters edgy (without going too far, of course), but some fans would like to seal them in a time capsule to keep them as they are. They need to grow (some) to be relevant.

I loath those vidoes lol my father got them for me as a gift because he knew I was a muppet fan...the way they talk in them is just ugh worse than Elmo allot of the time.

But growing doesn't have to mean following the current trend of MTV-style humor or whatnot.

Nope it doesn't and lord I'd hope they'd not follow the trendy Emo or hip hop culture everything else has pretty much sunk to the level of...I wish something else would come along already or at least that things would be on the level that entire hip hop culture has taken over everything and these days it's getting on my last nerve.

 

[muppetperson]

I think the muppets have a childrens demographic because most Adults know that they have been around for years and it doesnt excite them anymore, whereas kids are young and it is all new to them.plus there is always new kids coming into the world, so you have an on going market.Look how long Sesame street is going compared to a five year run of The Muppet show.

 

[frogboy4]

Look how long Sesame street is going compared to a five year run of The Muppet show.

I get what you're saying about children being newly introduced to the Muppets - it's that way with all entertainment icons. That's why so much of film and television is targeted at a younger palette.

However, Sesame Street is a differently geared and formatted show. The Muppet Show was an evening variety program heavily concentrated on guests and production numbers. Not to mention Jim ended the program at its peak! I see it as inaccurate, but common, to compare the programs in that way simply because they contain Jim Henson created puppet characters. Different genres.

I believe one of the reasons (aside from wanting to do other things) that Jim yanked the Muppet Show out of production was that it was hard to keep a show like that fresh and current. Specials continued to trickle out. This helped keep the material from getting watered down.

 

[Erine81981]

I argee with Fboy. Why because i don't want to see the Muppets go from a family show to a kiddy show. So let the muppets be a little edgy but not over the edge. I know that everyone once them to be just like they were back when Jim was alive but i would love to see something differnt. I have a freind who's stepdad grew up watching the "Muppet Show" and from then on love all of the Muppets films and speicals but now he can't stand Steve Whitmire because it's not the same Kermit. He thinks they should have buired Kermit with Jim and let some other Muppet take over....like his nephew Robin.

I hate to hear things like that because i grew up with Jim's Kermit and then when i heard that he passed away i thought what is going to happen to Kermit. Will he be able to talk again or what? So when i finally got to hear Kermit once again i couldn't believe my ears. I was so thrilled that i couldn't keep from bouncing off the walls. So whatever Disney has in store for the Muppets i'll watch it no matter what. I'm going stand by my Muppet!

 

[theprawncracker]

I hate to hear things like that because i grew up with Jim's Kermit and then when i heard that he passed away i thought what is going to happen to Kermit. Will he be able to talk again or what? So when i finally got to hear Kermit once again i couldn't believe my ears. I was so thrilled that i couldn't keep from bouncing off the walls. So whatever Disney has in store for the Muppets i'll watch it no matter what. I'm going stand by my Muppet!

Agreed and supported on all points Kyle. I'm with the Muppets till the end.

 

[Erine81981]

Thanks guys. I can always count on older fans and anyone who don't care what happens to the muppets as long as they keep them alive.