It's a Great Day to Be a Muppet Fan!

[wwfpooh]

But the standards have since changed, just as time itself has.

 

[Super Scooter]

... I dunno. To me, the Muppets are the Muppets. That's it. There's no grades. No destinction between "classic" and "current" or Fraggle and Frog. The Muppets exist to entertain. So long as they entertain me, they are "classic." Now, the Muppets, like any actor, have their ups and downs, but that's just part of the business. Maybe it's because of growing up during the latter half of the Muppets existance, but, to me, there's never been a difference between the Muppets now and the Muppets before Jim Henson's death. There is only the Muppets. Saying that there are "classic" Muppets, outside of being able to distinguish them from other productions, has always bothered me. I've used the term before, but I'm still not sure I really like it.

I can honestly say that I've enjoyed everything the Muppets have ever done. Not everything current was as good as the earlier Muppet productions of the '70s and '80s, but I still enjoyed it. In any case, I think the Muppets are starting to go back to the kind of thing that made them famous. That zany, irreverent humor, and the good character driven comedy. I'm tellin' ya, the online content is ALOT like Sam and Friends and the TV appearances of the '60s. Only with Muppet Show characters who have distinct personalities.

EDIT: I posted this before frogboy's comment. In the sense you mention, classic works. "Classic should = the original standard." I agree with that, but sometimes, I disagree with what people think live up to the original standard. Muppet Treasure Island and Muppet Christmas Carol, I think do live up to the original standard, just the Muppets acting in classic literature. People will disagree with me, but I think it's true. Muppets Tonight lives up to the standard of The Jim Henson Hour. ... maybe I'm getting myself muddled now... hmmm.

 

[Redsonga]

I was actually kidding. There's really no POV on a classic. The original television series and first trilogy of motion pictures are the classics. Some fans prefer the newer projects or grew up with them (and there's nothing the least bit bad about that), but that has no bearing on the historical nature of the franchise.

There's that one cable channel (I think it's TNT) that labels recent films as "new classics" to attract viewers. With that criterion Kermit's Swamp Years or the Muppets Wizard of Oz could be considered new classics. Perspective is lost. Classic should = the original standard.

Sometimes I think you just like the debate. That's okay. I do too sometimes.

To each their own then I guess...

I'm very stubborn and I do have a temper with certain things..but I actually don't mean anything bad on anyone...I don't hang on to madness for very long..I can be debating something one day, come back the next and have forgotten I said anything...It's not that the issue doesn't still matter to me but, I don't know, I'm a Taurus, we are moody. You know the rhyme about the little girl with the little curl? That has always been my ma's favorite way of talking about me..When I am good I am very very good...

 

[frogboy4]

... I dunno. To me, the Muppets are the Muppets. That's it. There's no grades. No destinction between "classic" and "current" or Fraggle and Frog. The Muppets exist to entertain. So long as they entertain me, they are "classic." Now, the Muppets, like any actor, have their ups and downs, but that's just part of the business. Maybe it's because of growing up during the latter half of the Muppets existance, but, to me, there's never been a difference between the Muppets now and the Muppets before Jim Henson's death. There is only the Muppets. Saying that there are "classic" Muppets, outside of being able to distinguish them from other productions, has always bothered me. I've used the term before, but I'm still not sure I really like it.

I can honestly say that I've enjoyed everything the Muppets have ever done. Not everything current was as good as the earlier Muppet productions of the '70s and '80s, but I still enjoyed it. In any case, I think the Muppets are starting to go back to the kind of thing that made them famous. That zany, irreverent humor, and the good character driven comedy. I'm tellin' ya, the online content is ALOT like Sam and Friends and the TV appearances of the '60s. Only with Muppet Show characters who have distinct personalities.

EDIT: I posted this before frogboy's comment. In the sense you mention, classic works. "Classic should = the original standard." I agree with that, but sometimes, I disagree with what people think live up to the original standard. Muppet Treasure Island and Muppet Christmas Carol, I think do live up to the original standard, just the Muppets acting in classic literature. People will disagree with me, but I think it's true. Muppets Tonight lives up to the standard of The Jim Henson Hour. ... maybe I'm getting myself muddled now... hmmm.

Even though I hold onto the classic designation (for history and chronology rather than value) I still agree with most of what you've said. The Muppets seem to have lost their way on what made them special and are getting back to those roots. The best example is Jim's work, of course. But it's not just his spark - it's an ensemble spark. The characters no longer seem to be going through the motions. It's not "Kermit and the Muppets" or "Kermit and Miss Piggy" - it's "the Muppets" as it should be.

To each their own then I guess...

I'm very stubborn and I do have a temper with certain things..but I actually don't mean anything bad on anyone...I don't hang on to madness for very long..I can be debating something one day, come back the next and have forgotten I said anything...It's not that the issue doesn't still matter to me but, I don't know, I'm a Taurus, we are moody. You know the rhyme about the little girl with the little curl? That has always been my ma's favorite way of talking about me..When I am good I am very very good...

I'm an Aries and we tend to be right even when wrong. He he. A lot of older fans (like me) tend to pass judgment on younger fans and newer projects. I don't do that much anymore because fans are fans and its all Muppets to me really. Even though I consider the original trilogy to be classic it doesn't mean that it is necessarily more valuable. In fact, Frank Oz' Muppets Take Manhattan is actually one of my least favorite Muppet films. I like it, but I like Treasure Island more for some reason (much to the dismay of people around here).

 

[Redsonga]

Even though I hold onto the classic designation (for history and chronology rather than value) I still agree with most of what you've said. The Muppets seem to have lost their way on what made them special and are getting back to those roots. The best example is Jim's work, of course. But it's not just his spark - it's an ensemble spark. The characters no longer seem to be going through the motions. It's not "Kermit and the Muppets" or "Kermit and Miss Piggy" - it's "the Muppets" as it should be.

Well for one thing the characters are actually there again..before most of them were gosh knows where collecting dust. Anything is a step up from that to start with . This goes doubley for the fraggles IMHO

 

[wwfpooh]

Well for one thing the characters are actually there again..before most of them were gosh knows where collecting dust. Anything is a step up from that to start with . This goes doubley for the fraggles IMHO

And despite what has happened in years past (monopolization, for one), one can only hope that The Muppets--whether they be the Classic Muppets, the Sesame Street gang, the Fraggle Rock cast, or whatever---stay as the loveable and enjoyable creations they've been since Jim first conceived them.

For instance, the fact that some people take the glorification of Elmo to a new low saddens me. Sure, Elmo's been annoying with the "topic song" and "talking to a baby" deal (or to some, just Elmo's World as a whole), but does even Elmo deserve to be treated like he's been treated by those cynical persons (i.e. from being called the sole thing to bring down Sesame Street and then being written in scary-as-heck fanfics as a sadistic...well..."little red menace" with a hidden agenda)?

 

[Redsonga]

And despite what has happened in years past (monopolization, for one), one can only hope that The Muppets--whether they be the Classic Muppets, the Sesame Street gang, the Fraggle Rock cast, or whatever---stay as the loveable and enjoyable creations they've been since Jim first conceived them.

I have hope ..I do believe in muppets, I do I do I do...

 

[wwfpooh]

I I do I do I do:

I do too, but it is the cynical view of some people that's warped and twisted the view of our beloved Muppets (yes, that does include Elmo), and I fear for our beloved characters'--Muppets or otherwise--future if people continue to place blame on them instead of on who is really responsible for the world being shot to heck. To have Sesame's own producers blame the characters for traits they've had for years & to have FOX "News" air the blashemy that dare insult Mr. Rogers...all in the same decade hurts me deeply.

 

[Redsonga]

To have Sesame's own producers blame the characters for traits they've had for years & to have FOX "News" air the blashemy that dare insult Mr. Rogers...all in the same decade hurts me deeply.

How quickly they forget what really counts with characters

 

[Quesal]

I love it all. Everything that's happening. All we need now is for HIT to release Fraggle Rock Season 4 by itself.