Yep, that logo would provide the same kind of Pavlovian response in a youngster as the classic CBS Special Presentation logo that always aired prior to a Charlie Brown special.Yes, that's it. It still gives me chills of excitement. When I was a kid, that was the unmistakable indication that The Muppet Show was about to start*.
I agree with you Dr Tooth. But unless one has an EXTREMELY keen photographic memory, or was lucky enough to tape the show before the old logo was replaced, one can only IMAGINE what the original endings to those episodes looked like.In this case, cutting off the ITC logo RUINED a lot of episode specific closings. The Dudley Moore episode for one... Why they didn't have separate masters for "clean" closings is beyond me. That way they can monkey around with changing ownership withOUT changing the endings entirely.
The original ending does still exist on some copies - the logo is superimposed over a two-shot of Rowlf and Nigel. The review for the DVD of Season One has a screencap of the proper ending.I agree with you Dr Tooth. But unless one has an EXTREMELY keen photographic memory, or was lucky enough to tape the show before the old logo was replaced, one can only IMAGINE what the original endings to those episodes looked like.
Take Kaye Ballard (season 1) for example--here are my personal hypotheses on what the original ending to this episode looked like (if anyone knows for sure please let me know):
Hypothesis #1: The logo and copyright dates suddenly superimpose themselves over the two-shot of Nigel conducting Rowlf the instant Rowlf strikes the final chord to the piano-solo closing theme.
Hypothesis #2: At the moment before Rowlf strikes the final chord, there is a rapid cut to a close-up of Rowlf as he strikes the chord with the logo and copyright dates superimposed over him.
The person who told you this got their logos mixed-up; in the 1980's Henson International Television (HIT!) bought the rights off ATV and changed the endings so that Zoot blows a bubble out of his sax on the final note with the copyright notice on it. This is the version of the endings that Buena Vista are using for the DVDs, sans bubble.Also, prior to seeing the still to the original generic season 1/2 ITC Zoot ending on the TMS season 1 DVD review (and my YouTube find that started this thread!), I was told by someone that at one point, Zoot actually blew the ITC logo out his sax. Given the fact that in the first two seasons, as revealed in the stills and YouTube video, Zoot does not blow the logo out his sax, is it safe to assume that this applied to seasons 3-5?
I just realized I called HIT! "ha!" Oddly, I was probably thinking not of Henson Alternative, but the Comedy Central precursor by that name.The person who told you this got their logos mixed-up; in the 1980's Henson International Television (HIT!) bought the rights off ATV and changed the endings so that Zoot blows a bubble out of his sax on the final note with the copyright notice on it. This is the version of the endings that Buena Vista are using for the DVDs, sans bubble.