The two best Kermits I've ever seen were the original Fisher Price one and the Macy's Kermit the Frogtographer. Is there some sort of reluctance to use cardboard stiffeners in the mouth or plastic eyes?I'm kind of bewildered by the fact that the Kermit plush design was perfected in the 70's and for some reason they can't replicate that now. Fozzie was perfected in the 90's with the Eden toys version. Gonzo and Animal have never received the best treatment, yet there have been a few solid efforts. Miss Piggy will never really look right without some sort of molded face. It would be easy for them to create a plastic doll head and then cover it with flocking like Igel did for Statler and Waldorf. It's funny that Pepe, Nanco carny version aside, was pitch perfect in his Disney plush debut.
Still, I think the last Animal was one of the best ones we've got since it's pretty much impossible to get that dead on Animal look... and half the time they go for that pink fuzzy lollipop look. Same thing that bugs me about bald Cookie Monster plush.
It seems with Fozzies, they're very reluctant to have the nose close to the eyes.