TV Alert: "It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie" on CW Tuesday December 18

[D'Snowth]

Piggy's got a job as an extra on [scrubs], in which she plays a patient being whisked through the corridors on a stretcher (under the sheet, that is), but Kermit sneaks onto the set, and interrupts production to talk Piggy into coming back to the theater so they can do their Christmas show.

 

[Muppet fan 123]

Oh, I saw that, I just didn't know that was Scrubs..

 

[Mo Frackle]

and whats IIRC?

If I Recall Correctly.

(forgivable, since Tom Cratchit's a freaking doormat)

That's Bob Cratchit.

I didn't get to see all of the CW broadcast, so I can't really comment on it. As for the film itself, I like it. Yeah, it's far from the best work the Muppets have ever done, but it has a share of good bits to offer. This movie was also special for me, as (way back in 2002) this was the first Muppet production of any kind that I got to see the premiere of.

The performances are great here (name Brian's excellent Scooter, though nothing against David's also excellent Scooter). Eric's performances as Piggy and Fozzie were good at this point, but as we all know, they've improved since then.

Other things that I loved:

• The very winter-y introduction
• Mel Brooks as "Joe Snow"
• The Christmas party scenes - Johnny hamming it up, the Gift of Magi bits (Rizzo: "Did you save the receipt?"; Sal's gold record player gift to Johnny), Beaker's two heads, Rowlf at the piano, Sweetums and Robin putting the star on the tree, Scooter with a lampshade on his head, etc.
• The return of the Muppet theater, and of old friends like Scooter (and new friends like Johnny and Sal).
• The dramatic introduction of Kermit was very well-performed
• The beautiful music that underscored Kermit's departure from the theater.
• "Danny-L"
• The whole scene with Matthew Lillard (one of the few people to, IMO, upstage the Muppets)
• "The ham is jammed. Repeat: The ham is jammed."
• Pepe getting permits for a topless nightclub! ("Better safe then sorry, h'okay." "True".)
• Frosty the Snow Rat
• All of Pepe's scenes with Joan Cusack
• Janice like totally tuning up her harp.
• The wax pencil scene with Bunsen and Beaker.
• That shot of the whole gang sitting in the theater.
• Poor Bean Bunny having to assist Miss Piggy.
• Dialogue during the "I'm in" scene. (Beaker and the Chef chatting, Sam talking about his Propecia, and Scooter's remark: "That's not a hairpiece?")
• Fozzie, then Scooter, then the rest of the gang sticking with Kermit during that same scene. Also, "Even if we go broke doing it!"
• "You're right, Robin! To the star phone!"
• Granted, the Scrubs reference is a tad too "pop-cultury", I do enjoy Piggy's behavior in that scene. It's so Piggy-ish.
• Piggy's failure to get a kiss from Kermit before the show (and Bobo's line, "Where ya going, sister?")
• Moulin Scrooge (and Pepe constantly getting knocked down).
• Jerry Nelson as the announcer.
• The usual zany stuff going on backstage ("And besides, it's getting a little weird back here").
• Pepe's bad monologue.
• Fozzie's journey to the bank (I know there have been a lot of complaints about this scene, but I actually find it funny).
• Fozzie's determination during this entire bit. Really makes you want to cheer him on.
• Scooter's failure to pick up chicks at the party.
• Animal chugging egg nog.
• The scene where Fozzie confesses to Kermit that he didn't deliver the money on time (it's well played out).
• The "A Christmas Story" reference with the frog getting his tongue stuck to the pole (and the line "I triple frog dare ya!")
• Steve's performance as Kermit when he first meets Daniel.
• Eric Jacobson as Yoda!
• A few well-played out bits in the world in which Kermit was never born (namely the scenes with Piggy, Fozzie, and Gonzo) and some of the comedic bits (Beaker as a bouncer, Howard Tubman asking Daniel if he's a dancer, the EM as river dancers).
• Everyone Matters.
• Again, Steve's performance when Kermit thinks he's unable to go back. And the whole change Kermit has during that scene.
• Kermit's excited return to the theater, and the gang's reactions (notable Johnny's and Sal's)
• Statler's and Waldorf's brief lines.
• Pepe (of all people) saving the day.
• Bobo as Santa ("Yeah, and Merry Humbug to you"). Incidentally, I thought the deleted scene showing Bobo's initial reading as Santa was hilarious (Though I didn't actually care for the bit with "the real Santa")

What I didn't like:

• Were a lot of the scenes in Heaven really needed?
• Some of the bits in the world in which Kermit was never born were a tad too dark, IMO.
• Kermit calling up celebrities (pointless cameos that have nothing to do with the story).
• The ending (once Bitterman returns) seemed a bit rushed.

 

[Drtooth]

Am I the only one who thinks the Simpsons writers gags stick out like a sore thumb? No offense of course, some of it just seems like the Muppets doing Simpsons jokes. The most obvious? All of Sam's dialogue in the special seems like stuff Sideshow Mel would say. I.e. words that only sound funny with an outrageous accent.

 

[ToodlesTeam]

I'm definitely in the minority in saying that I do really enjoy this film. It certainly has its moments of poor taste, but the whole makes up for the parts I don't like. I especially enjoy Gonzo's little pessimistic asides ("Even if we go broke doing it!", "That's good because we lost it." and so on.) Just cracks me up for some reason. And this is one of the best roles Pepe has ever had. It's definitely a bit on the dark side, but I don't mind seeing the Muppets go there, because it still retains enough of their usual character to be fun.

 

[CensoredAlso]

It's definitely a bit on the dark side, but I don't mind seeing the Muppets go there, because it still retains enough of their usual character to be fun.

I don't mind the Muppets going dark either, I just didn't think this special had much going on under the surface of the dark. But agree to disagree.

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

The whole scene with Matthew Lillard (one of the few people to, IMO, upstage the Muppets)

Zoinks! Like, yeah. He's quite a groovy actor! Man!

Jerry Nelson as the announcer.

It's nice to hear a Jerry Nelson voice in general. Although I never was much of a fan of his Statler voice, it's nice to hear him as well as his other characters (ex: Robin). I think this is the last movie he participated in fully before his retirement and since we lost him this year, this movie is sort of a nice tribute.

 

[ToodlesTeam]

I don't mind the Muppets going dark either, I just didn't think this special had much going on under the surface of the dark. But agree to disagree.

Indeed! I definitely stop short of describing it as a good film. It's pretty flawed! But I still enjoy it.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Indeed! I definitely stop short of describing it as a good film. It's pretty flawed! But I still enjoy it.

Lol, gotcha. Yeah I mean I won't rewrite history, the first time I saw it I did appreciate the ending for its hopeful tone, that redeemed the rest a tad, hehe.

 

[Mo Frackle]

Zoinks! Like, yeah. He's quite a groovy actor! Man!



It's nice to hear a Jerry Nelson voice in general. Although I never was much of a fan of his Statler voice, it's nice to hear him as well as his other characters (ex: Robin). I think this is the last movie he participated in fully before his retirement and since we lost him this year, this movie is sort of a nice tribute.

I think Jerry dubbed most of his characters (with the acception of Lew, and one of Statler's lines), and other pupeteered. I don't nitpickers out there would call that "full participation", but I say it technically is. After this, I think the only remaining Muppet productions he did were providing voices for the Muppet Party Cruise game, and dubbing Floyd's lines for the Studio DC specials.