ABC News Video: Jason Segel, Muppet Savior

[Ruahnna]

Yes--Gonzo's wardrobe is still the just as wild and wacky as it ever was. He was the original sexy geek!

 

[CensoredAlso]

the thing with Gonzo is that he never lost all his crazy it was there all those year in subtle form... his clothes, his little comments, in Muppets tonight he had it back just upgraded to the 90's.

Agree to disagree, to me Muppets Tonight was a downgrade in every sense of the word.

 

[frogboy4]

I remember hearing that MCC was originally going to be a much different project under the direction of Jim Henson and it was going to feature Scooter as the Ghost of Christmas Present and Gonzo as the Ghost of Christmas Future. Instead they went for something a little more stoic than silly with Gonzo and Rizzo providing most of the comedic levity. It gave Gonzo a chance to grow beyond his craziness that was a little more balanced in MTI. While it's not my favorite of the Muppet projects, it is a quality effort that gave us something different.

Muppets Tonight stumbled right out of the gate by allowing Kermit and company to take a backseat to the newer Muppets. I understand the need for new Muppets, but not at the expense of our favorites. By the time writers and producers caught on it was already too late and ABC Disney shuffled the show around on its Friday night schedule until finally burying it on the Disney Channel. They did eventually start getting it right. Nevertheless, I still thought it sucked that they had the most bland house band in place of the out-of-work Electric Mayhem.

I am extremely excited about the new "Muppets" film, but there are a few tiny concerns. One being the opening song seems a little more Sesame rather than Muppety. It could have done with some singing Muppet cakes and veggies instead of so many dancing Disneyland Parade cast members. The song sounds great otherwise. I'm also a little worried about Jason, Amy and even Walter eclipsing the Muppets' screentime, but the ads reiterate that "this is their [The Muppets] movie". Other than that everything looks impressive beyond this fan's imagination.

 

[Duke Remington]

I am extremely excited about the new "Muppets" film, but there are a few tiny concerns. One being the opening song seems a little more Sesame rather than Muppety.

How come? I don't think so. I think that song definetely suits the Muppets very well.

It could have done with some singing Muppet cakes and veggies instead of so many dancing Disneyland Parade cast members.

What makes you jump to the conclusion that the movie dancers work at the parks?

 

[frogboy4]

How come? I don't think so. I think that song definetely suits the Muppets very well.

What makes you jump to the conclusion that the movie dancers work at the parks?

This is where the crazy begins, so i'll just agree to disagree.

 

[frogboy4]

OMG! I just heard "Smells Like Teen Spirit" on MC Radio! Amazing! All the voices were pitch perfect!

 

[dwmckim]

OMG! I just heard "Smells Like Teen Spirit" on MC Radio! Amazing! All the voices were pitch perfect!

Impressive! So they all sound exactly like Kurt Cobain then?

 

[frogboy4]

Impressive! So they all sound exactly like Kurt Cobain then?

yes, yes they do. hehe!

 

[Drtooth]

Agree to disagree, to me Muppets Tonight was a downgrade in every sense of the word.

The thing about Muppets Tonight was that some stuff worked beautifully, some stuff tried too hard, and some stuff just didn't work at all. it was a very experimental show, and you can tell that there was some real greatness towards it, but the confusion of what they wanted to do with it blundered the rest of it. The UK only skits, sadly, were the things that worked the best.

I know not putting Kermit out there was a wishy washy decision of the day (it took VMX and KSY to really bring him back)... I don't think that hurt the project so much as the fact they were going for too many different genres at once. The talk show/sketch show format was trying to be clever and more now than a variety show format (which hadn't been done since the 70's). of course, if they had problems with Kermit being the host, I really think Gonzo shoulda hosted the thing, Rizzo being the Co-host, and Clifford sitting in with the band, yet having a big role.

There was a LOT of great stuff... the episode where Johnny Fiama was too shy to sing with his idol... the one where Bunsen goes through an identity crisis when Beaker goes to a Star Trek convention Cruise... Kermit singing Once in a Life Time, Tales from the Vet (never ceases to crack me up)... even the UK bits like Mr. Calahan and The Tubbs of Porksmith. But stuff like Deep Dish Nine and Bay of Pigs watch tried too hard and just didn't work.

That said, I LOOOOOVE the JHH Muppet Central format. I think I dig it even more than the theater... too bad it lasted like a week.

Btw, Dr Tooth...why are you hating on Hugo? The new trailer looks visionary. I LOVE films like Toys, Adv of Baron Munchausen, Bicentennial Man, etc.

It looks like it's trying too hard. it just wants to look as stuffy and British as possible, and it would have worked JUST as fine if it was 1900's New York and these were little New York ragamuffins running around. The British thing looks to try too hard to be Harry Potter to me.

I remember hearing that MCC was originally going to be a much different project under the direction of Jim Henson and it was going to feature Scooter as the Ghost of Christmas Present and Gonzo as the Ghost of Christmas Future. Instead they went for something a little more stoic than silly with Gonzo and Rizzo providing most of the comedic levity. It gave Gonzo a chance to grow beyond his craziness that was a little more balanced in MTI. While it's not my favorite of the Muppet projects, it is a quality effort that gave us something different.

Yeah. I think it's a fine film on the whole, but it lacks that Muppet certain something. Changing Fezziwig's to Fozziewig's Rubber Chicken factory (and to not so much as see a rubber chicken) doesn't add that wackiness they usually exert. The only things that screamed Muppet Wackiness were the Puddings singing with the Chef and (my personal favorite) LIGHT THE LAMP NOT THE RAT!!! But having Kermit be a secondary character, having serious ghosts of Christmas (though I do indeed like the Ghost of Christmas Present), and dumping every other character to a flashback or very minor role just takes away that Muppet quality.

It's a fine version of the story (though I will always treasure Mr. Magoo more), a well put together film, and visually stunning. Just not as fun as MTI, which overcame some of those handicaps by adding wacky musical numbers and fun pirate characters.

 

[Oscarfan]

I am extremely excited about the new "Muppets" film, but there are a few tiny concerns. One being the opening song seems a little more Sesame rather than Muppety. It could have done with some singing Muppet cakes and veggies instead of so many dancing Disneyland Parade cast members. The song sounds great otherwise. I'm also a little worried about Jason, Amy and even Walter eclipsing the Muppets' screentime, but the ads reiterate that "this is their [The Muppets] movie". Other than that everything looks impressive beyond this fan's imagination.

The thing is that all the wacky Muppet characters have split up; the monsters, frogs, sheep etc. Adding other Muppets would contradict the rest of the movie. The big finale should certainly make up for that.