"America's Next Muppet" mini-series in development

[GelflingWaldo]

You're thinking of the wrong show. That idea was scrapped. This is to audition for new Muppet acts, ala Steve Martin episode.

The first incarnation of the show was in a small internal test-pitch production where the Muppets put on a reality contest and acted as the pannel of judges for other puppet acts and puppeteers. This concept was just used as the pitch (to sell the show), but was never ment to be the actual concept of the show if it was picked up. It was an internal, quick-and-simple low-budget (losely scripted) test to show the executives at ABC & Disney that the Muppets could be funny, entertaining and themselves in the world of the reality show format. It was to show how they characters would work in the format. The pitch worked, and now ABC has ordered them to develop the real concept into a script and 5 episode outlines for them (and if they like them, then the show will start full production).

The actual concept of the show being produced is this: The Muppets are putting on a reality competition (such as American Idol, America's Next Top Model, The Apprentice...) where they will be looking for new Muppet talent to join the Muppet troupe. The show will be similar to the Steve Martin episode of the Muppet show - except without Steve Martin - and with the cinematic and directorial syntax, grammar, and style that the popular reality shows have developed over the years.

There will be all kinds of wacky Muppets doing their thing to impress the judges, along with the Muppets we already know franticly working keep the whole show together. It should be a lot of fun (and a great way for new Muppets to be developed & introduced).

 

[Erine81981]

Oh I can't wait. As long as Muppets are in this I'll watch it no matter how bad it is.

 

[Kimp the Shrimp]

Some info about this was on AOL.com (in other words AOL for the web) under entertainment. I didn't have a chance to read it yet, but it's there if anyone's curious.

http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/tv/article.adp?id=20051025210109990022

 

[MuppetCrazy]

Muppets pull strings at ABC
Reality skein has viewers pick next big kiddie character

I don't like how they state that viewers are picking the next KIDDIE character!

 

[Fozzie Bear]

http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/tv/article.adp?id=20051025210109990022

Updated: 10:31 AM EDT
'Muppets' May Return to Primetime TV
AP
Maybe 'America's Next Muppet' will save Kermit from the grasps of Miss Piggy's crush.

LOS ANGELES (Oct. 26) - The Muppets could come back to primetime television with their own reality show. ABC has ordered a script and five episode outlines for "America's Next Muppet," in which viewers may join in choosing the newest member of the puppet family that includes Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy, a network spokeswoman said Tuesday.

The premise has the ring of such shows as "American Idol" or "America's Next Top Model," in which the audience picks potential new stars.

ABC is part of the Walt Disney Co., which purchased the Muppets franchise from the Jim Henson Co. in 2004 and the right to use the characters in its theme parks, movies, TV shows and retail products. The ABC television movie "The Muppets' Wizard of Oz" aired earlier this year.

The late Jim Henson's Muppets got their first regular, widespread exposure on PBS' "Sesame Street" starting in 1969.

The syndicated "The Muppet Show" aired from 1976-81 and was seen in more than 100 countries. The characters also briefly starred in "Muppets Tonight," which aired for four months in 1996 as part of ABC's primetime lineup.

Henson's puppets moved to the big screen in 1979 with "The Muppet Movie," followed by movies including "The Great Muppet Caper" and "The Muppets Take Manhattan."

10/25/05 20:58 EDT

Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL

http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/10/26/showbuzz/index.html#2

A Muppet comeback?
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- The Muppets could come back to primetime television with their own reality show.

ABC has ordered a script and five episode outlines for "America's Next Muppet," in which viewers may join in choosing the newest member of the puppet family that includes Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy, a network spokeswoman said Tuesday.

The premise has the ring of such shows as "American Idol" or "America's Next Top Model," in which the audience picks potential new stars.

ABC is part of the Walt Disney Co., which purchased the Muppets franchise from the Jim Henson Co. in 2004 and the right to use the characters in its theme parks, movies, TV shows and retail products. The ABC television movie "The Muppets' Wizard of Oz" aired earlier this year.

The late Jim Henson's Muppets got their first regular, widespread exposure on PBS' "Sesame Street" starting in 1969.

The syndicated "The Muppet Show" aired from 1976-81 and was seen in more than 100 countries. The characters also briefly starred in "Muppets Tonight," which aired for four months in 1996 as part of ABC's primetime lineup.

Henson's puppets moved to the big screen in 1979 with "The Muppet Movie," followed by movies including "The Great Muppet Caper" and "The Muppets Take Manhattan."

It's making it's way through all the news channels...pretty big stuff for something that's onlly in development! Tell ya, Disney knows how to get the interest peaked, eh?

 

[Kimp the Shrimp]

i got mine from Fox news it was fair and Balanced Muppet news

 

[ravagefrackle]

well i hope you are both right, but it will take some convicing well thought out scripts to make this work, and be funny a, something that has been lacking of late in the muppet world, only time will tell i suppose

 

[Kimp the Shrimp]

I Do Hope That They Hopefuls are of great standered and we get to call and vot for who we like but it's weighted with the muppetters and JHC who know what to look for

 

[MrsPepper]

Yeah. I've though alot about this, and it's a very cool idea. But it certainly has to be done a certain way, or it just won't really be all that good. The Muppets never really made a big deal about themselves, they just went about their day-jobs trying to put on a show (and failing, most of the time).
I sort of hope this is done in the same sort of humour as the Steve Martin episode of TMS. It really has to be thought through, what the feel of the show will be. If it's something like "HEY, we're the Muppets and if you want to be one of US...", (of course that's a really blunt and bad example), it just won't seem right. The muppets were never about themselves as celebrities, it was about the music and the show.
I just hope that whoever does this keeps that in mind. I just want the spirit to be right.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I've merged the some 3 or 4 threads on this same topic together.

Also, anybody notice that all the reports read the same way? It's because it's all from the Associated Press, where the news gets their news!