Disney Channel Preps for Muppet "Mini Movies"

[TheJimHensonHour]

Yeah, I agree with you guys I've never understood child idol worship.

 

[frogboy4]

Yeah, I agree with you guys I've never understood child idol worship.

I don't feel that many of the Disney Channel programs with kids and aimed at kids are particularly interested in much more than brand and product-pushing. Nick shows seem to have a balance of both. They're entertaining without being preachy, but still retain better values than I've seen on Disney.

Look at old Spongebob. He enjoys the simpler things in life and usually doesn't let others get him down. He's a self-made sponge with a can-do attitude! And, yes, he sells a lot of product!

I'm really not sure what Hannah Montana or that Raven Samone show are supposed to be accomplishing, but whatever it is they certainly are hammy and heavy-handed about it. But that's just my opinion. The best kids entertainment can usually be enjoyed by all. But if it takes Raven Samone doing ad bumpers with Miss Piggy and talking about nutrition (lightning strikes) to get the Disney Channelers who idolize these “celebrities” to notice the Muppets then so be it.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Yeah I don't mind if they put the Muppets with some of the Disney stars. But it will really depend on the content from both groups.

 

[IgorPonweed]

I really enjoy the Nick/Disney/Cartoon Network shows I like, but the ones I don't really irritate me. But one thing always annoys me about Nick. THEY CANCELED ZIM!

 

[wwfpooh]

That's what I say. Mick's Clubhouse may have been a spat on the Mouse's original legacy of being able to adhere to all ages, but at least the series made the Dora-esque premise good by using a beloved icon to make it work.

To the comment about the voices on FOP...As much as I dislike the show myself, I respect the voice of said Timmy Turner, because he is voiced by none other Tara Strong aka Raven (and Kitten) on Teen Titans, Ember on Danny Phantom, Johny on Justice League, Ben on Ben 10, and a slew of other characters.

They have a rich history of great stuff, and it seems that only some of it surfaces.

And when it does surface, it often-times is butchered beyond its original brillance.

I'm still mad that they can't work a deal out with Marvel and return the Saban shows they got back to them. They would have made a killing in Spiderman cartoon DVD's.

And no doubt they could thusly axe all of the non-Disney stuff (the Marvel stuff and Saban's Power Rangers [whose only good era--IMO--was the original MMPR era]) from Toon Disney (or if they must, they ought to give Jetix its own channel [for those of us in the US, anyway]), instead of axing vintage Disney stuff for things that Disney didn't originally own or create...and yes, this would include The Muppets, Fraggles, and other things too!

The reason I think this is because I think half the reason why Disney doesn't promote the Henson properties as well as they do their established properties is because we fans still consider them...well...Henson properties, for Jim made them and his name is still attached to them and the fond memories we have of those shows and things when they originally aired.

THEY CANCELED ZIM!

Wrong. Just like the infamous Montreal Screwjob of 1997 in which Bret caused HBK, Hebner, and Vince to turn on him by declaring his deflection to the competition (when we all know Vince would rather his own company do better, hence why the revived ECW is a mock of the original), both Nick AND Johnen Vasquez caused Zim's demise.

Sure, Nick ruined Johnen's original ideas for Zim, but Vasquez should've known what he was getting into when he signed with Nick to do the series in the first place, given the company's standards at the time.

This was--and is--because Nick's standards were--and still are, to some degree--primarily those things of a family-friendly (though often stupid) nature, whereas Vasquez's work was always morbidly...well...different and wasn't really meant for children, anyway.

Vasquez said as much himself on the released DVDs too, for once Nick dumbed Zim down (for a lot of the original ideas were even darker than how the TV series actually went, such as Dib being murdered & various ripped apart organs and bodily parts being actually depicted instead of just being shadowy shiloettes), Vasquez gave up on animation--sans his comics--altogether, granting all rights of the entire Zim franchise to Nick (which means that Nick's execs could essentially do with Zim as they wish nowadays, for they own Zim now).

 

[frogboy4]

The reason I think this is because I think half the reason why Disney doesn't promote the Henson properties as well as they do their established properties is because we fans still consider them...well...Henson properties, for Jim made them and his name is still attached to them and the fond memories we have of those shows and things when they originally aired.

I think there's some truth to that. No matter who owns the Muppets, they are always considered Jim Henson's characters and he has been gone for quite some time. I think that is why there's this recent push by the company to link the classic Muppets to new Disney pop icons. I admit, it makes me squeamish. I just don't particularly care for the shows for many reasons, but they are not meant for me. Disney has a magic when it comes to promotion. I've wanted them to fling a bit of that pixie dust the Muppets' way and I guess this is it.

Also, it is such a shame what happened to Zim. I love Vasquez' work, but television, even cable, is a different kind of medium. It is one of great compromise. Some artists aren't willing to budge much and I don't blame them, but TV isn't the way to go for that. Personally, I enjoyed the balance between the morbid and the Nick in the series. I particularly loved the Nick character - "I'm soooo haaaaappy! I never want to leave this wonderful place!"

 

[CBPuppets]

I am so Happy!

 

[Drtooth]

Also, it is such a shame what happened to Zim. I love Vasquez' work, but television, even cable, is a different kind of medium. It is one of great compromise. Some artists aren't willing to budge much and I don't blame them, but TV isn't the way to go for that. Personally, I enjoyed the balance between the morbid and the Nick in the series. I particularly loved the Nick character - "I'm soooo haaaaappy! I never want to leave this wonderful place!"

And we are all aware that Nick screwed John K to the wall. Even when they tried to make nice with the new series, they just couldn't pull it together.

I do say, I would have loved to see an Adult version of the Zim cartoon show, but it was dark for a kids show. I'm surprised it lasted that long. With the exception of Spongebob and Avatar, Nick is giving up on shows after the first or second season anyway. Catscratched was axed way too soon. I had to watch them on their website, since there was no chance for a DVD release.

 

[frogboy4]

And we are all aware that Nick screwed John K to the wall. Even when they tried to make nice with the new series, they just couldn't pull it together.

I do say, I would have loved to see an Adult version of the Zim cartoon show, but it was dark for a kids show. I'm surprised it lasted that long. With the exception of Spongebob and Avatar, Nick is giving up on shows after the first or second season anyway. Catscratched was axed way too soon. I had to watch them on their website, since there was no chance for a DVD release.

They just need an adult Nick cartoon station where it's adult swim all day.

 

[wwfpooh]

But AS--the real one, sans Family Guy and Futurama, who are ironically owned by other companies, namely FOX and Comedy Central--is for stoners by stoners, hence why most have gross humor with even grosser (and even derogatory in terms of shows like Boondocks and Minoriteam) plotlines and verbage.