Favorite Seasons of TMS

[Dil]

What's your favorite season?

Perhaps you could make the list from your favorite from the greatest to the least.

Mine is this:

1. Season 5
2. Season 4
3. Season 2
4. Season 3
5. Season 1

What's your 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, & 5th favorites?

 

[MartyMuppets]

Well I have a certain fondness for season 1 simply because it stands out from all the rest.
I would say season 5 next. It is also slightly stand alone from all the other seasons in some ways.
The three middle seasons are all pretty much similar in style so they're equal to me. Still if I do favour one of them it would be season 4 for the sake of that pig performance in the John Denver episode that means so much to me

 

[minor muppetz]

Here is my preference order:

1
3
5
4
2

 

[Gorgon Heap]

1- a lot of low spots, but it stands apart and contains my fave episodes

2- everything came together in terms of tone, structure, and character, the season featured the greatest number of true showbiz legends, and every episode contains some classic bit; no wonder this season won the Emmy for best Variety Series!

3- everything got streamlined by this point, consistent, and the show began to broaden in terms of the theater environment and mixing onstage and backstage happenings

5- a lot of high points but also a few low ones, suggesting that the series was running out of gas

4- very consistent, I'm re-discovering, but I find a lot of the episodes less than interesting and a little tame

David "Gorgon Heap" Ebersole

 

[Dil]

I only want to have posts here by members who's 1st favorite is not Season 1.

 

[minor muppetz]

I only want to have posts here by members who's 1st favorite is not Season 1.

To quote The Rolling Stones, "you can't always get what you want". Having said that, I'm sure that there will be posts from members who do not put season 1 on top of the list. I have seen comments from some people who think that season 1 isn't very good.

 

[Gorgon Heap]

I only want to have posts here by members who's 1st favorite is not Season 1.

Why?

 

[Dil]

Because...
well, I've scrambled up my list.
Here it is:

Season 4 - There's a magician, I liked the Dudley Moore episode, M.A.M.M.A. in Pigs in Space, & "I Get Around", good number.

Season 5 - I liked the Dance Marathon, "In The Navy", there's Pops the Doorman, & the Octopusses were attacked by Animal.

Season 2 - I can't wait to have it when it comes out on DVD, in fact, this season won an emmy, you said.

Season 3 - I kind liked it, but not TOO much, I liked the Alice Cooper episode, though.

Season 1 - Too unfamilliar, & no Pigs in Space sketches.

 

[Pug Lover]

Here's mine:

Season 4
Season 3
Season 1
Season 5
Season 2

To me season 4 was the most colourful.There were many outstanding episodes.Particularly Mark Hamill and the stars of Star Wars.TMS appeared to be at the full height of it's popularity by that time.Having followed the blockbuster success of The Muppet Movie the prevoius summer.So much seemed to happen that season.The episode guest starring Phyllis George served as a retrospective of the series.With Scooter showing us all guest stars of the first three seasons.Kermit's birthday was even celebrated(sort of).A smash hit season all around.

There were a lot of great episodes in season 3 too.Big Bird guest starred with Leslie Uggams in one episode.The scene where he first met Miss Piggy was too funny."A singing pig?Ahahaha,a singing pig that's very funny".Insulted she tries to"hyyaah"him and falls off the banister."Oh you do gymnastics too".Another favourite episode of mine is Jean Stapleton.I've always been fascinated seeing her in a role other than Edith Bunker.Loretta Lynn had an interesting episode too.The train station proved a nice change of scenery.My favourite episode of all would be Harry Belafonte.I just love that episode's ending.

In syndication when back to back episodes went from season 5 back to season 1,it took getting used to.Having forgotten how less sophisticated the show was in comparisan.Especially the appearances of Fozzie Bear and Miss Piggy.Indeed this season stands out from the rest in every way.But there's something I've always liked about this season.It's kind of more nostalgic in a sense.I have some rather fond memories of watching season 1 when it first aired.Hilda,in fact,was one of my favourite characters.My favourite episodes would be the last five.Connie Stevens,Juliet Prowse,Avery Schrieber,Kaye Ballard and Mummunshanz.Kermit's special bond with both Connie Stevens and Juliet Prowse was cute.Another special highlight of Connie's episode was Ernie and Bert's guest appearance.Avery Schrieber was a riot.Kaye Ballard's rendition of"One Note Somba"and her little war with Miss Piggy was hilarious.The Mummunshanz were quite unique and always a delight to watch.

Though I have to agree that the series began to grow rather stale towards the end of season 5,it was pretty colourful nonetheless.Miss Piggy became much less agressive with Kermit after he had attempted to fire her during Loretta Swit's episode.And it was cool to see some of the SS muppets at the end of Marty Feldman's episode. "How should we know how to get to Sesame Street?" "Yeah we don't even know how to get out of this crummy theatre".

Even though this is the season where Fozzie,Piggy and the series in general first recieved their makeover,I find this season somewhat bland.It did have it's share of good episodes.Elton John would be my favourite one.But I find the second season not quite as exciting.

 

[Gorgon Heap]

Dil, it's not because Season One just came out and you're feeling that anyone who lists it as their favorite is doing so simply because it's the only season they've seen in it's entirety?

I've seen, and I have, all five seasons in their entirety, and Season One is still my favorite. It does seem more 'nostalgic', but that's a big part of what I like about it. Yes, a lot of parts are unpolished, and the show clicks only on a week-to-week basis, but it has a lot of charm IMO and I love the look of the season, scenery-wise, how it goes from looking very 'nighttime' and like it's taking place in the theater to very 'daytime' and looking like it's taking place in the sets (mostly outdoors) in which the various acts take place, and back again to 'night' and 'theatrical'. It just holds a special place.

Season Two is close behind, though, and in terms of week-to-week and overall quality, energy, color, humor, and character I'd say this is probably the best season, the one that 'clicked' best even in it's lesser entries.

David "Gorgon Heap" Ebersole