Funny 1978 UK reference to Muppets

[Dearth]

Ever seen a show called Robin's Nest? It was a spinoff of Man About the House, which was the British forerunner of Three's Company.

Anyway, I've been watching the episodes on YouTube, and just hit Series 2, Episode 5. In it, Robin Tripp (their version of Jack Tripper) and girfriend Vicky are planning a wedding, and Vicky's father tells them of an available date, to which Vicky points out that's when the Muppets are on. She later tells him not to worry, as they usually repeat the episodes.

Meanwhile, Robin is walking around in a shirt that says 'Fozzy [sic] Bear Rules O.K." The father mentions it in dialogue later, saying he can't walk down the aisle in his Fozzie Bear t-shirt.

According to the imdb, it aired March 23, 1978.

Alex

 

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Lol, very groovy, thanks! Btw I've never seen this show before but so far I like it a lot more than I ever liked Three's Company (more my style of humor I guess).

Plus I love how public school means something entirely different over there, lol.

 

[Dearth]

Yeah, Man About the House was also really good. Some of the scripts were familiar, as they were remade for Three's Company, but a handful were unique to the UK. And some of the remakes were adapted, while some were used almost verbatim.

As for Robin's Nest, so far I'm up to the third season. Scripts have been more hit and miss as they began using other writers, but if some are less tight and in-character, there are also some that are just perfect. In particular the end of the first episode of season three was so amazing, I burst into applause... which isn't something I often do sitting in front of a laptop.

Another Muppets reference comes at the very end of episode 6 of Season 3. Robin realizes his father-in-law has signed a phony name to a blank check... and it just happens to be the name of a very famous Muppet. It's at about the 23:00 mark.

Alex

 

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Another Muppets reference comes at the very end of episode 6 of Season 3. Robin realizes his father-in-law has signed a phony name to a blank check... and it just happens to be the name of a very famous Muppet. It's at about the 23:00 mark.

Wow yeah, they really liked the Muppets on this show, didn't they? Were they hoping to get a guest star appearance on The Muppet Show I wonder, lol.

Yeah, Man About the House was also really good. Some of the scripts were familiar, as they were remade for Three's Company, but a handful were unique to the UK. And some of the remakes were adapted, while some were used almost verbatim.

Yeah I should thank you, after you posted the first clip the other day I decided to check out the first couple episodes of Man About the House and I really enjoyed it. My friend and I had some fun comparing its first episode to Three's Company's back to back, lol. I ended up asking my friend to get me the 1st & 2nd season for Christmas, lol.

And actually I will take back what I said earlier, Three's Company isn't as bad as I remembered it, lol. But overall I enjoy the edgy humor in Man About the House more.

As for Robin's Nest, so far I'm up to the third season. Scripts have been more hit and miss as they began using other writers, but if some are less tight and in-character, there are also some that are just perfect.

Spin offs often end up loosing that special something the original show had. But six seasons is pretty impressive. Three's Company's spin offs didn't fare nearly as well.

 

[Dearth]

Glad you're enjoying these shows. I finished all of the Robin's Nest episodes, then went back and watched the Man About the House movie (which had been posted to YouTube just days after I'd looked for it in vain, to watch it in the proper sequence of MATH seasons) and now I've started on the *other* spin-off, George & Mildred. Or, what we knew as The Ropers, though the American version was very short-lived.

And I just came across a Muppets reference in G&M, Season 2 episode 1!

The Ropers' neighbor's son is reading a book about how tadpoles become frogs, and then gives a theory on how this would impact two Muppets we know and love. The Dad has a pithy response about the network that aired the Muppet Show in England; he's gotten a couple digs in about ITV in previous episodes as well.

It's at about 22:35...

Alex

 

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Lol, that is the best Muppet reference yet. Poor Kermit and Piggy, hehe.

I did watch the Man About the House movie as well. I love that scene where Chrissy and Jo are coming home late and Robin's been slaving over a hot stove and says, "And what time do you call this?" Lol

 

[Dearth]

When Jo backed Larry's car into the pond, I was rolling with laughter. Then, when the end result was that they had to come home early and interrupt the first (of only two) kiss between Robin and Chrissy, I think I was madder at Jo than Robin was at Larry!

Funnily enough, in real life, the actors playing Robin and Jo were secretly dating, despite having almost zero chemistry onscreen.

I'm enjoying the George and Mildred episodes so far. It's a bit odd that the producers used the same actor for their neighbor that they'd already used for Chrissy's married boyfriend in one episode AND Robin's brother at the end of the MATH series. They must have really liked him.

It was also bugging me that the neighbor's wife seemed familiar. I looked her up on the imdb, and she played Kevin's mother in Time Bandits.

And speaking of Kenny Baker movies, I just paused an episode of G&M where the little boy next door (Tristram, of all names) asked for a 'Star Wars robot' for his birthday.

The episode aired in 1977, and the kid likes the Muppets and Star Wars.

I am identifying heavily with this kid!

Alex

 

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Yeah Robin and Chrissy had great chemistry. SPOILER for anyone interested but I accidently saw a bit of the final episode the other day and I was surprised at how heart broken I was, lol.

Funny thing whenever I watched Three's Company as a kid I always thought it would be interesting for Jack and Janet to get together, since she was always so cautious about having him around. I couldn't understand why the show never took advantage of that. You can imagine how validated I felt when I saw Robin and Chrissy's relationship on MATH, lol.

The episode aired in 1977, and the kid likes the Muppets and Star Wars.

Yeah I'm really starting to regret missing the '70s in some ways, lol.

 

[Dearth]

Yeah, I did the same thing in regards to that spoiler video for the last episode. It's no easier to see it in context than it is to see it by itself, either.

Okay, continuing through the playlist for George & Mildred, first I spotted the bartender from the Star Wars cantina in one fourth series episode; his imdb entry lists another appearance in a series five story that I haven't gotten to yet.

And then just now in s4 ep5, I recognized the 'farmer's wife' primarily from her recurring role in Robin's Nest. Actress Peggy Aitchison had already made her first of thirteen appearances on RN in the episode "Dinner Date" about a month before this episode of G&M aired, in November and December of 1978 respectively.

She enters about 11:30...

And here's where I smack my forehead, as I'd already looked her up when I saw her on RN, because I knew I'd seen her somewhere before. I just forgot to share this here a couple weeks ago when I made the connection.

The first place *I* saw her was as the prison guard in Great Muppet Caper, 1981, although that role was three years off when she was doing these two shows.

If I spot any other noteworthy connections, I'll be back.

Alex

 

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Okay, continuing through the playlist for George & Mildred, first I spotted the bartender from the Star Wars cantina in one fourth series episode...

...The first place *I* saw her was as the prison guard in Great Muppet Caper, 1981, although that role was three years off when she was doing these two shows.

That is awesome, good spotting! I love how TV allows you to go back in time this way.