Have the exclusives jumped the shark?

[CherryPizza]

Hey all,

I've been away from here for some time, and just did a quick spped read of what's going down in this forum, and well... uh... something has just come to mind.

I would really like to believe that the Palisades Muppet figures are a far cry from the World of Springfield or Hasbro Star Wars lines which get less inspired with every variation that gets churned out for the sake of squeezing a few extra bucks out of the hardcore collectors. In my heart I still feel this way, and am still passionately attempting to get hold of two of everything...

But then I saw the tuxedo Bunsen and Beaker figures.

Well sculpted, attractractively presented, but that doesn't relieve the little voices in my head from asking "Why?" Rowlf with his piano and Kermit, being the el grando master of ceremonies, seem utterly justified in having tuxedo'ed variants... but I just can't see a reason for having the lab guys wearing them.

As has been stated many a time by performers, the costume is very much a part of building character. From my personal observations, to transfer a character to a different costume requires the attitude of that character to be incorporated into the new costume in order to retain that character's identity.

Since I've read/heard speculation that there are desires to put all characters in tuxedos, methinks some kind of character incorporation needs to be considered. For example:

Bunsen and Beaker could have their lab coats as part of their tuxedos, or at the very least still have the characters' pens in their pockets. (The picture I saw of them wasn't very clear, so if they have these already, I apologise)

Fozzie could have his polka-dotted tie as his tuxedo's bow tie. Or, alernatively, since the regular Fozzie figure is into such vaudevillian schtick tools as the ruber chicken and Groucho glasses (where art thou, banana peel?), perhaps he could wear black swimming flippers on his feet... Y'know, just to make the 'penguin' look of the tuxedo complete

Lew Zealand... wearing a fish around his neck in lieu of a bowtie?

Crazy Harry... maybe the coat could be tattered and torn with dynmaite powder or debris on it

Animal... the tuxedo belt could be the rope that is used on the other Animal figures, and perhaps he could wear one of those stick-on tuxedo fronts (you know, ruffles with a bow tie attached that is stuck on the front of a shirt)

Since the characters are not traditional tux-wearers, these variations on the theme would both show some sort of inspiration behind the figures and show these characters trying their best to fit into this new look.

 

[ResidentLilly]

When you see the Tux Bunsen and Beaker figures up close, they do have a lot of frumpiness to them because all but the torsos are from the older figures. Bottom line is though that not every figure has to be everyone's cup of tea. Buy the ones you like.

But I still stand by the choice to do the tux versions of the characters. The tuxes have a classiness that I feel fits the characters. But that's just my opinion, and one that I don't expect everyone to share.

 

[CherryPizza]

Still love your work Ken!

Kudos to you for having the balls to respond to people's feedback in such a manner

 

[MikeBatesmen]

I just always assumed it made sense since the line started out as the 25th Anniversary of the Muppet Show. Its like the characters are going to an anniversary dinner.

True clothes do make the character, but I know most (if not all) of the Muppets have worn Tuxes at one point or another. Its not like they're putting the characters in tie dyes or fatigues, everybody dress formal now and again.

 

[fitz3641]

I dunno, I personally love the idea of getting all the main Muppets in tuxes -- I think the best looking display piece at the end of this series (though it will definitely change as we have hopefully not seen the bulk of what will be released) will either be one of the playsets with all the appropriate characters (like the stage with the Electric Mayhem or the kitchen with the chef and his repaint/lobsters or Swinetrek with the crew of PIS and their great accessories) or a shelf with all the characters in their formal wear (just picture Kermit, Piggy, Rowlf w/piano, Bunsen, Beaker, Gonzo and others all in tuxes and the like), very fitting imo

 

[simpsycho]

I like that were gonna get most of the Muppets in tuxes.
BTW, are Bunsen and Beaker going to come with any accsseories? I'm not sure what would go with them, but I was just wondering.

 

[ResidentLilly]

Thanks Cherry...I appreciate that.

I can totally understand why some folks may question the Tux Brigade...**** even I have questioned it at times. I do hope we get to see a few more of the main guys in tuxes. Statler and Waldorf in particular, even something as odd as the Chef in a tux would be cool to me. Could be fun. There is also a part of me that wants to see everyone done in the Vacation Fozzie style, something never even seen on the Muppet Show...but it could be cool. A Very Merry Muppet Vacation, as it were.

(Of course, the BIGGEST part of me wants to see all of them in Star Wars outfits...but alas, tis a pipe dream.)

 

[simpsycho]

I'm not too sure about Stalter and Waldorf in tuxes. They already wear suits, so would tux varients really be that different? The figures that I wanna see in tuxes are the Electric Mayhem!

 

[incredeeble!]

I like the classy tux variants myself. But how cool would it be to have a Crazy Harry with a tux ripped to shreds...? Or a tux chef with a black chef's hat?

 

[MikeBatesmen]

I remember a Vaudeville Stadler & Waldorf as exclusives, so I guess that would be their Tux version. Kind of an inverse thing.

edited: Spelling