Improvements you wish they'd thought of (TMS)

[Gorgon Heap]

TMS is my favorite show of all time, and hardly an episode is a dud. However, there are always, as with any series, a few missteps. What's worse is if you look at an episode and see immediately that something didn't work, and it's seeming obviousness to you makes you wonder why it wasn't obvious to the folks who worked on it.

Here are mine:

#50 Leo Sayer: two things would've helped this episode IMMENSELY:

A) switching the opening and closing numbers, so that the show starts out on a slow-tempo but funny number and builds to a high-energy, rocking climax. Because this episode starts with it's most energetic act, everything that follows is lacking in energy by comparison, and the show is downhill from the start (esp. considering the rather slow-paced storyline). This change would've solved most of the problem with this episode right there.

B) adding a few regular features, such as Muppet News, Vets Hospital, or Pigs in Space, to act as a buffer between Leo's rock numbers and the rickety, more old-fashioned than usual vaudeville acts. TMS has always been able to deftly blend all sorts of acts into one half hour, be it a Latin # followed by a solo from George Burns, or a Hawaiian # followed by Sylvester Stallone as a gladiator in ancient Rome, but the Leo Sayer episode hobbles along with one foot on the sidewalk and the other in the street, b/c there are two distinct types of acts, and they don't mesh

And this is an afterthought, but outside of Leo's numbers and the S&W comments, the body of the episode uses only FIVE CHARACTERS (Kermit, Piggy, Annie Sue, Rowlf and Fozzie); this hardly fits with the scale established by Leo's big, large-cast production numbers, and by Season Three in general. I wanted to like this episode, I've loved Leo's "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" ever since I first saw it, and wanted to see this episode badly for ten years or more, but then when I did it was a letdown, and an episode that could've been fixed so easily.

#72 Cheryl Ladd:
Mainly, pick a plotline and resolve it; don't split the episode in two, leaving on thread hanging while you start and finish another one

#94 Andy Williams:
Again, the plot with Piggy spreading a false rumor about herself and Kermit being engaged was basically dropped following the first half of the show- Piggy doesn't even APPEAR in the second half!

Those are mine right off the bat.

David "Gorgon Heap" Ebersole

 

[ryhoyarbie]

Overall, what I wanted more back stage interactions between Rowlf and Kermit, or atleast Rowlf back stage a lot talking ot other muppets like Fozzie or Beauregard, etc.

I also wouldn't have minded seeing more of Zoot talking to other muppets back stage or have him used more in skits and saying more.

I also would have had less Pigs in Space, Muppet Labs, and other reoccuring sketches and have different sketches like it was in the first season.

ryan

 

[minor muppetz]

#72 Cheryl Ladd:
Mainly, pick a plotline and resolve it; don't split the episode in two, leaving on thread hanging while you start and finish another one

What are the two plots? I thought that the only plot was Fozzie having kermit make a list of his good and bad points. What was the other plot?

some changes that I would have made:

1. In the Elton John episode, I would have had the episode have one less number. Almost every other act in this episode features Elton John singing. Even though all of his numbers are good, I think it is too much. I would have also given the electric mayhem some lines (Janice is the only member who had lines, and those were in Veterinarians Hospital).

2. In the John Cleese episode, I would have had John do something with Fozzie bear (His contract stated that he only work with "the frog, the bear, and the ugly disgusting one who catches cannonballs", yet he never appeare with Fozzie at all). I also would have shown Gonzo get back to normal. I also think it is out of character for Gonzo to not want his arms and legs to be longer.

3. I would have given Nigel The Conductor more to do. It seems like he was normally just there to conduct and appear in group numbers, but he rarely had lines. He could have been more involved with the plots. John Lovelady didn't really have much to do on the show, yet the other performers had at least one other character who was normally involved in the backstage plots (Jim had kermit, Frank had Fozzie and Piggy, Eren had Hilda, dave had Gonzo, Richard had Scooter, and although jerry didn't really have any major characters besides Floyd in the first season, whenever an episode heavily featured a one-shot character he would normally perform that character). I would have also had Wally (from The Muppet Valentine Show) have a big role on the show (whether Jim henson would have been able to perform him backstage on a regular basis or not), perhaps he could have written scripts for the show.

I will post more later.

 

[minor muppetz]

some more improvements

here are some more things that I would have done:

1. In the Dudley Moore episode, I would have had other electric mayhem members (besides Floyd) more involved with the plot. In the scene where Floyd and Animal talk to Dudley in his dressing room, i would have had the whole band there. besides, Kermit wasn't there to keep Dr. teeth from saying anything.

2. I would have tried to give Rowlf some backstage plots. Just because kermit was the star doens't mean that he always had to be backstage.

3. I would have used Lips more in non-music numbers. I would have had him involved in crowd scenes, group scenes, at the dance, and other sceens involving a lot of muppets. It seems like Lips only appeared on The Mupept Show whenever a trumpet player was needed. He really should have been in the Paul Simon episode. of course, the only time a trumpet was used was when when a trumpet sound was playing in the background when Gonzo started his song (and it was heard from out of nowhere, so we didn't see who was playing the trumpet). Lips didn't even appear in the closing number. I would have had him play a different isntrument if needed (Zoot played a different instrument in that number), and I would have had one less back-up singer if he wasn't there because there weren't enough performers.

4. I also would have had Thog appear more. There were a lot of numbers with full-body mosters, and he was normally left out.

5. In the leslie uggums episode, i would have had Big Bird appear alongside the full-body monsters, and I would have also had him appear with Fletcherbird (Graham Fletcher was in that episode, performing one of the monsters in the opening number).

6. In the Lorretta Switt episode, I would have had Fleet Scribbler appear as the photographer who took a picture of Kermit and Piggy in the first backstage scene. I would have also had Fleet appear more, if only in roles that could have been given to anybody (like his role in the raquel Welch episode).

7. I would have had Lobbock Lou And His jughuggers have a bigger part, so that we could have known them better.

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

What are the two plots? I thought that the only plot was Fozzie having kermit make a list of his good and bad points. What was the other plot?

some changes that I would have made:

1. In the Elton John episode, I would have had the episode have one less number. Almost every other act in this episode features Elton John singing. Even though all of his numbers are good, I think it is too much. I would have also given the electric mayhem some lines (Janice is the only member who had lines, and those were in Veterinarians Hospital).

In a way, I agree. The only song on that episode that Elton didn't sing was "Any Old Iron" and that's because guest stars don't appear in the UK spots. I really liked those songs he did, but I guess the Muppets should have gotten more airtime there.

About the John Cleese episode, I agree with your comments there. After John really messed up Gonzo's arms and his legs, I often think about how he got back to normal. Sometimes I lose sleep over that. I also didn't care much for just Link appearing in 'Pigs in Space.' I think it would have been better if Miss Piggy or Dr. Strangepork showed up. After all, Miss Piggy only appeared in the UK spot in that episode. I could picture her going into a rampage about that situation!

 

[minor muppetz]

In a way, I agree. The only song on that episode that Elton didn't sing was "Any Old Iron" and that's because guest stars don't appear in the UK spots. I really liked those songs he did, but I guess the Muppets should have gotten more airtime there.

Yeah, I don't really dislike those songs. "Don't Go breaking My heart" is always a good song to listen to no matter what version it is. I am surprised that none of Elton Johns numbers were included in Rock Music With The Muppets (especially the closing number, since Miss piggy never appeared in that video). Hopefully Elton John will allow all of his songs to be used in the season 2 DVD release (and also not charge too much), because otherwise the episode would be really short and possibly only have one song (the u.k. spot). Paul Simon is another guest star whose epsiode needs all of it's music numbers, because all of the songs had the same songwriter, and most of the episode was musical acts (it's a bit ironic that the u.k. spot isn't a musical number, since most u.k. spots were).

About the John Cleese episode, I agree with your comments there. After John really messed up Gonzo's arms and his legs, I often think about how he got back to normal.

Even if they didn't show how Gonzo got back to normal, they should have at least had Gonzo come on-stage at the end and show that his arms and legs were the normal size again. There are other episodes that had tragedies that were not solved in those episodes but were back to normal in the next episode (everyone getting glued in the Gilda radner episode, the band quiting in the Kaye Ballard episode, everybody getting cluck-itis in the Roger miller episode, and to a lesser extent everybody turning swedish in the Jonathan Winters episode). Of course, in Muppet Treasure island we did get to see how Gonzos arms and legs got back to normal.

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

Even if they didn't show how Gonzo got back to normal, they should have at least had Gonzo come on-stage at the end and show that his arms and legs were the normal size again. There are other episodes that had tragedies that were not solved in those episodes but were back to normal in the next episode (everyone getting glued in the Gilda radner episode, the band quiting in the Kaye Ballard episode, everybody getting cluck-itis in the Roger miller episode, and to a lesser extent everybody turning swedish in the Jonathan Winters episode). Of course, in Muppet Treasure island we did get to see how Gonzos arms and legs got back to normal.

Strangely in MTI Gonzo actually liked being twisted up like that.

By the way, a few more to add to the list are:

Gilda Radner: How did everybody get unglued together?

Tony Randall: How did Kermit get turned back from being into stone? (Tony suggested an ugly woman had to kiss him, but we didn't see that happen)

Harry Belafonte: After the 'Pigs in Space' sketch where everybody switched personalities (I'll bet the puppateers had a lot of fun playing other people's characters, there), they could have had Strangepork fix the disolvatron at the end of the show to bring them back to normal?

Maybe what they should have had was an episode of "The Muppet Show" that was like a behind the scenes look that explains these things.

Also, remember, I once wrote that episode with Davy Jones that was a follow-up to the Kaye Ballard episode where the band returned. I think that script might still be at the fan fiction section.

 

[Philip Kippel]

For one thing, I'd have certain minor characters (Boppity, Gloat, Droop, Lenny the Lizard, Miss Kitty, the Scoffs, the Snake Frakcle, Baskerville, Muppy, Rover Joe, Catgut, T.R. the Rooster, etc.) more frequently.

And I'd have other characters from the "Tales from Muppetland" specials (Splurge, Cinderella's stepsisters, Thig, Lothar, the Elves, Taminella, Leroy the Donkey, Mordicai Sledge, Farmer Lardpork, Mean Floyd, Caleb Siles) in the show.

And maybe I'd even use characters from "Sam and Friends", the early commercials and the variety show guest appearances (Sam, Harry, Yorick, Wilkins, Wontkins, the Reindeer, the Glutton, Amanda, etc.)

 

[minor muppetz]

For one thing, I'd have certain minor characters (Boppity, Gloat, Droop, Lenny the Lizard, Miss Kitty, the Scoffs, the Snake Frakcle, Baskerville, Muppy, Rover Joe, Catgut, T.R. the Rooster, etc.) more frequently.

Many of those characters did appear frequently, although they appeared less frequently in the later seasons. I would have given Droop more speaking parts.

And maybe I'd even use characters from "Sam and Friends", the early commercials and the variety show guest appearances (Sam, Harry, Yorick, Wilkins, Wontkins, the Reindeer, the Glutton, Amanda, etc.)

I would have had sam, harry, Yorick, Wilkins, and Wontkins on there. Wilkins and Wontkins would have fit in on the show, especially in the first season which had many short skits. Perhaps Crazy harry could have blown wontkins up. I wonder if Jim Henson would have still voiced both characters or if one of them would have had a different performer (frank oz would have been an obvious choice). I would have also had Amanda appear in a Vendaface skit.

I think that the seven deadley sins should have appeared occassionally, maybe in the audience or in Comedy Tonight.

 

[minor muppetz]

Also, remember, I once wrote that episode with Davy Jones that was a follow-up to the Kaye Ballard episode where the band returned. I think that script might still be at the fan fiction section.

I have read that outline. I wonder if the writers would have explained it the way you did.