Muppets series 9 review

[Michael Crawford]

The last four weeks have certainly seen a tidal wave of Muppets merchandise - the Backstage play set, the Jim Henson figure, the Santa Chef, Sweetums, three versions of the exclusive Animal, and now series 9. This series, perhaps the last regular series of figures (although rumors abound of a possible new series 10 in 2005), includes Pops, Chef, Steppin' Out Fozzie, and three versions of Lips.

I have my review up tonight, and Pops is the clear winner, while I was least thrilled with poor Fozzie. I'm betting this series was produced in very low numbers, so if you're considering getting them, I'd advise doing it sooner rather than later.

You can check it out at the usual:

http://www.mwctoys.com

Have a great weekend!

Michael
MWC

 

[Vic Romano]

Thanks again Michael for a great review. You're right, that Fozzie figure does seem a little disappointing.
I love the Lips figure but he's WRONG. He's holding the trumpet in the WRONG HAND. Valves are played with the right hand. Index finger on the first valve, middle on the second, ring on the third and the pinky wraps on a hook designed just for that purpose. I know it seems like a little thing, but Palisades usually pays attention to this kind of detail, they have in the past. They gave Floyd a left handed guitar, Rowlf's piano has 88 keys, even the amp designs for the most part are acurate. I know several sax players who are not necessarily Muppet fans, but bought Zoot for the thrill of having a saxaphone. As a cornet player, I'm kind of miffed Lips holds his trumpet wrong. The trumpet itself seems designed properly though. And for the record, he holds it right in TMS (actually moves the valves, phenominal puppetry!) and any other movies he's in! Sorry, that really ****** me off.

 

[Whatever]

Lips is left handed, almost all the puppets are.
Great review! Can't wait to get mine!

 

[Vic Romano]

He may be left handed, but even left handed trumpet players play with their right hand.

 

[timrikthegorf]

The puppet uses his left hand though. I'm pretty sure about that.

 

[rexcrk]

Ah, if there was something I was looking forward to, it was your review of Series 9! I love your pictures, it definitely shows them off very well. Oh, and on the subject of Lips, he does play it with opposite hands. I was watching the Great Muppet Caper and I noticed that. As a trumpet player myself I was like "Oh my gosh!" but then remembered that the Muppet performers are mostly right handed so they hold the puppet with their right hands, and move the puppet's arms with their left, so that explains that.

 

[Michael Crawford]

Oddly enough, none of the banjo players have complained though.

I have my Henson playing the banjo right handed. The banjo design is a right handed banjo (fifth string on top). However, the hands are sculpted (and the Palisades photos) show Jim playing it left handed...

Michael
MWC

 

[Vic Romano]

Okay okay. I've reviewed many shows, and I apologize. Lips does in fact play the trumpet incorrectly. As a fan and fellow trumpet player, I forgive him.
However, I never put the idea together that when a puppeteer who is right handed performs a puppet with arm rods, that the puppet automatically becomes left handed. I posted earlier that, quote: "They gave Floyd a left handed guitar". I always figured that Floyd, being an obvious tribute/mock of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club, played guitar left handed as an additional tribute/mock of Paul McCartney. So now I wonder if this was in fact tribute or coincidence?
But furthermore... I noticed Gonzo also plays trumpet incorrectly, holding the center with his right hand, and fingering the valves with his left.
But get this... The female Muppet in the orchestra pit that plays trumpet, holds and plays hers properly! Even when they show her playing close up, she is playing properly, thing is, the rods aren't connected to her arms, but rather it is attached to the trumpet itself. Meaning her hands are fixed that way to the trumpet.
But it gets weirder, she always holds her trumpet properly, except in the opening theme when the camera is filming from the stage out towards the audience (when they sing: "Why don't you get things started!?), she is holding it wrong like the rest of her muppet brethren. Did they a: reverse the film, b: this was shot at a totally different time when it could be a different Muppet or repositioned, or c: something just totally random that screws with the continuity that only some obsessed fan-boy such as myself would care about?
I realize this may be the wrong thread to discuss this, so I'm sorry Mike, but I really just needed to get that out. Thanks.

 

[Old Man Jenkins]

Well sorry to end the trumpet hand debate , but what about Gaffers!? He's really small

 

[timrikthegorf]

That was a mistake on Ken's part. He misplaced a number and t got to the point where it was too late to fix it. I don't think it looks too bad though.