New Muppet Pilot in Development by Randall Einhorn (The Office, Modern Family) for ABC

[Muppet Master]

It is probably safe to say that this is getting massive publicity, I was going to tell my moderate muppet fan friend about it, and he already heard it on the radio, I mean did any of the other failed reboots get this much publicity, not really likely.

 

[BlakeConor14]

I'd love to see a format just like the muppets show

 

[Drtooth]

People were asking if a Vaudeville format would work in 1976. It's not the format you choose, it's how well you pull it off.

Indeed. But my issue is this.

The Muppet Show had a Vaudeville format, sure. But the drive behind that was it was a 1970's variety show. Coming out just when the format was slowly dying, I might add. On the one hand, I don't think they could get the exact format to work today, but on the other hand, they made it work then. Variety shows were pretty hit or miss and all, but The Muppet Show managed to embrace and deconstruct it at the same time.

Personally, I'd love to see something more sitcomy with the show being a backdrop. Sort of like what they did with the good MT episodes at the end of the last season, or even what happened in The Muppet Show Comic Book. I'd love to see more backstage storylines and less fawning over guest stars in this new series.

 

[BlakeConor14]

I like to see stuff out of the studio or theatre

 

[mr3urious]

Personally, I'd love to see something more sitcomy with the show being a backdrop. Sort of like what they did with the good MT episodes at the end of the last season, or even what happened in The Muppet Show Comic Book. I'd love to see more backstage storylines and less fawning over guest stars in this new series.

I agree with you completely. This new show should be more of its own thing, rather than trying to capture the lightning in a bottle of The Muppet Show.

I could even see Statler & Waldorf being in the live studio audience during taping, heckling the actors in between commercial breaks. Works better for me than having them do it from a distance in a retirement home.

 

[BlakeConor14]

I'd like to see lew, link, strangepork and Marvin suggs in bigger roles and push Walter into a supporting role

 

[cjd874]

I'd like to see lew, link, strangepork and Marvin suggs in bigger roles and push Walter into a supporting role

I could see Link Hogthrob and Dr. Strangepork in bigger roles. Not so much Marvin Suggs, though…he was, is, and always has been a one-note character. I'm kind of on the fence about Lew Zealand, too. He's also a one-note character, obsessed with boomerang fish, but he was used quite a bit in the heyday of the Muppet Show, unlike Marvin. Lew Zealand was one of Jerry's most frequently seen Muppets, along with Robin and Dr. Strangepork, but not nearly as much as Floyd Pepper.

This brings up another question for everyone: which characters would work the best in this new Muppet Show reboot? Who would have bigger roles, and who would be seen less often? Personally, I'd love to see more of the Electric Mayhem (aside from Animal), Sam the Eagle, Rowlf, and Scooter.

 

[beaker]

"I'm going to go back there someday". Probably the biggest news in many years. Everyone knows we're in the golden age of television, particularly for tv serial dramas. More and more A-list actors want to switch to tv.

Before anyone makes jokes about this being yet another unseen pilot like the 2002 Fox Muppet show or 2006 Muppet reality mockumentary...it's a whole new world since that time. A lot is riding on this. Since 2006 we've seen how Bill Prady's Big Bang Theory has become the biggest comedy on tv. We've seen how ABC revolutionized tv by combining real funny with family. I havent laughed so hard in my life at a tv show as I have with Modern Family and The Goldbergs.

Even in 2010 when people were debating the Muppet movie 2011 film coming out, some were saying it is television, and has always been television where the Muppets shine and will be seen by the most. And given this is on a free tv network(ABC) there's no bounds. But it all comes down to writing...and making an obviously hokey antiquated format as a "variety show" somehow seem relevant(or, surrealistically meta un-relevant) in the modern era.
In other words, I have high confidence for this and feel this may finally be the big turning point.

 

[BlakeConor14]

I can see pigs in space and vets hospital back in action and maybe something with Bobo and deadly

 

[D'Snowth]

Everyone knows we're in the golden age of television, particularly for tv serial dramas. More and more A-list actors want to switch to tv.

I'm sorry, the golden age of television is looong gone. The reason why so many A-list movie stars are switching to TV is because they've got bills to pay, so taking on steady TV jobs is going to keep those bills paid as opposed to dwindling movie roles; you have to admit, Uma Thurman, Billy Crystal, Maria Bello, and others aren't exactly in their prime anymore.