Potential New Muppet Show

[charlietheowl]

The Disney Channel would be ideal for two reasons... Disney owns the Network and wants to push the Muppets as a franchise, giving them some leverage to give the show more of a longevity. Secondly, anyone who thinks a Muppet Show, even if they were the most popular thing in the world and pulled in Marvel Superhero movie numbers at the box office would work in prime time just doesn't know the history.

You're right about the Muppet show not working in prime time, but I still think the Disney Channel wouldn't be the right atmosphere for a revival because it would be pandering to an exclusively younger audience. I don't think that aside from some reruns of Disney flicks the Disney channel has aired anything aimed at people over the age of 16 in years. However, the Disney channel would certainly give the show some time to develop, since they spent millions of dollars on the Muppets anyway.

 

[Hubert]

I think I'm going to take an "I'll believe it when I see it" approach to this, but then again, I did that with the new movie, and it got made.

But if there was to be a new TV show, I don't think Disney Channel would be the right fit for it. It would be good there for getting kids into it, but then, I don't think many people would watch a Muppet show on the Disney Channel. I do agree that I think ABC Family could be a pretty nice fit for it. Let's hope there is a new show.

 

[Drtooth]

You're right about the Muppet show not working in prime time, but I still think the Disney Channel wouldn't be the right atmosphere for a revival because it would be pandering to an exclusively younger audience. I don't think that aside from some reruns of Disney flicks the Disney channel has aired anything aimed at people over the age of 16 in years. However, the Disney channel would certainly give the show some time to develop, since they spent millions of dollars on the Muppets anyway.

That's the main problem. That tweenybopper phase just won't die, and it's robbing The Disney Channel of its Disney-ness. Do they even run Disney movies that weren't made for TV anymore? Same thing with ABC family... it would be an ideal place to put it, if they weren't to mired in a single demographic (teenage girls who graduated from Disney pop shows).

The problem is that there really isn't a place for Muppets on television unless Disney wants to make a huge change to those 2 channels. ABC would air like 3 episodes of the show, and either end it there or marathon the rest during summer. And even though the terrible show According to Jim spent it's last 3 seasons like that and buy the art of black magic kept getting renewed, it's not a good place for the Muppets.

 

[Alvin]

That's what I said in the beginning....I am not sure how the Muppets would survive on TV...unless Disney did a good push for it on either ABC or the Disney Channel. I mean I would support it, but TV is a VERY different ball game these days than it was when Jim had it on TV back in the day. I mean he had to go to a different country to even produce it. THAT should tell you something.

 

[frogboy4]

Disney already rebooted a successful Muppet blueprint so I don't see them degrading them with "smut" no matter what the format. That hasn't happened in over 35 years of these characters so I find that to be a weird notion. In fact, the mouse seems to be quite protective on the Muppets and I like that!

Television has never been more troubled than it is now. Most shows are terrible. I don't mean racy or stupid...just weak, boring and poorly written. Stuff comes and goes so quickly. I wouldn't want the Muppets to suffer the fate of the JHH or MT.

I still favor the idea of creating Muppet Show Specials. They could create a handful of 30 minute shows to sprinkle about each television season. It makes the experience feel like a special treat and there's no pressure to sustain weekly ratings. It wouldn't be difficult to get guest stars. This is the ideal way to keep the franchise going without it becoming stale or getting canceled.

It it were to be a weekly show...

Disney and other companies have created content for competing networks so I kind of like the idea of the Muppets airing on Fox. They have created successful musical, comedy at and animation blocks.The Muppets could be a good fit.

ABC would definitely have scheduling issues and the Muppets could once again get stuffed into a Friday or Saturday night purgatory. Can the show survive if placed adjacent to Modern Family and the Middle? Maybe.

The Disney Channel would offer the opportunity to create fewer shows with controlled exposure and less pressure. It also tucks them away where many people can't see them, but there's always Hulu for repeats. That has proven to be a very successful tool, but would they water-down the content like they did with Studio DC Live?

Syndication is usually reserved for reruns of shows with at least three seasons so I don't know if that would work these days.

So yeah, I think a series of a half-dozen or so Muppet Show Specials to air on ABC would be the best idea. There are always scheduling gaps that need to be filled, but I also think the Muppets would be a good addition to sweeps week. These specials could easily be marketed on itunes and DVD too. A quarter-season of episodes would be a bargain all-around. In fact, I think more shows would benefit from that treatment. TV has changed and few people have the time to keep up with shows these days.

 

[Drtooth]

I wouldn't know about Fox. They probably wouldn't be a stable environment for them. The only way the network will provide you with longevity is if your name is Seth MacFarline or Simon Cowell. I'd say Matt Groening, but Fox was all too happy to derail Futurama to keep the Simpsons going. I don't like how Fox is heading towards the big budget, long winded, way too ambitious genre show that everyone else is trying desperately to get rid of. Look at Terra Nova. The show everyone loved until they hated it . I could turn this into a whole discussion about how we have to go back to episodic things that can get solved by the end of 3 episodes if they insist upon continuity.

I don't feel thrilled about the other networks, either. You're probably right about ABC... that's what I've been saying. I don't even know what they air on the "we don't even care anymore" Friday night line up. It would probably go there, then quickly disappear for another stupid 20/20 voyeuristic "special." I dunno about you, but watching regular people react to staged disturbing events isn't my idea of a fun time.

Syndication is a pathetic shell of its former self that would be content to run nothing but Infomercials if they could. The only original programming still syndicated are the Judge Judy clones and Maury "why is this guy still on television" Povich. And that's daytime. They don't do anything but sitcom reruns past 5, weekdays or weekends.

Cable's the only option for longevity.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Disney is trying to find a way to get the muppets back on tv somehow in prime time...
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2012/03...pet-tv-shows-and-apps-as-well-as-sequel-film/

It's such a good time to be a Muppets fan!

 

[RedPiggy]

Sheesh, from the sound of it, I was right to stop TV. Now, another option (ducks preemptively) is to air it on something like Netflix. Netflix wants to get rid of most of their "flix" and focus more on original programming and tv shows. A new Muppet Show might very well thrive there. They have lots of "episodes" that are just maybe a handful of specials calling themselves episodes (documentaries like to do this a lot). Do the idea of having periodic specials, let it get bundled up as a new Muppet Show, and if it's successful enough, try an actual season's worth.

 

[charlietheowl]

Sheesh, from the sound of it, I was right to stop TV. Now, another option (ducks preemptively) is to air it on something like Netflix. Netflix wants to get rid of most of their "flix" and focus more on original programming and tv shows. A new Muppet Show might very well thrive there. They have lots of "episodes" that are just maybe a handful of specials calling themselves episodes (documentaries like to do this a lot). Do the idea of having periodic specials, let it get bundled up as a new Muppet Show, and if it's successful enough, try an actual season's worth.

I think that could work, though it will be interesting to see how Netflix's original shows do first, since they've taken quite the publicity beating over the past year. I think they have one with the guitar player from the E Street Band playing a mobster or something.

 

[rachel117]

Sheesh, from the sound of it, I was right to stop TV. Now, another option (ducks preemptively) is to air it on something like Netflix. Netflix wants to get rid of most of their "flix" and focus more on original programming and tv shows. A new Muppet Show might very well thrive there. They have lots of "episodes" that are just maybe a handful of specials calling themselves episodes (documentaries like to do this a lot). Do the idea of having periodic specials, let it get bundled up as a new Muppet Show, and if it's successful enough, try an actual season's worth.

Completely agree with this! But lets not forget about ROKU, the new smart tv box, they feature channels based on compilations of independent works, primetime shows, APP's, etc. That would also be a good outlet for The Muppets to have a 'trial come-back'... If Disney does it right, they would go *&CK themselves and their terrible shows. Nickelodeon has also gone down the tube so I would prefer to not see The Muppets on either of these channels- it would be a slap in the face to Jim Henson and all of his creative genius.

On a lighter note- does anyone, or is anyone wiling.. to help me track down DVD copies of JHH. It's so hard to find but I WANT THEM!