Season 4 or Season 5?

[MuppetShow123]

Which do you prefer??? Personally, I hope they'll release them both on DVD at the same time!

 

[LouisTheOtter]

Even though Season 4 contains many of my favourite Muppet Show episodes and moments (Muppet Awards with Phyllis George; murder mystery with Liza Minelli; Gonzo's departure-and-return with Lola Folana; Dudley Moore's music machine; and great guest-star turns from John Denver, Kenny Rogers, Anne Murray, Doug Henning and Dyan Cannon), I have to give the nod, however slight, to Season 5.

It seemed like Jim Henson and company were determined to finish the show on a high and indeed they did, right down to the subtle but welcome tweaks at each episode's beginning (Pops welcoming the guest stars to the theatre; Statler and Waldorf's "Why do we always come here" verse in an extended opening theme song) and the end (Lips' trumpet part in the closing theme).

The writers and producers also came up with some wonderfully creative plotlines without sacrificing the basic formula (Carol Burnett blowing a gasket at Gonzo's dance marathon; "pirate" Glenda Jackson kidnapping the theatre and sailing it out to sea; Statler and Waldorf running the show, and botching it, during Hal Linden's visit; Johnny Cash's guest-star turn being simulcast on a country radio station; shrinking-and-growing Brooke Shields in the title role of Alice in Wonderland; Marty Feldman's twisted take on the Arabian Nights, ending with that amazing cameo by the Sesame Street cast).

So many other great guest-star moments too...Joan Baez, Linda Ronstadt, Paul Simon (allowing the Muppets, especially Gonzo, to have their way with his music catalogue), Roger Moore fending off Miss Piggy, Gene Kelly insisting he's not going to perform and then finally giving in, Buddy Rich and Animal in the Battle of the Drummers, Debbie Harry shifting between her Blondie hits and a sweet duet with Kermit on "Rainbow Connection," Loretta Swit playing temporarily-fired Piggy's role in Pigs In Space, and two of my favourite musical numbers of the whole series - Mac Davis serenading mermaid Piggy with "Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me" (the #1 song the day I was born!) and joining the Muppet band for "I Believe In Music." (And that episode ended with the Beaker clones playing the closing theme...too funny!!!)

Season 5 is also awesome because of episodes where the Muppets made the best of a bad situation (series writer Chris Langham's last-minute subbing for Richard Pryor) and delivered one of the funniest meta-Muppet sequences of all time when Gonzo, attempting to figure out puppetry in the Senor Wences episode, declared that "wiggling dolls is WEIRD!" before walking away, leaving Kermit to break the fourth wall and deliver the beautiful, classic line: "I didn't have the heart to tell him."

In terms of DVD releases, I'd consider Season 4 to be a victory at this point but I'd love it if Season 5 came out simultaneously - I know my wife and I will treasure both for years to come.

 

[panmanthe2nd]

Yes, it would be great if both were released at the same time. However, I'll be happy if they just release season 4 for the time being.

 

[MuppetGuy75]

I'm so ready for both seasons to be released! They are WAY over due! I just hope Disney will add some awesome and rare extras along with them.

 

[panmanthe2nd]

I'm hoping that when 'The Muppets' comes out on DVD it will have a preview for season 4.

 

[DramaQueenMokey]

I would love seasons 4 and 5 to be released together, but, I really want season 5 because of the Paul Simon episode (which happens to be my all time favorite Muppet Show episode)

 

[Alvin]

I doubt they release both at one time...that would be a near miracle...or an act of God! LOL! They do need to strike while the iron is hot...with the new movie and everything.

 

[JackMonster]

I'm all for the idea of them releasing them both at the same time. I'm not sure if it's the same in the US but over here in the UK we recently got some new editions of some Muppets dvds. Muppets movie, Caper, Wizard of Oz, Treasure Island and all three seasons got new editions. Not much new in the extras department just the seasons went from box sets to standard DVD's with four discs which I personally prefer. I was hoping this was to test the market for seasons 4 & 5 to see if people still......"cared" I guess. Also, I know this will NEVER happen because of the sheer abundance of it but I would kill for Sesame Street season sets. Like I said, their are over 40 seasons. This'll never happen but, I can dream

 

[panmanthe2nd]

Also, I know this will NEVER happen because of the sheer abundance of it but I would kill for Sesame Street season sets.

Me too! I know it's super unlikely, but I hope it happens one day.

Muppets movie, Caper, Wizard of Oz, Treasure Island and all three seasons got new editions. Not much new in the extras department just the seasons went from box sets to standard DVD's with four discs which I personally prefer.

Did you buy any of them?
I've seen the new editions of Treasure Island and Great Muppet Caper in my local shops, and saw a photo of the new edition of The Muppet Movie online (love the 'new' old cover for that one, but the old Sony cover is even better), but haven't been able to see any of the other new editions. If you do have any of them and could post photos, that would great!

I'm half hoping that the new edition of Season 1 is complete, but I guess it's unlikely.

 

[JackMonster]

I have Treasure Island, Muppet Movie and the first two seasons. They're good editions to have the episodes and stuff.