The Muppet Show Season 4 "Thoughts"

[Muppet Master]

After finishing watching all of the muppet show season 4 here are my top 5 favorite episodes, and my thoughts.

1. Episode 418: Christopher Reeve
2. Episode 414: Liza Minnelli
3. Episode 420: Alan Arkin
4. Episode 417: The Stars of Star Wars
5. Episode 419: Lynda Carter

Now, here are some of my thoughts on the season.

• Winny, who I guess was supposed to be the replacement for Gladys was only prominenet in one episode. What was the point of her?
• The Canteen was not used much in this season which is a shame, besides the Phyllis George, Victor Borge, and the Liza Minnelli episodes it was out of sight.
• Unless you count the prarie dog one there was only one real Bear on Patrol sketch throughout the entire season, which is also a shame, because when it began at the end of the third season it was quite prominent.
• Also another sketch, Muppet Sports, which was also somewhat prominent in the third season only appeared twice throughout the whole season.
• This season also diminished character roles. Sam the Eagle only appeared in 6 episodes, and only 4 were prominent, and 3 were UK Spots, so for american audiences he only appeared in 1 episode, pretty sad when he used to appear in at least 10 episodes prominently, here appearing in less than half of that number of episodes. Also, Sweetums appeared in 1 TMS episode, and even then not in a prominent role, again pretty sad.
• With all this phasing out, the electric mayhem were more prominent. Floyd Pepper was in all but 5 episodes, and Zoot spoke in a total of 4 episodes.
• I like how Bunsen, a character who rarely did anything besides his Muppet Labs sketches got to have a prominent backstage role in the Alan Arkin episode, it was great experimenting that worked.
• The backstage plot played much larger roles than they did before in this season which is always a good thing, not to say they did not in past seasons, but they got even better in this season with the Lola Falana episode being really touching, and the Liza Minnelli one being a themed episode.
• The guest stars get even bigger and even more recognizable in today's world.
• Fozzie's Comedy Sketches are hardly used. Also Gonzo does very few stunts as well.
• I feel that the Anne Murray episode's backstage plot was a copy of the Lou Rawl episode's one therefore being kind of weak.
• This is the first time that Bobby Benson gets a character arc, and it does not seem that he is the most law abidding fellow on the block, kind of amusing that he has a baby band and a criminal record.
• Statler and Waldorf serve as antagonists in two episodes, first killing off the muppets in the Liza Minnelli episode, and then putting a gypsy curse on the muppets.

So those are some of my thoughts on TMS season 4, so what do you guys think about this season?

 

[MuppetSpot]

I loved the Copacabana song in the Liz episode.

 

[LamangoNumber2]

I thought it was getting a DVD release.

 

[minor muppetz]

I've mentioned in another thread that it seems like this season has the least amount of changes from the previous season. But it is odd how this season there's so many new characters who don't appear much, but are newly-built puppets as opposed to whatnots. I assume that Winny was meant to be used more but ended up with only one major scene, and I'm not sure whether Geri and the Attrics were meant to be used more or not, but there's also the Devil and Angus McGonagle, who both only have one episode each where they are major characters but then do pop up in the background a few times. Foo-Foo is introduced early in the season but I think he only appears in three episodes this season (and I guess his number of appearance in season five isn't too much more impressive). Gaffer only appears in a couple of episodes near the end of the season, and then is used as a background character in almost every episode of the next season (and a Muppet Fan Club newsletter promoted Gaffer as a new character for season 5), and Rizzo is also introduced near the end of the season but seems to appear in every episode afterwards. But I guess the next season is similar, with the only major really notable new characters being Pops and to a lesser extend Lips, and Betsy Bird being intended as a new character, while the season also has new Frackles and a number of new non-Whatnot characters only being used once or twice (Mulch, the Gargoyle, Lonnie Lemon and her Singing Wig).

Never really noticed the lack of Sam the Eagle this season (especially outside of UK spots), though I did notice that Sam's barely in any episodes in season 5. This season it seems like Muppet Labs is barely on the show, in just two or three episodes (the next season would also only have three Muppet Labs segments).

 

[Muppet Master]

I've mentioned in another thread that it seems like this season has the least amount of changes from the previous season. But it is odd how this season there's so many new characters who don't appear much, but are newly-built puppets as opposed to whatnots. I assume that Winny was meant to be used more but ended up with only one major scene, and I'm not sure whether Geri and the Attrics were meant to be used more or not, but there's also the Devil and Angus McGonagle, who both only have one episode each where they are major characters but then do pop up in the background a few times. Foo-Foo is introduced early in the season but I think he only appears in three episodes this season (and I guess his number of appearance in season five isn't too much more impressive). Gaffer only appears in a couple of episodes near the end of the season, and then is used as a background character in almost every episode of the next season (and a Muppet Fan Club newsletter promoted Gaffer as a new character for season 5), and Rizzo is also introduced near the end of the season but seems to appear in every episode afterwards. But I guess the next season is similar, with the only major really notable new characters being Pops and to a lesser extend Lips, and Betsy Bird being intended as a new character, while the season also has new Frackles and a number of new non-Whatnot characters only being used once or twice (Mulch, the Gargoyle, Lonnie Lemon and her Singing Wig).

Never really noticed the lack of Sam the Eagle this season (especially outside of UK spots), though I did notice that Sam's barely in any episodes in season 5. This season it seems like Muppet Labs is barely on the show, in just two or three episodes (the next season would also only have three Muppet Labs segments).

The Sam thing was a problem this season, but he got it worse in Season 5 when he only appeared in 2 episodes. Though when Sam did appear it was like winning the lottery. His scene in the Beverly Sillis episode was hilarious as well as his sketch called Muppet University. Also, we learn more about his background in the Andy Williams UK Spot, and how his daughter dated an owl. Finally, he showed off his inner Sam in "Sam's Song", and chatting with Kermit in yet another UK Spot. Sweetums though does nothing this season which really is strange. Angus McGonagle is probably the muppet that most hardcore muppet fans are obsessed with, and I really do not know if he was meant to do anything else. Again there was a lot of sketch shortages as well. I really was looking forward to more Bear on Patrol, but that sketch was diminished for whatever reason. Though why would you need changes on a show that has reached perfection, overal I think this was a great season.

 

[minor muppetz]

Finally, he showed off his inner Sam in "Sam's Song", and chatting with Kermit in yet another UK Spot.

I wonder if the UK spots from the Christopher Reeve and Andy Williams episodes were intended for the opposite episodes. I've recently watched the UK spot from the Andy Williams episode, and I noticed that some photos of Superman appear in the background of that scene.

Sweetums though does nothing this season which really is strange.

He does appear in the Lola Falana episode, in He's the Greatest Dancer.

Angus McGonagle is probably the muppet that most hardcore muppet fans are obsessed with, and I really do not know if he was meant to do anything else.

I'm more obsessed with Lips, most of the full body monsters, and a good deal of characters from The Jim Henson Hour.

Though why would you need changes on a show that has reached perfection, overal I think this was a great season.

I'd say changing the show would be more of a want than a need. It may have reached perfection, but they can always add in new elements. I believe Jim Henson was often interested in moving forward. If I had my own show, I'd want there to be plenty of differences between each season.

Of course it is odd that they shortened the opening for this season, but then in the next made the opening longer than before (with the possible exception of the first season theme song).

 

[Muppet Master]

I wonder if the UK spots from the Christopher Reeve and Andy Williams episodes were intended for the opposite episodes. I've recently watched the UK spot from the Andy Williams episode, and I noticed that some photos of Superman appear in the background of that scene.



He does appear in the Lola Falana episode, in He's the Greatest Dancer.



I'm more obsessed with Lips, most of the full body monsters, and a good deal of characters from The Jim Henson Hour.



I'd say changing the show would be more of a want than a need. It may have reached perfection, but they can always add in new elements. I believe Jim Henson was often interested in moving forward. If I had my own show, I'd want there to be plenty of differences between each season.

Of course it is odd that they shortened the opening for this season, but then in the next made the opening longer than before (with the possible exception of the first season theme song).

Well what episode a UK Spot is in does not really matter, unless they are part of the plot, so that is likely that they mixed the two up, probably because that was around when they could not film for some reason.