The Muppets Episode 1 - Pig Girls Don't Cry (Pilot)

[LaRanaRene]

Can someone please give me one example of one of the Muppets being out of character. Because I watched it twice and really did not see it.

I don't think any of the Muppets were out of character in the show, not really sure what people are talking about. Though Kermit did seem a bit mean, for example when he said "Animal got better idea?" but that's probably because Piggy was stressing him out the whole episode.

 

[dwayne1115]

I don't think any of the Muppets were out of character in the show, not really sure what people are talking about. Though Kermit did seem a bit mean, for example when he said "Animal got better idea?" but that's probably because Piggy was stressing him out the whole episode.

Really I loved that line from both Animal and Kermit.

 

[Ladywarrior]

*shrug* I dunno. Thought what piggy said to fozzie MIGHT be considered OOC? I don't know and I am not saying it is so don't assume I did. >_<
also about fozzie's voice... it sounds better than it used to from the movies I mean. the recent ones. It sounds more normal than it did in those.

 

[cjd874]

I finally saw this episode and...I think Jim Henson would be proud.
Pros: This series has great adult humor, which was part of Jim's original intention in creating the Muppets. Yet it has something that older kids can enjoy, too. Also, the Muppets are still the same old quirky, lovable family that we've come to know them as. Kermit is still the de facto leader, Miss Piggy is still the demanding diva, Fozzie is still an insecure comedian, and the Electric Mayhem are still a rocking band. Bill Prady and the new writers have seemingly stayed true to the characters' personalities. And they even gave Statler and Waldorf their own place to sit in the TV studio...just like in "the old days," if you will.
Cons: I wonder how the relationship between Fozzie and his girlfriend is going to develop. It doesn't seem too deep right now, and I'm afraid it's going to turn into something right out of the Big Bang Theory. (Considering that Bill Prady is a writer for BBT, that might happen.) As the series progresses, I personally wish to see spotlights on characters like Gonzo, Scooter, Rowlf, Sam, Rizzo, Pepe, Bunsen, and Beaker. Heck, maybe they'll even devote a subplot to Uncle Deadly! But that might be asking a bit much...

 

[D'Snowth]

I wonder how the relationship between Fozzie and his girlfriend is going to develop. It doesn't seem too deep right now, and I'm afraid it's going to turn into something right out of the Big Bang Theory.

If this show ends up turning out like BBT, where every time you tune in you see Fozzie and his girlfriend in bed, then I'll be boycotting the show. I've always hated that about BBT, but unfortunately, it's a sign of the times: when I was growing up, sex wasn't an interest of nerds, and was usually one of the farthest things from their minds; today, cons could very well be classified as orgies.

 

[dwayne1115]

I finally saw this episode and...I think Jim Henson would be proud.
Pros: This series has great adult humor, which was part of Jim's original intention in creating the Muppets. Yet it has something that older kids can enjoy, too. Also, the Muppets are still the same old quirky, lovable family that we've come to know them as. Kermit is still the de facto leader, Miss Piggy is still the demanding diva, Fozzie is still an insecure comedian, and the Electric Mayhem are still a rocking band. Bill Prady and the new writers have seemingly stayed true to the characters' personalities. And they even gave Statler and Waldorf their own place to sit in the TV studio...just like in "the old days," if you will.
Cons: I wonder how the relationship between Fozzie and his girlfriend is going to develop. It doesn't seem too deep right now, and I'm afraid it's going to turn into something right out of the Big Bang Theory. (Considering that Bill Prady is a writer for BBT, that might happen.) As the series progresses, I personally wish to see spotlights on characters like Gonzo, Scooter, Rowlf, Sam, Rizzo, Pepe, Bunsen, and Beaker. Heck, maybe they'll even devote a subplot to Uncle Deadly! But that might be asking a bit much...

Finally! Thank you could not have said that bette myself.

 

[minor muppetz]

When I think of the fact that the break-up flashback appears as paparazzi footage, I keep thinking that this shows format would be a great opportunity to bring back Fleet Scribbler. He could be the one responsible for paparazzi footage that appears in ways that would otherwise be hard for the "documentary-style" to be done.

I've seen a few articles that have referred to this show as really being two shows in one, but this first episode feels a lot less like two shows in one than TMS, JHH, and MT did. Those all had a more even balance of the actual show and the behind-the-scenes/outside-the-studio aspects. Here we only get two scenes (three, if you include the tag) of the broadcast talk show. I've seen something that referred to Dinosaurs as being "two shows in one", with one of them being the "Dinosaur TV" segments (though those take up less than half the episodes they're in).

The fact that it's documentary-style could be what was meant as "two shows in one", and for years I'd been thinking the next show should focus more on the rehearsals and stuff (pretty much like this, though I didn't have documentary-style in mind).

If not for the documentary-style, it would be great if some sketches could be presented as fantasies, with Gonzo, Rizzo, and Pepe discussing ideas, and then we see them imagine the scenarios. Maybe even show triple cut-aways (Everybody Hates Chris often had cut-aways like this) showing how each one views the sketch. The closest I can see happening in this format is they discuss the sketch and then it cuts to the sketch as it's shown on TV.

I've also noticed that in the first episode, it seems like there's only one guest star (Elizabeth Banks, who gets replaced with Tom Bergeron, who then gets replaced by Banks again) and a musical guest. Do talk shows normally do this? I would think that a talk-show would have more celebrity guests (even if we don't see all the interviews).

 

[Bear Man]

The first episode was perfectly enjoyable. There may have been a couple of areas for improvement (celebrity cameos that weren't tightly integrated with the story, possibly too many plot lines and set-ups for a 22 minute sitcom) but these are the sort of teething problems most shows experience and should be relatively easily managed.

For those that have a problem with the style, tone, subject matter or even some aspects of character choices because "they're not what we saw in Jim Henson's Muppets", I think you need to accept that that is an unreasonable, unsustainable complaint. In order to remain accessible and relevant, arts and entertainment need to evolve with the times. It's only in the last 20 years or so that a mainstream theatre has started staging Shakespeare in the way it was done originally - prior to that for about 350 years the texts, settings and interpretations of it had been changed, updated and even completely rewritten in order to meet the needs of the times. One of the results of such a talented man like Jim Henson dying so early and unexpectedly, is that people have placed his work into some sort of sealed time capsule, believing not only his existing work, but also any resulting works should be preserved exactly as it would have been were we still in the 1970s - 80s. I believe that ABC's approach - to try and bring the Muppets to a place that it would have otherwise organically evolved to - is not only a correct decision, but it's the only one that would provide an option for a continued lifetime for the property.

 

[LipsGF4Life]

The show was great! I watched it again the other day and I noticed that Lips was in the intro looking at the desk for something! Did anyone catch that? I sure did! I fangirled!
When the Electric Mayhem performed with Imagine Dragons, I loved it! I loved it when Zoot said the other meaning of the meeting he was in. It's hilarious! Oh who am I kidding the show was great!
One of the other scenes I thought was funny was when Piggy kept saying "Ha!" while Kermit was explaining why he brought Elizabeth Banks back to the show. I loved this part as well:
: "What? No 'ha'?"
: "No 'ha'."
: "Oh, well, anyway I-"
: "HAAA!!!"
Lol it was funny. And who knew that Denise had a little drawl in her voice! That's one thing I like about her. I'd rather have Piggy and Kermit together though....at least Floyd and Janice are together, that's good.

Excited for Episode 2! Heard it was gonna be an Electric Mayhem one! So excited!

 

[CensoredAlso]

OK, so my best friend and I finally got to see this. My friend laughed at the bit of Busen tazing Beaker. But he paused and said, "...He used to be more subtle about it."

And I think that's my review for the whole show: They used to be more subtle about it.

I was able to detect a recurring pattern in this show. They start making a joke, and the first line is actually pretty witty. But then for no apparent reason they start over explaining the joke, thus diluting the comedy. Like the AA meeting thing. If you'd just had Zoot say "Oh this is a meeting?" all disoriented, that would have been a witty, adult joke. But then they kept going, over explaining it, and it wasn't as funny as the set up.

I agree with the fans here who say the Muppets came off as mean. Particularly Kermit. And no, it has nothing to do with audience tastes changing or evolving. It's simply a case of imbalanced comedy writing. Comedy is always a mix of rudeness and wit. But if the wit is off, the characters can come off as mean.

Most of the moments I laughed at came from the long suffering human characters. The Muppets just seemed like pests, rather than endearingly insane.

I will say I genuinely felt sorry for Piggy when Kermit left her. The scene would have been perfect if it hadn't started with awkward jokes about selfies. Either take the moment seriously or don't. Balance can be achieved. The Muppets have done it many times.

I'll end this on a positive note. Janice's line about the guest band's original name was cute and actually very Muppety. As it stands, my vote goes to "so-so." Hopefully the writers will take note for the future.