I was not enthusiastic, but I final watched episode 3. The part at the end between Fozzie and Kermit was nicer than anything I've seen so far on "the muppets" which is not saying much. It did make me hope (faintly) that the real Kermit might be somewhere close by, just waiting for an opportunity to show up.
Again, it's only been three episodes so far and I still go with my original claim that even great shows weren't great when they started. Look at the original Star Trek - it only lasted 3 seasons and managed to spawn an entire universe of both shows, movies, books, etc and most importantly fans.
The episodes
are getting better, but as someone said, the show needs to better than just 'better', especially in this day and age where good TV shows last a season and the horrible ones stay on for a thousand years (Kardashians, Real Housewives, American Idol)
The subplot with Piggy was dumb, start to finish. So..the Beverly Hills PD arrested Piggy for filming through her car window--but ignored the camera people who were filming Piggy filming Christina? What? Do the writers even know what they're writing?
The problem the new show has, really, are the subplots, which would be better served if they combined the two subplots into one or at least tie all the plots together. This can obviously be done and is
being done on TV now - Family Guy, American Dad, The Simpsons, as well as Modern Family, Bones (sometimes, not always), OUAT, etc. Now with that said, espeically on the animated series, the subplots aren't as good as the main plot (it was sorta just thrown in almost) or they're
better than the main plot (the FG episode where Stewie hung out with the TNG cast was a subplot, but was a much better plot than the main one IMO)
Likewise the idiotic plotline for next week. Who would believe that "real television stars" like the muppets, who have been singing on stages for decades, would get so carried away karaoke that they'd miss work?
Okay, I'm gonna have to go against you on this, Ru. Firstly, there are
plenty of actual 'real life TV stars' and movie stars who have gone off the rail and have not shown up on set the next day. In fact, if memory serves, Shannen Daugherty is one of those and it got her fired (among other things) from not one, but
two shows. Lindsey Lohan is another. Oh and Charlie Sheen (both movies and TV, IIRC).
I'm not saying the Muppets are
anything like the people above, but if the show is gonna be about what the Muppets do and who they are away from the set, then yes, I can totally see them going out and having a good time. I'm a former musician and I've performed on stage and I love karaoke; on a good night, you'll get to hear some amazing performances by people and sometimes they're horrible. And that's when you try to tune them out by drinking more.
If you think karaoke is just about people trying to live out their dreams as being a rock star, then you've never been to karaoke or least you've never been with people who enjoy it as a way to hung out with their friends and have fun. And besides, if you're a performer, then you
want to perform. You like the stage, the spotlight, the attention, all of that stuff is bread and butter and you don't have to get paid to do it.
I've always had the sense that the Muppets, as the people we like to think of as actors/actress of stage, screen, and everything in between, love what they do and the fact that they get paid doing it is just icing on the cake.
My second point - have you never in your life been hung over enough to call out of work or school? I'm not saying it's right and that everyone should do it, but there are people that have and continue to do so. Now with that said, yes, totally unprofessional for the group to go drinking on a workday - I'm guessing cause if they have to be at work the next day, then this is not a weekend clubbing exercise - and yes, they should know better, but - cause we don't know the reason for them going out, other than running into Ed Helms - the whole group was probably out to let go the stress of whatever craziness happened during that day or the week.
Or maybe they just happen to work and work and work and then they go home. While the galas and stuff are cool, there's a lot of hours put into do a TV show; it's not an 9 to 5 job for sure. I remember...I think it was Brent Spiner (Data, TNG) saying he had to be in makeup at like 4 or 5 in the morning to get into character before needing to be on the set at like...7 or 8 and then not being able to get home until way late in the evening.
While late night shows aren't that heavy budgeted in costume, depending on whatever side skit they do (like Jimmy Fallon's TV parodies), you still have to write up a script, the band has to practice, you have to make sure your guests are still coming, and heaven forbid if one of those things don't go the way it was planned - and it's the Muppets, so of course things never go as planned.
My work week is spent mostly at home or maybe in the office. Once a week, my roommate and I try our best to head to the bar across the street, even if the only thing we do is sit at the bar and talk to the regular barflies. It gets us out of the house, it gets us talking to people who aren't us, and we have a good time.
I can totally see the cast/crew of Up Late going out, hanging out with people they may only get to wave or get a quick hello to in a place that's not home or work. And you know what, karaoke is a surprising confidence booster - Swedish Chef being able to do Rapper's Delight (which is an incredibly long and hard song to memorize, I know) and surprising everyone with the fact that he knows it!? That's a total "dude, we've known you for years and totally didn't know you could break it down like that."
And tangent rant over.
![Big Grin :big_grin: :big_grin:](/forum/styles/muppetcentral/smilies/biggrin.gif)