The Muppets Episode 9 - Going, Going, Gonzo

[CensoredAlso]

I'm also kind of getting tired of Scooter and his nerdiness. He kind of reminds me of Cliff Clavin from Cheers since both characters lived with their moms as adults. His mom wakes him up to James Taylor...???

Yeah, Scooter was always the awkward young person, but that whole nerdy thing is a left over from Muppet Babies.

You know, ironically, Richard Hunt reportedly based his Emmett Otter character Charlie Muskrat on a childhood friend of his who was always relating everything back to his mom, lol. But that was never a thing with Scooter.

 

[Stephanie Evjen]

My review on Going, Going, Gonzo:

First of all, I really thought the Great Gonzo's return was really exciting! He really made a splash into our hearts when he successfully did his cannonball act! The song "Learn to Fly" by Dave Grohl and the Electric Mayhem really made it even more inspiring for him to give it his all and succeed with flying colors.

Second, I also really loved the side-story with Scooter trying to get help from the Electric Mayhem to help him "live on the edge". The part where Dr. Teeth told Scooter to start by leaving home at 14, venture to Mississippi, and meet a voodoo princess named Tiana who will give anyone a gold tooth and teach them the rhythms of love really interested and confused me a bit (we all know Dr. Teeth got his gold tooth made out of melted-down gold records) because I felt by judging his words he obviously done this before. Plus, I think he is groovy with the ladies. Also, I think it was very sweet that Janice and Floyd somehow rekindled their relationship when I saw them cuddling on the couch. They may have worked out their differences after the events of "The Ex-Factor". When Scooter freaked out on the band like that when they tried to pierce his ear, I was pretty freaked by it as well, especially when Animal tried to fight back, but I felt he was no match for Scooter's sudden strength. It was pretty good that the band wasn't mad at Scooter for what happened and forgave him. Guess that's friendship for ya.

Finally, I really loved the drum battle between Dave Grohl and Animal at the end. I was rooting for Animal to win it, but I guess in the end, they were really matched and couldn't beat each other no matter how good they played, especially when both of 'em said "you win".

In conclusion, I have to say it was a really ROCKIN' episode! Fer shur!

 

[Iscah]

Oh yes, Muppet cannon. That thing that barely exists.

Sure Muppet cannon exists. We just had a whole episode about Gonzo being shot out of one.

But really. The flexibility of Muppet canon means that if you don't like how they're being characterised in this particular show, you're allowed to dismiss it as "just a show the Muppets are making" and enjoy it. (I count canon to be The Muppet Show and anything that doesn't clash with it - which is not much, but for sanity's sake...)

I think I love Joseph Gordon-Levitt now! He was a natural with them! I hope to see more of him with the Muppets soon.

Well, hopefully we'll be seeing him with the Fraggles!

Gonzo (BTYBPW)

Lovely use of the running gag there. But I think - and I wonder if it was deliberate from a storytelling point - that he stopped needing to use that label when he broke the contract to do it on TV. So when he finally did it, it was not only for himself, but as himself. (I also noticed that he was wearing his own jumpsuit and not the sponsored one.)

 

[dwayne1115]

Well all the Muppets are adding new things to there personally. Some are working others not so much. I thought Dr.Theeth's story was funny. I also like he mentioned Mississippi which is also where Kermit says he is from as well.
The band was really good this episode. Not to far out there and very funny.

 

[minor muppetz]

It seems like all of the episodes where Lips has spoken were episodes that I suspected he would talk (I also suspected he'd talk in "Pig Out", but didn't). TO be fair, two of those three episodes are ones that I knew involved The Electric Mayhem. With "Hostile Makeover", I suspected he'd get a line after seeing a picture of him in sunglasses and a hat (wondering if there was a special reason for him to be dressed that way... while he did talk, it wasn't in that scene, though).

 

[LouisTheOtter]

I can't think about last night's episode without getting happy all over again. I don't want to carelessly throw around words like "perfect" (because of course it wasn't, nor are many Muppet or non-Muppet productions) but apart from "Pig's In A Blackout" this episode seemed to capture and balance all the elements that we would want in a modern Muppet TV series experience.

The whole thing would have been a great effort even if it DIDN'T end with the Gonzo-and-Kermit cannon sequence. We already had amazing puppetry (Gonzo soaring through the air backstage, Scooter's freak-out with The Electric Mayhem), callbacks to earlier Muppet productions (am I the only one that thought of TMS Season 5's "Another Opening To Another Show" while watching the botched "Fly Me To The Moon" number?), great running gags, a terrific blend of character appearances and interactions, guest-stars that didn't seem forced, a smart use of music, and a thoughtful, well-written approach to Gonzo's past and evolution as a character over the years. (The last one, from my perspective, applies whether or not we're applying strict Muppet canon rules.)

And then...THEN...Dave Grohl and the EM launch into "Learn To Fly" (a song I've always loved) and it underscores the amazing sight of Gonzo soaring over the rooftops and actually completing the stunt, topped by Kermit's enthusiastic response ("You are the GREATEST Gonzo!" and arm-flailing) and two longtime friends celebrating a triumphant return for the daredevil Gonzo we all know and love. It didn't matter that Up Late With Miss Piggy's audience didn't see it - it mattered that those two characters saw it and celebrated it.

Animal and Dave Grohl engaging in the drum battle as the credits rolled (with the innovative gag of the two of them basically destroying their drum kits as they fought for supremacy) was just the icing on the cake. This was a quality Muppet production that I already can't wait to see again and that I am going to treasure for the rest of my life.

Does anybody else remember Dave Goelz being interviewed about this series just before the launch in September and commenting that he hasn't "been this excited about a project since Fraggle Rock"? I'm so happy that he, and his signature character, have been rewarded for this enthusiasm and for the patience he has shown in toughing it out for nine episodes before he, and we, finally got the Gonzo story that we've been seeking since the show came back. Canon or no canon, this is a worthy addition to Gonzo's (and Goelz's) four-decades-plus-long history with the Muppets.

Also, among the many amazing things I could cite about this episode: Sam The Eagle wanting to run for Congress but failing to even get elected to his apartment building's tenancy board. Mrs. Otter and I laughed so hard that we missed the follow-up joke (a regular occurrence through the early goings of what we hope is the show's inaugural season).

 

[Mo Frackle]

One bit I don't think anyone mentioned yet (maybe so, I haven't quite read through everyone's posts) - I loved Sweetums' reaction to being put on Piggy's list.

I also love that we're seeing a lot of instance in which characters performed by the same Muppeteer get to interact with each other.

 

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

I also love that we're seeing a lot of instance in which characters performed by the same Muppeteer get to interact with each other.

Oh yeah,it was really cool to finally see Gonzo and Dr.Bunsen interact with each other.

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

But the two of them interacted in MTI as well. I wonder who the extras are who do the puppeteering when same-voiced characters interact. Just curious about that one.

Yeah, Scooter was always the awkward young person, but that whole nerdy thing is a left over from Muppet Babies.

Yeah. That is interesting. Seems they used the MB version of Scooter rather than the TMS version who always got his way because of his uncle's ownership of the theater. I guess the show's writers prefer the "nerdy" version of Scooter. But it works for me. You never know. Maybe Skeeter will show up in an episode or two. Something to think about.

 

[RealWonderman]

This one was my favorite so far! This is what I hope they are retooling towards, because every step was perfection!