It does say "winners are determined by voter preferences and other considerations", which is absolute crap. Spongebob only probably wins every year because of the fact it's a Nick show. In fact, the only time it hasn't won in 15 years was to Avatar, which is actually ok, but even then it was still Nick. Gravity Falls deserved to win this year, not only because it ended this year, but it has the most amount of heart I've ever seen put into a cartoon show.
Been saying that for years. Now, I love Spongebob and everything, but it's not even the
best cartoon on the network, even currently (there's at least general consensus that Harvey Beaks and TMNT are well done shows). I am by no means surprised that kids who watch the network and vote on the network's shows would hand the award over to the thing that they play pretty much anytime there isn't a preschool show or tween-com on. Though you'd think if that's the case, Alvin and the Chipmunks would probably have won.
So, the Muppets winning the award...
uh.....Kudos I think? At least it means
someone's watching, I guess? I agree with the sentiment that they went out of their way to make the Muppets look like a kiddy franchise by shoehorning in some uncomfortable humor, only for it to get grand acclaim at an awards show for those 13 years and younger. It was getting a little more family friendly about halfway through, you can't deny that. Still, they wanted this show to be their big TV comeback by not trying to look like that one kiddy show on the network's prime time line up. Not that I couldn't see kids watching it, though.