"The Muppets" show runner exits, series to be relaunched February 2 with episodes 11-16

[MuppetSpot]

Not to mention the attempts at rebooting classic TMS sketches ("Pigs in Space" without Link or Strangepork, "Vet's Hospital" with Fozzie in place of Rowlf).

Yeah that's why I hope with viral videos there will be the classic like PIS will have Link & Strangepork.

 

[ryhoyarbie]

Just read the article with the changes. I do agree I got tired of seeing the mean, evil spirited Miss Piggy. Honestly, I think a lot of people got tired of her just being a complete jerk. She can be like that sometimes, maybe because she could get frustrated, but I do like how they're going to tone her down and make her more likable. Maybe she reads emails in one episode talking about how mean spirited she is, and she decides to do a makeover.....Maybe.

As for the Vets sketch, are the writers somehow going to have Rowlf come on part time on the Up Late with Miss Piggy show while still tending his bar? I can see that happening.

 

[muppetlover123]

I can't wait for the character reunion! That sounds amazing! All the other stuff sounds good too

 

[Oscarfan]

I do look forward to some of the characters being less "mean" (though, that was softening a few episodes in). Not so sure about the way they're describing the new antagonist. They're making it sound very cartoony (I mean, the movie villains were, I guess).

Nice to see the inclusion of other characters, but let's get one thing clear: the show will not be better if Lew Zealand or Camilla are in it. The quality will not depend on how many obscure characters they throw into the show.

 

[Drtooth]

I have to admit, while I do like the direction they were going to go eventually that we've seen in 3 of the 4 last episodes, I'm skeptical about what they're saying here.

About the "mean spirited" thing. That went away a few episodes in. The first episode had that completely awkward scene with Scooter and Banks kicking each other out of the golf cart. That and a few of the more adult jokes going away has made the series better.

And while I do agree Piggy did have her characterization go a bit too far early on, at least she was given the excuse of going through the biggest lows of her life. I do not see why this is completely foreign to the character, especially since Frank Oz's interpretation of a character that had a miserable home life and ran away to stardom, adopting a massive ego as an act. I don't see why this little addition to character development is seen as a bad thing, especially since I feel it could lead to a very satisfying payoff. Especially since Walk the Swine gave us that nice moment of her passive aggressive, one upping apology. Not to mention how the past few episodes softened her up and made her more vulnerable. And I'd take selfish, egotistical Piggy over a lobotomized "Kissy Kissy" Piggy anyday. Heck, Piggy was meaner in Muppet Babies overall than here.

But the complaint I don't get is frustrated, shell shocked Kermit. I heard the same complaints about him in The Muppets, when he was defeated and depressed without Piggy and the rest. I see parallels between that here. What I don't like is happy-go-lucky, Mickey Mouse but a frog, only positive emotions Kermit. We had a problem with that in the 00's, and I don't think Steve's to blame. I like Kermit going off and screaming about how he wants his KERMIT THE FRO-O-O-O-O-O-O-OG T-SHIRT!!!! His outbursts of both not wanting to have never been born and wanting to be born. His KNOCK IT OFF WITH THE KNOCKING IT OFF!!!! And I also want to see his calmer, quieter moments as contrast. The did that beautifully with Pigs in a Blackout. If they can keep that up and not give us constantly smiling Kermit from MFS (you're friend is having an existential crisis, he's being cut up in a science lab, and you're freaking house painting?!?!), I'm sure the audience can be happy.

Now, elements of the original show and more wackiness I'll admit are what this show needed. Not at the expense of the format, mind you, but one that gels perfectly with it. That can be done, as the past few episodes have proved. The giant stick of butter in Pigs in a Blackout alone. I still want to see Kermit and Piggy struggle at realizing they need each other and they made a mistake (the breakthrough in the last episode felt all the more satisfying as a result), and I still want to see Fozzie and Becky brought up from time to time. Just no Gonzo on a blind date or Scooter dating a meh celebrity again. But if it turns into the Happy Sesame Street Muppet Babies Smiletime Hour, (or even season 1 Muppets Tonight), I'll be disappointed. The Muppets needed a format change and for better or worse, that's what we got. They can change the show into something more Muppety without sacrificing what they built up to, and hopefully that's what's going to happen.

 

[mr3urious]

I'm cautiously optimistic about these new changes. A new human antagonist sounds promising and could go either way (as long as they don't Poochie him into the show like they didn't do with Denise), but I am liking more of the focus on the Up Late sketches and the promise of story arcs, as well as the return of old favorites like Camilla and Foo-Foo. Doesn't seem like they'll be ditching any of the characterization they've been developing up to this point, either, which gives me some peace of mind.

 

[D'Snowth]

Kermit seems prone to moodiness from time to time, even back in the days when Jim was still with us . . . however, somehow a moody, sadsack Kermit isn't quite the same; recently watching HEY, CINDERELLA!, one of the problems I had with the special was that Kermit was depicted as something of an Eeyore, mainly because he lived in a kingdom that seemed to persecute frogs for no reason whatsoever. Still, Kermit is at his best when his patience is tested and he eventually ends up flying off the handle at all of the craziness happening around him.

 

[Drtooth]

Kermit in this series isn't so much depressed (at least, as he was in The Muppets) so much as a neurotic bag of nerves who nervously laughed his way through a lot of the crap going on. And frankly, I liked that. Reminds me of the Family Guy cutscene about "Bears in Space." "THERE'S BEEN A CHANGE!!!!" I like the concept of Kermit having PTSD after having to be the leader of the group for so long. But I think that's one of my little problems with the show. Really seems like they should pull a The Muppets and make reference to their previous projects, with the perspective that they were movies and TV shows. Seems like those things really should get a nod like the "was I in Muppet Treasure Island" line from the pitch.

 

[Oscarfan]

I'm not sure what kind of continuity this show exists in anyway. They say they've been doing the late night talk show for years, which doesn't fit with the recent movies. And there's been only one use of the word "Muppet" outside of the intro, so it's hard to say whether these are "The Muppets" vs. a group of odd characters who just happen to wok in the same place.

 

[Muppy]

Really seems like they should pull a The Muppets and make reference to their previous projects, with the perspective that they were movies and TV shows. Seems like those things really should get a nod like the "was I in Muppet Treasure Island" line from the pitch.

I personally would hate that, but to each his own.