The new Muppet movie and TV series

[Cindy]

Originally posted by dwmckim
...and i would definately be a member (if not the president) of the More Dr Phil Fan Club!

D.W., I now nominate you as President of the Dr. Phil Van Neuter fan club. I, Cindy, will be your first official member. Dr. Phil is hilarious!! Go Brian!

Now it is time for the Dr. Phil official chant!
Eggy Noggy, Eggy Noggy...

 

[Chilly Down]

Wow, thanks for all the great responses!

And so many too. Someone (Foz, perhaps?) said they'd like to see some of the more obscure characters back, like Leon from JHH. While I like some of those obscure characters too, I doubt we'll see many of them back in a major role. We didn't even see Leon in any of the movies or MT. Heck, he was gone even before the Disney World special! I think they'll stick to the popular characters as well as creating some new ones, and I'm OK with that...as long as they throw in the occasional background cameo.

Someone else (sorry! so many posts) said they disliked Clifford as the host of MT, and quoted Jerry Juhl from OM&M saying how Kermit needs to be the head of everything. I'm totally in agreement that Clifford didn't quite work as host and that Kermit needs to be featured in a much bigger way. However, in defense of the MT writers, it should be noted that in Jerry Juhl's interview with D.W. on this website, Jerry applauded them for their decision. He said it felt natural for Kermit to be moving into more of a supervisory position. That doesn't mean I want more Clifford and less Kermit. That just means the writers can't have been too far off base if even Juhl supported them.

I loved Dr. Goshposh's idea about having a strong Brian character with Bill as the sidekick, and with new characters as opposed to their pairings on MT. However, I would definitely like the Classic Muppets to be a big part of the new production. I think those characters still have a lot of life left in them yet.

Whew! That's all from me for now, I think.
Anyone else have thoughts, opinions, etc.?

 

[marinaNmuppets]

Hi i am new! I watched The Muppet Movie yesterday (again) and it just made me wanna see the old muppets in the new show much more than before! My personal favorite chacter is scooter and there is no doubt in my mind that that guy should be in the new show. The people who make this show shouldn't even have to think twice about letting kermit host the show he is the main reason the first show was so great. And if nobody understands how great the old characters are to this show then they should definetly read "The Mupppet Show:Of Muppets and Men" i think that is the name! I am only 15 years old but i still got to see the muppet show reruns and it was the greatest show ever made and i know alot of people would be mad if this show was remade now but i would love to see all the old characters doing the same kinda of show as before! And there defintelty has to be a great show theme as was before on the mupppet show!

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Hiya Marina!!

Welcome to MC, and welcome to the family!!

FOZ

 

[Chilly Down]

Hi, Marina! Welcome to the forum!

Scooter is certainly a great character, and I'd like to see more of him as well. However, that may be difficult, as his original performer, Richard Hunt, passed away several years ago, and they haven't yet found a suitable replacement. Adam Hunt performed Scooter's one line from Muppets from Space, and Matt Vogel voiced Scooter in the Muppet RaceMania video game for PlayStation, but we have yet to see any sign that either of these replacements are intended as permanent. So we'll just have to wait and see, I guess.

To everyone:

Well, the latest word buzzing through the grapevine is that the new Muppet series may be a variety show after all -- in fact, it may be the New Muppet Show so heavily discussed from a couple of years back. (See Luke's thread "Fox Muppet Show info.")

What does everyone think of this? My reaction is slightly mixed. On the one hand, the Muppet Show Live was one of the best things the Henson company has ever done. And no attempts to "modernize" the series have been successful, so maybe a back-to-basics approach is best. On the other hand, I was actually just starting to get used to the boarding-house idea. And I'm wondering whether or not the audience will take note or if they'll lump new episodes of the classic Muppet Show in the same category as Jim Henson Hour or Muppets Tonight.

It seems like some modernization is almost a must. They can't simply sing old vaudeville tunes anymore. But we've seen what happened when it was modernized too much. The Muppet Central control center in The Jim Henson Hour seemed just to frighten or confuse viewers. (Jim was just way ahead of the curve as usual. These days, all-CGI backgrounds are the order of the day.) Muppets Tonight seemed like a better approach...but without Kermit at the center or Frank's characters on a regular basis, the audience lost touch.

So...could a new Muppet Show set in a TV studio with Kermit at the center and a new performer(s) playing Piggy and Fozzie, etc. ... could that take off? (From the clips I've seen of The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show, this might be a good example of what it would look like.) Or maybe even set in the classic Muppet Theater with just a few TV monitors around to help make the transitions. (The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson was a prime example of this.)

What does everyone else think? I'm very intriuged watching this show take shape, myself...

 

[Fozzie Bear]

New Muppet Show--

HIYA PAL!!

Well, here's my take on this right here:

Bring back the Henson, Hunt, Oz characters, and I betcha they can do WHATEVER they want to do. These are the "Muppets" that we all know, love and miss; and if Goelz and Nelson's characters aren't there, then it's a miss-out, too. I am back to what I said before, I see no need for new characters, just give us back the ones we love. I'm not against Dr. Phil, Sal, Pepe, Johnny, or any of those...I'm all for them. Just that we need the old characters back.

You mentioned the boarding house. All of those who lived in the boarding house should certainly participate on the show.

Folks don't like the idea, but heck yeah Lips and Clifford, put them in the band, BUT give Janice, Dr. Teeth, and Floyd (of course Zoot and Animal) enough to say and do as well!

We've toyed around with this before, but I can see the dark tv screen suddenly opening up as a creeking door, and our faves (Kermit, Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, Animal, Rizzo, Pepe, Floyd) all standing in the doorway with the brightness of the outside shining in behind them, Kermit flips a switch, and they're back backstage at the old theater.

Kermit: Huh? Look at this. It's as clean as the day we left it.
Fozzie: Wonder how this could have happened?
(a shuffling in the corner)
Kermit: Wha? Look out!
Beauregard: Oh! Hi, Mr. Frog! Where've you been? Nobody's shown up for work for the past 20 years!
Kermit: Beauregard! What are you doing in here?
Beau: Somebody locked me in.
Kermit: Wait a minute! Gonzo, didn't I ask you to check everywhere before we left here?
Gonzo: Yeah, you did; but I guess I forgot to check the bathrooms. (eyes widen) OH NO!!
(Gonzo goes running to the ladies' bathroom and throws the door open.)
Gonzo: Camilla!!
Camilla: (attacking Gonzo) Bawk bawk bawk!!!

Then, that explains why we haven't seen those two in a while LOL! Not sure of the continuity there with past productions, but just some example for the heckuvit!

Then, they bring in the TV cameras and the band sets up and off we go.

Yep, I hope they do something good, but to heck with new characters, we saw how the good ole characters perform so well with the new characters we have already, no need to make new ones.

Oh, and wasn't Bunsen a riot "twiddling" the ear of Dr. Phil?? LOL!

Twiddlingly yours,
FOZ

 

[pezbalubah]

I agree they need more of the old characters and less of the newer ones. There's really no need for new new characters, the newer ones (Pepe, Sal, Johnny, Bobo, Van Neuter, etc.) aren't that well known to the public in the first place so adding a bunch of new ones will lose people even more. When the general public think of the Muppets they think of Kermit, Piggy, Gonzo, Fozzie, Rowlf, Animal, and Scooter... Those are the characters that need to be the main focus, but the rest should still be in there. Bring back the Mayhem, Sweetums, Rowlf, Scooter, and Beauregard! And if Frank Oz isn't gonna do the show, then they need replacements for ALL of his characters!

 

[dan]

Hey I agree with you almost 100%. But what would the reasoning be behind adding Clifford to the band? They don't really need more members. I mean whats he going to play? The triangle?
I did like the small amount of rooms on the Muppet Show as oposed to Muppets Tonight. On Muppets Tonight there were several times when I didn't know where we were or what floor we were on.
And if I were in charge, the first thing I would do is bring back all the old Muppets. Maybe the first episode they could all be at Clifford's funeral. (ha-ha) Hey if theres anyone who can put the "fun" in "funeral, its the Muppets!

 

[frogboy4]

Here's my take:

Characters I'd like to see:

All of the classics and some new ones, of course. I was offended when too many of the classic Muppets were shoved in the background of Muppets Tonight and I think others were too. Rowlf, Scooter and Janice need to come back with new voices. They are more than just fan faves, they are popular with non-fans too. They could bring in Tug for Clash to perform. He's already built and he did perform him once in a bit supposedly. I just think Tug has lots of character. As for Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear, well if Oz doesn't want (or have the time) to perform them, recast them. It just isn't right with these characters passing through - they are major players.

Plotlines I'd like to see:

I want to see the Muppets get out into the real world. We have seen them stuck into soundstages way too much these days. They need a little sunshine and they seem funnier out in public. It looks like Greg the Bunny has beaten them to that punch, but the Muppets have and will do it better.

Where it should be:

They have tried to make the Muppets too trendy in the past to disasterous results. They need to be updated some, but they also need to be depicted as the classic pop icon veterans that they are. I think people would respond with more attention and respect. Be true. That works best. I would like to see them in their daily lives off hours from performing in the old Muppet theater. Maybe even in regular jobs too. I don't want to see them putting on a show, I want to see all the stuff around that. The backstage bits were some of the best parts of TMS. My main point is that I want to see them outside of the theater for the most part.

Just my ideas.

 

[Bean Bunny]

Bring me back

Please bring back me, Bean Bunny.

I am so cute!