TMS Season One - alternate order

[David French]

I've now watched all 24 episodes of TMS season one again and have come up with an alternate running order that I think makes the backstage plots flow better than the official order.

Note this is an *alternate* order and I'm not suggesting that it should be officially adopted or anything. I welcome questions/comments and if you disagree with my order, and can come up with a *sensible* argument, I will consider changing my order.

1. Joel Grey
2. Harvey Korman
3. Rita Moreno
4. Jim Nabors
5. Ruth Buzzi
6. Florence Henderson
7. Paul Williams
8. Lena Horne
9. Bruce Forsyth
10. Juliet Prowse
11. Connie Stevens
12. Sandy Duncan
13. Charles Aznavour
14. Peter Ustinov
15. Candice Bergen
16. Avery Schreiber
17. Ben Vereen
18. Phyllis Diller
19. Twiggy
20. Vincent Price
21. Valerie Harper
22. Ethel Merman
23. Mummenschanz
24. Kaye Ballard

 

[MartyMuppets]

Well I shall watch my DVDs in this order sometime with your thoughts in mind and see what I think.
It sounds like very interesting speculation.

 

[minor muppetz]

Here are my thoughts on a good alternate order:

Rita Moreno
Joel Grey
Jim Nabors
Ben Vereen
Florence Henderson
Harvey Korman
Charles Aznavour
Mummenshaz
Paul Williams
Lena Horne
Connie Stevens
Juliet Prowse
Bruce Forsythe
Twiggy
Ruth Buzzi
Candice Bergen
Avery Schrieber
Vincent Price
Phyllis Diller
Ethel Merman
Peter Ustinov
Sandy Duncan
Valerie Harper
Kaye Ballard

 

[Jon]

That is an intresting order. For the most part it flows very well indeed.

My only suggestion would be to move the Harvey Korman episode to a later slot. The reason is the Character devopment in Fozzie enlisting kermit's help seems a little premature in your placement, though i do understand the order based on the need for more Scooterless episodes before his introduction.

 

[David French]

That is an intresting order. For the most part it flows very well indeed.

My only suggestion would be to move the Harvey Korman episode to a later slot. The reason is the Character devopment in Fozzie enlisting kermit's help seems a little premature in your placement, though i do understand the order based on the need for more Scooterless episodes before his introduction.

Actually, the main reason why it's so early in my order is down to the fact that not only was it recorded before Rita Moreno's episode, but also (and perhaps more importantly) because the next topic due to be discussed in the Panel sketch (according to Kermit) is "Is conversation a dying art?"

It would appear that the production crew "fiddled about" with that first season in terms of the order of sketches and episodes quite a bit. If you didn't have Harvey's episode in that slot, then where would you have it instead?

 

[Jon]

Hmmm. Good point! So it was taped before Rita? That i did not know!

Its always a headache trying to make sense of the first season as it was very much done on the fly. lot's of little aspects can really throw you off and spoil the flow. Just off the top of my head- The Muppet likenesses in Ep 1and 2.

Where would i place episode 10? I was thinkin' after Ruth Buzzi, but that was before you stated your reasons.

 

[Vax Novier]

Joel Grey
Rita Moreno
Florence Henderson
Jim Nabors
Charles Aznavour
Paul Williams
Ruth Buzzi
Juliet Prowse
Connie Stevens

(And the rest is the same as the production/tapping order)

 

[David French]

Looking back at that list 10 years later, I can now reveal that my alternate running order has changed completely and I've now shifted some episodes back because of continuity. This is what the list looks like now:

1. Joel Grey
2. Rita Moreno
3. Jim Nabors
4. Ruth Buzzi
5. Florence Henderson
6. Paul Williams
7. Harvey Korman
8. Lena Horne
9. Bruce Forsyth
10. Charles Aznavour
11. Peter Ustinov
12. Sandy Duncan
13. Candice Bergen
14. Avery Schreiber
15. Ben Vereen
16. Phyllis Diller
17. Juliet Prowse
18. Twiggy
19. Vincent Price
20. Valerie Harper
21. Connie Stevens
22. Ethel Merman
23. Kaye Ballard
24. Mummenschanz