UK: New puppet chat show by BBC and Henson

[Oscarfan]

Hey, that was very good! If the Henson Company could get more things like that off the ground, they wouldn't be the laughing stock of the TP forums. It was just the right amount of adult humor without being too offensive.

The games were very creative; I've played a lot of You Don't Know Jack and this reminded me of it. The backstage elements were pretty good too, I loved Brian's Armadillo. And hey, Louise Gold! My only problem was the scoring crab; didn't find him very funny. The host was kinda bland compared to the rest of the cast, but I suppose that's the point.

 

[MuppetDanny]

'That Puppet Game Show' attracts 2.4m on BBC One

That Puppet Game Show debuted with 2.37m viewers on Saturday (August 10), overnight data suggests.

BBC One's latest Saturday night entertainment offering attracted 15.3% of the available audience from 6.45pm.

It was followed by I Love My Country, which continued with 2.77m (16.2%), down 190k on last week's opener.

The National Lottery: Break the Safe scored 3.86m (21.1%) at 8.15pm, while Casualty was watched by 4.32m (22.8%) at 9.15pm and Mrs Brown's Boys pulled in 4.09m (23.6%) at 10pm.

Meanwhile, ITV showed Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire to 4.21m (23.8%) at 7pm. The latest episode of The Americans was seen by 860k (5%) at 10pm.

On BBC Two, Proms Extra 2013 aired from 7pm, with 570k (3.6%) tuning in. Dad's Army had 1.08m (6.3%) at 7.45pm and David Starkey's Music and Monarchy continued with 770k (4.3%) at 8.15pm.

The fifth instalment of drama Top of the Lake attracted 880k viewers (4.6%) from 9.15pm, after which QI: XL had 700k (4.4%) at 10.15pm.

Grand Designs appealed to 810k (5%) at 7pm on Channel 4. Movie double bill Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and Braveheart then took 790k (4.4%) and 430k (6.5%) respectively from 8pm.

Elsewhere, 834k (5.2%) caught the cricket between 7pm and 8pm on Channel 5. It was followed by two episodes of NCIS on 595k (3.3%) and 690k (3.6%), while the latest episode of Big Brother interested 1m (6.2%) at 10pm and Big Brother's Bit on the Psych grabbed 452k (4.5%) an hour later.

Foyle's War was the highest rated show on the multichannels, picking up 825k (4.9%) on ITV3 at 6.45pm.

BARB ratings data supplied by Attentional

source: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a505758/that-puppet-game-show-attracts-24m-on-bbc-one.html

 

[Skekayuk]

So, now I am wondering, do we have any definitive info on who performs which character? - I mean it's been fairly widely put down in print about Brian Henson performing the science expert. while it was absolutely clear to me watching it last night that Jemima Taptackle just HAS to be Louise Gold. I think Amber could possibly be Louise, but it's a fairly typical type of cute female character that quite a number of puppeteers are capable of.
As fans we often debate among ourselves and we don't always get it right if we're just guessing, so I wonder, has anyone managed to find some definitive info on which characters are whose?

 

[Muppetlab]

The host is performed by Dave Chapman

 

[Oscarfan]

So, now I am wondering, do we have any definitive info on who performs which character? - I mean it's been fairly widely put down in print about Brian Henson performing the science expert. while it was absolutely clear to me watching it last night that Jemima Taptackle just HAS to be Louise Gold. I think Amber could possibly be Louise, but it's a fairly typical type of cute female character that quite a number of puppeteers are capable of.
As fans we often debate among ourselves and we don't always get it right if we're just guessing, so I wonder, has anyone managed to find some definitive info on which characters are whose?

Aside from the producer character, the rest of the female characters were done by Louise Gold.

 

[Skekayuk]

Yes I was pretty sure Amber was probably Louise Gold. - my only hesitation was that it is a kind of character that quite a few women puppeteers, including Louise, are capable of. Though watching an 'interview' clip on MSN today also made me feel sure it must be her. And I realised she HAD to be voicing at least one of those Hot Dogs. Oh and the Crab's daughter who we only heard (rather than saw) was also obvious (because it sounded exactly like Spitting Image's portrayl of Tatum O'Neil).

As curious to know who did the producer?
And would I be right in guessing Nigel Plaskitt as the tortoise I wonder?

 

[Skekayuk]

So.. Those that saw the first episode- whats your honest opinion?

Honestly, well I think now I can understand that perhaps one of the reasons for the Disney deal might have been to force a letting go of the classic muppet characters, to force the company to HAVE to develop new characters for new programmes, with people no longer expecting to see the classic Muppet characters.
I'm impressed with what I've seen. Yes its a new and so one can't tell if it will work or not. But it's good fun entertainment, whether or not i t becomes a big hit, well it's early days yet, but it's certainly one of the best pieces of JHC work I've seen in a while. I think creating new characters from scratch, with only subtle nods to its predecessor shows, is good.

 

[Mister Muppet]

Anyone that missed it yesterday its on today at 23.05 pm on BBC One

 

[MrBloogarFoobly]

It wasn't terrible. Some of the jokes were funny. The problem is that it's such a carbon copy of The Muppet Show. It doesn't take any risks, it just takes the personalities of the classic characters and waters them down.

 

[Reevz1977]

I'm glad some people enjoyed this, personally it wasn't for me. I found it slightly embarrassing to watch and felt the celebs at times looked uncomfortable. It almost tried too hard to be the Muppets and I worry that stuff like this could tarnish the Muppets - the number of people who have told me about this assuming its Muppet related and I'd be excited about it only reaffirms this concern. The characters do bare a resemblance to the Muppets style and I could see how it could be confusing to the casual fan. That said, I will give it another shot, if only because of the Henson connection but I highly doubt I'll ever be a fan.