Video: "The Muppets" Official ABC Trailer

[CensoredAlso]

If there's one thing that gets on my nerves it's those who complain about how TV isn't as sterile and "wholesome" as it used to be when that level of moral censorship thankfully died out in the mid-60's.

The thing is, in the past Television was able to be edgy, but also retain a bit of class. I do think in recent years, the class part is often forgotten by writers and execs who don't know any better.

 

[jvcarroll]

I find it odd that wild assumptions based on no evidence are somehow valid concerns. But this is a fansite after all. That's par for the course.

 

[Drtooth]

I could go on a debate about the quality of TV writing and the right kind of edginess in TV sitcoms, or I can say I can finally watch a Family oriented sitcom on ABC and not die from complications of diabetes. Or brain hemorrhaging.

(Seriously, I can't stress enough how Glob awful their 2002 sitcoms were)

Shows like The Goldbergs, Fresh off the Boat, and Black*ish give me hope for ABC. I'd rather see The Muppets lead off their Tuesday Night line up than Ellen DeGeneres's "I like a dumb game and I'm a producer" series. Sure, that game was cute when it was a 5 minute thing on her talk show (usually before she brought out those annoying Brit Brats), but as a full half hour TV series it just falls flat. It's not even summer replacement quality.

 

[Muppet Master]

ABC should have a marathon of some Muppet Show episodes leading up to the premiere of The Muppets.

Yes, thank you, I really hope they do that, it would be so cool.

 

[Drtooth]

Airing the movie The Muppets would seem more likely.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Airing the movie The Muppets would seem more likely.

Which is why I'm never entirely happy about reboots. They have a tendency to take over.

 

[Drtooth]

Thinking that any classic television series can get a mainstream run on a major big three network, no matter what that show is, is idealistic. If the old Muppet show were to run, let's say on MeTV or something that would be a lot more likely. Unless it's a TV special, networks tend to avoid anything made further than a couple of years. Not because they're evil corporations bent on destroying everyone's collective childhoods, but because they aren't obligated to.

If there was an ABC Muppet retrospective before the show (and there should be), that's one thing. But putting on 30-40 year old television shows? Did CBS even do that with Star Trek when their new movies came out? No. And that has a much bigger fanbase than the Muppets ever did. But did that stop other cable and digital channels from running it? Of course not. I don't see why just the 2011 movie getting a network run isn't enough or less feasible.

 

[Muppet Master]

Honestly, I really can not even imagine them airing the movie, just plopping it in its nice slot.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Not because they're evil corporations bent on destroying everyone's collective childhoods, but because they aren't obligated to.

Can't it be both?

I don't see why just the 2011 movie getting a network run isn't enough or less feasible.

It's fine, I'll just go put my Muppet Show DVDs in instead. This is kinda why Television is dying.

 

[Drtooth]

Can't it be both?

Joke or no joke, the fact that single viewers feel they're so incredibly entitled to have themselves completely catered to is just...baffling is not a word strong enough. I hate a lot of the crap on television too. It's not that we've never had garbage before, it's just stubborn nostalgia freaks that somehow feel that everything is awful because their show that ended the lifetime of a human ago should be on 24/7. And here's the thing. You answered your own question here:

It's fine, I'll just go put my Muppet Show DVDs in instead. This is kinda why Television is dying.

If things like that are on DVD, what the heck is the point in putting them on television? Sure, not everyone's going to buy every DVD of their favorite show. But if you can get something uncut and commercial free why even bother tuning into cable/digital channels to watch them? Especially when (and I hate this about reruns) they only show like 2/3s or less of a series, so it's not even complete. That's why old TV reruns are sponsored by life insurance, and tax scam commercials instead of Coke and Tide. Unless there's some head up the butt licensing reason why some series isn't available, most everything is available somewhere.

Plus... lemme put it this way. Did any major network outside of syndication air I Love Lucy instead of Sandford and Son in the 1970's? No. This whole idea of a conspiracy that the new stuff is going to replace the old stuff is just about the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Unless they're wiping tapes like the BBC used to do, everything old is just fine. It's out there and my only complaint is when companies refuse to make something available.

But you know. Typical internet. We can't have new things with new characters because they're not as good as the old characters, but don't you dare bring those old characters back because they won't be as good. No one's saying you can't watch the old stuff. But that doesn't mean that the entertainment industry should stop dead cold forever because they "nailed it" with some show made in the 60's. You know how hard it is to get to work on something, even something that sucks, only to hear, "WAAAAA! Some show that's been long cancelled isn't on and it's all the new shows' fault"? I don't wish that on anyone.