I almost fell off the couch laughing when Chip said, "I think I was in a holiday special or something..." And Gonzo insisting, "We were in, like, six movies together and three TV series!" to earn Piggy's reply: "Um...Gary???"
This is EXTREMELY promising from where I sit. There's enough self-referential humour to draw in longtime Muppet fans but also some bonafide laughs and a few surprises (I did NOT see Kermit's subplot coming, and ESPECIALLY not his edgy last line).
I know some people will be ticked that it's not a flat-out variety show but, as others have mentioned, I suspect there will be enough show-within-a-show silliness to infuse just enough of that classic TMS vibe while keeping it fresh. If the writing and overall direction is strong enough, I suspect this may come off as TMS-without-the-laugh-track more often than we might realize.
Lots to get excited about here, gang. Even the time slot. ABC is bullish enough about The Muppets to make it a weeknight lead-off instead of shuffling it off to Friday or Sunday. I really, really, REALLY like where this is all going.