Your Thoughts: Muppet Central's 23rd Birthday

Phillip

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Happy birthday! Muppet Central is now 23 years old. The site and our original forum debuted 23 years ago on January 28, 1998. Muppet Central Radio began two years later on January 28, 2000.

Back when the site first started the Jim Henson Company still owned all of their original properties including the Muppets and Sesame Street. Two new feature films were in development simultaneously, "Muppets from Space" and "Elmo in Grouchland". The Children's Television Workshop was gearing up for their upcoming 30th anniversary and the Jim Henson Company was developing an ambitious sci-fi series that would eventually become Farscape. Even though many changes have occurred throughout the EM.TV and Disney years, we’ve been honored to be a small part of it and to provide a place for fan discussion and interaction.

We want to thank all of the staff, past and present who have given so much of their time and giftings to make Muppet Central a great place. Every member here is a vital part of what makes Muppet Central special. Thanks for doing your part in keeping Jim Henson’s vision of the Muppets alive. We believe great days are ahead.

While we’re celebrating 23 years, we are also looking towards the future. Answer the below questions and let us know your predictions for 2021.

(1) What do you think the future holds for the Muppets especially with the upcoming five-season premiere of "The Muppet Show" on Dinsey+, the successful debut of the "Muppets Now" short-form series on Disney+ and the recent premiere of "Disney Muppet Babies" Season 3? On February 17, it will have been 17 years since Disney bought the Muppet characters and Bear in the Big Blue House. They aren't the new property anymore, especially with money makers like Fox, Star Wars and Marvel now in the family. We'll see if "The Muppet Show" revival leads to another series or a new theatrical movie.

(2) What would you like to see Sesame Workshop produce or release in 2021? Also, what new classic episodes would you like to realistically see on HBO Max? Sesame Street will continue to produce new episodes exclusively for HBO Max through Season 55 with debuts on PBS approximately nine months later. We'll see if the new Sesame Street movie in development since 2012 enters production this year. The film is currently scheduled to release in January 2022.

(3) What are your hopes for new productions from the Jim Henson Company in 2021? With the new Fraggle Rock series now in production for Apple TV+ and the Dark Crystal prequel series "Age of Resistance", the company has had a huge breakthrough that we haven't seen since Farscape. Will the new Fraggle Rock reboot meet fan expectations? We'll see. We're also still waiting for the Fraggle Rock movie that's been in development since 2005. If the new Apple TV+ series is successful, the chances for a theatrical Fraggle Rock movie dramatically increases.

(4) What are some of your favorite Muppet Central memories or traditions from the past 23 years?

Happy birthday everyone!

 

CoolGuy1013

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Yeah, no one talks about the Muppets on here anymore. Just the same old rants about politics and stuff. If I were in charge of MC, I’d do something about the General Discussion forum. It’s pretty much the only active forum on here, and it can get very toxic very fast. I’d probably shut down the most controversial threads and limit what kinds of new threads can be posted on there.

In the meantime, I’ll continue avoiding them and trying my hardest to bring back the “Muppet” in Muppet Central. Even if no new projects are going on, that doesn’t mean we can’t express our love (or hate) for their older projects (and maybe learn some things about each other along the way). From this day onward, I’m gonna try to only participate in discussions that won’t easily get heated and try to discuss Muppet projects more frequently. I’m gonna be the change I want to see in the forum.
 

Grumpo

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Happy 23rd Birthday, MC!!

I, for once, am sure glad this place is here. I've been frequenting and unfrequenting MC from early 2000s, moving from occasional visitor to regular lurk, then to posting member when i felt i have something to say, and now back to being a regular lurk, i guess.

Folks around here have different opinions about this place not looking like their fave xbox/nintendo site, not being as fluid as discord, as open to random posters as twitter and/or as quick with member bans as 'tropes. While all of these sure do have their advantages and disadvantages, personally i much prefer MC just as it is -- a place to come to kick back, relax, and learn a bit or two of Muppet news and history.

Of course, what makes this place so much fun is mainly the quality of the members. Having respect for different people with different views and opinions, making a conscious effort to check the facts before going flailing, and actually knowing a lot about the topic IS something of a rarity to find anywhere these days!

As for (4)memories and traditions, surely this. To my chagrin, I totally missed it all at the time, but going thru the pics always was the next best thing.

ALL IN ALL, Thank You So Very Much for having this place open -- and for being here and making this place so much fun for the past 23 years, everybody!

All the Best and Many Happy Returns of the Day!

🎈🎂🎈
 

datman24

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I remember when I first discovered this site back in the ancient year known as 2003. What I enjoyed about the site was being able to see all the Muppet Show episode guides (this was before Muppet Wiki was established). Glad to see that this is one of the few forums still active.
 

Muppet Master

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I've been around this site since 2014 and it's nice that it's still around. It continues to be a great place to talk about muppet-related topics. Happy Birthday!
 
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