Your Thoughts: Studio DC Hosted by Dylan and Cole Sprouse

[Luke]

I've seen a lot of the Youtube comments and also the different Disney kids fan site comments, in fact i was curious so searched out a lot of kid opinion on this - from what i've seen, almost 90% of the kids who've bothered to even have any opinion thought the special didn't make any sense, but was good because of their teen stars. The problem is that most didn't even notice the Muppets or just called them "puppets", majority didn't like them, and Miss Piggy seems to get a much more negative reaction that Kermit. I think they will have to do a lot more than put the Muppets into sketches with the Disney stars to actually get the kids into them (if ever) although if it gets the viewing figures they need to make a Muppet movie i'm not complaining.

I saw most of it, some of the parts were done ok - especially Miley and Ashley Tisdale. The script was completely awkward and wooden, and nothing was done to actually introduce the kids viewing to the characters - how can anyone expect them to "get" the Muppet brand if it is written more in a style to plug the shows and movies instead of actually making it clear who each character is and why they are like they are? Production wise it was done well, though yes, edited to oblivion. I think its nice to have the EM Band back (and you can hear Disney execs rubbing their hands together hoping they take off with the kids enough to release some albums). I don't like the way they have kept the sex thing up with Animal and hes now having dates with a 15 year old ... if hes working with kids he just needed to go crazy, or after their mothers lol. I didn't find it funny - lets be honest the Henson creative team has never worked well with Disney, it needs a fresh approach because if they just keep the same people around we'll carry on seeing the painful things like this and Wizard Of Oz - maybe these people could write/produce for the Muppets ten years back but i think they forgot we've moved on ten years and are set in their ways, or just dont work well with new people. I think its 3 specials that are planned, and its coming across very much like they are trying to shove it down kids throats like medicine, and kids really aren't being stupid enough to fall for it. I don't think it achieved its goal because it wasn't written or put together well enough to give the kids any reason to like the Muppets, and it seems they didnt - maybe if the few interstitials that did work (Miley, Ashley) had just been put out as short little clips running over and over on Disney Channel it would have been more memorable to the kids but as a special i thought the stuff that had obviously been shot as filler to round it into an actual show/plot let it down.

 

[Quazimoto]

As a huge Muppet fan, I was totally stoked to here that they were getting a brand new special. After having watched it I have to say that I am extremely dissapointed.

The Muppet parts themselves were good, and even though most everything Disney makes me gag, I have to hand it to Ashley Tisdale who had great chemistry working along side Kermit. Despite that, to me the show felt... Unfinished. It was far too short to have any real substance in the skits and, for the most part, felt as if everyone was just going through the motions of filming a TV show. There didn't seem to be any passion behind the performances and passionate performances is what made The Muppets stars to begin with (at least IMHO).

My other big promlem was the fact that the whole thing kind of felt like one long commercial. I completely expected some shilling of Disney Channel shows and franchises, but the whole thing felt like it was one giant advertisment for the respective shows/CDs/Movies of the "guest" stars. I know the little kiddies and tweeners like those crappy Disney shows, but come on... They're already going to watch whatever stinking pile Disney rehashes and slaps a new title on and they're already going to beg their parents to buy wahtever the newest Miley Hannah Cyrus Montana album is, so why must Disney insult them and Muppet fans by making a half hour (actually 20 minute) commercial for said products. I don't think I'm alone in saying that I'd much rather have a solid fifteen or twenty minutes of Muppet comedy as they interact with the guests and each other (ala The Muppet Show/Muppet's Tonight).

Lastly, and this is only a little gripe, some of the new character voices will certainly take some getting used to, especially The Electirc Mayhem.

All in all, I was pretty dissapointed with this effort, but it is really good to see Dinsey utilizing The Muppets again and I will stay hopeful that it shall only get better the next time around.

 

[pattywack]

Oh god, from the opinions I read, I think I'll love it. Obviously there'll be a ton of 'but it would be even better if ....'s. It's a shame that it wasn't longer! I hope they come up with more and more muppet stuff! So excited

GOD I hope this comes online soon

 

[frogboy4]

About The Puppets:

It used to be the practice under Jim Henson and the Creature Shop that there usually wouldn't be multiple puppets for any given character. When one puppet would wear out a new one would be built using parts from the older one. This does not appear to be the case anymore - especially with Miss Piggy.

I remember it being said that a poser of Piggy was problematic because the company now in charge of Muppet building, Puppet Heap I think, wouldn't release the head mold due to contractual or trade secret matters. I do believe that but also think they realize that they don't have a handle on just how to build the pig yet. She keeps changing and it's not just converted posers to puppets. There were at least three Piggy heads in that special (if not four or even five). It wasn't just different wig attachments; she was an entirely different headed pig. She didn't look too bad, but she could have looked better like in my recent comp. The other puppets seem to look pretty good this time out except Kermit looked kind of portly in his blue outfit.

I don't think Disney is the type of company that would be comfortable with having only one puppet of each character. This may come from them.

 

[Luke]

I remember it being said that a poser of Piggy was problematic because the company now in charge of Muppet building, Puppet Heap I think, wouldn't release the head mold due to contractual or trade secret matters. I do believe that but also think they realize that they don't have a handle on just how to build the pig yet. She keeps changing and it's not just converted posers to puppets.

I may be wrong, but i think it might be Henson who woudn't release the molds and maybe even designs to them. Puppet Heap is one of the ex-creature shop guys who set up shop and employed other ex-henson builders and wranglers so its kinda like the creature shop staff without the most experienced veterans who used to be there. Started with Muppets TV (France) and they still build them today afaik. They seem to have got a handle on replicating most of the characters but are having problems with some - which is why they are changing so much (and to think Master Replicas may attempt a Piggy, the real guys cant even do it, lol). Sometimes you may see a really good Muppet likeness (maybe even Piggy) doing an interview or at Muppets.com - its probably just Steve or Erics master puppet (all puppeteers prefer using a single master where possible, as you know) still useable from back in the Henson built days. There definitely seems to be a rogue classic piggy about somewhere for sure, and i think they can build Kermit pretty well that we dont notice too much difference with him - thats my guess, maybe not so much swapping with Gonzo/Rizzo/Pepe.

 

[pattywack]

Guh, someone please post this online! I'm DYING here!

 

[Drtooth]

Something tells me that I should be glad I don't have cable, and just watched the Dennis the Menace animated telefilm and American Dad last night....

lets be honest the Henson creative team has never worked well with Disney, it needs a fresh approach because if they just keep the same people around we'll carry on seeing the painful things like this and Wizard Of Oz - maybe these people could write/produce for the Muppets ten years back but i think they forgot we've moved on ten years and are set in their ways, or just dont work well with new people.

If we keep getting Oz, that's it. They try to play to all these different people that are too jaded to care, and all the while saying, "Hey fans! Scooter's in the background in one scene. That's for you!"

I've seen a lot of the Youtube comments and also the different Disney kids fan site comments, in fact i was curious so searched out a lot of kid opinion on this - from what i've seen, almost 90% of the kids who've bothered to even have any opinion thought the special didn't make any sense, but was good because of their teen stars. The problem is that most didn't even notice the Muppets or just called them "puppets", majority didn't like them, and Miss Piggy seems to get a much more negative reaction that Kermit. I think they will have to do a lot more than put the Muppets into sketches with the Disney stars to actually get the kids into them (if ever) although if it gets the viewing figures they need to make a Muppet movie i'm not complaining.

Sigh...just like I thought they would. Face it, these kids don't like magical things like Puppetry or even cartoons made for their age group (Family Guy and South park are all they watch, and only because the characters swear and they don't give a crap about the stuff those shows have to say... and it's a shame, since South Park usually says something brilliant). They just want to see their little Barbie and Ken dolls lipsync to mindless pop written by the same 2 guys in their 50's, or pull of old conventions and cliches that were old when I Dream of Jeannie came out. (come on... she's hiding that she;'s a rock star, and it becomes harder and harder to hide each time? That doesn't ring Samantha from Be-Witched to anyone else?)

 

[Muppetfan44]

Do you know how long it has been since Kermit did a whole interview and did not make one derogatory comment about Piggy? And he was shy and cute about their relationship, which he DID NOT deny at all.

I couldn't agree more Ru! I was completely stoked after that interview. Having Kermit not make fun of Piggy or deny the relationship definitely lifted my spirits. I still like to see Kermit bait Piggy every now and then. I hope we can see more romance between our favorite couple soon!

 

[muppet_fan_1]

Well, as early as it is for me, I thought I'd be getting a jump start on comments, seeing as how I'm posting to the 19th page, I'd say I'm a bit late, but I'll post anyway.
Bad news first: Honestly? I did have the "Was that it?" feeling at the end. I'm not sure what I was expecting. I can see how some would find it confusing mostly because I couldn't figure out weather the muppets were the hosts, or the guests. I'm not a big Disney channel viewer, so while I knew who the actors were, (I have nieces & nephews) I wasn't too familier with them. I must have been expecting more sketch comedy and not quite so many songs. But if that's what it takes...
Good news: I am THRILLED that they are in prime time again, and exposing them to the younger generation by flaunting them with people we KNOW the kids will recognize is probably the best way to introduce them to those who don't know who they are.
Confusing, short, & forced, but witty is some areas, w/ clever actor/muppet combinations, and overall entertaining.
Should I keep an eye out for another episode?

 

[Super Scooter]

Well, I thought it was good. Not great, but good. It's a shame it didn't serve it's purpose, though. It's also a shame that the show was all over the place. It could have worked much better if Kermit (or even the actual host of the show) had been there to tie all the skits together, as with The Muppet Show.

But, overall, there were only three major things I didn't like:

• During the opening credits, the Muppets were said to be "featured". "FEATURED?" The special was made by Muppet Studios and produced by people that have worked with the Muppets for years... but the Muppets were only "featured" players? They were the stars, if anything. The only thing consistant throughout.
• The Swedish Chef spoke a full, understandable line. That upset me. I'm glad that later on he returned to the mock Swedish, but that one line just bugged me for the whole show. The Chef can say an occaisonal word here and there, he always has. But that bugged me is you can almost always understand the point that he's trying to make without him having to actually say it in English.
• No Fozzie Bear? I suppose there were episodes of The Muppet Show without him, but how could he not be there? It is upsetting that so many characters were shown at the beginning, but never actually used.

Other than that, everyone was perfectly in character to me. Kermit during the "Suite Life" sketch (or should I say Sweed Life?) was dead on perfect! Classic Kermit. And the "Bop to the Top" number was the absolute best part of the show! Kermit's dance was fantastic! Brilliantly performed by Steve and the other Muppeteers.

I think Janice was probably performed by Matt Vogel here. I don't remember seeing Tyler Bunch credited. Was he? But, Matt played Janice for the Muppet Race Mania game, so he probably performed her here, too.