DRESSING ROOM

Don's not happy with his choice of dressing room partners.

OPENING THEME

The balcony: Statler & Waldorf are just taking their seats.

CURTAIN

Kermit announces tonight's guest is the "slightly nervous" Don Knotts and brings on the opening number.

OPENING NUMBER - "SWEET GINGERBREAD MAN"

A quartet of full-body gingerbread men dance as a fifth takes the lead vocals in the foreground.

[Though the concept of the number is simple, the design of both the costume and puppet gingerbread men are quite effective. Both are made to look as "flat" as possible and the dancers in particular are aided by some great choreography that amplifies the illusion.]

BALCONY

CURTAIN

Fozzie announces that he's planning part of tonight's show and introduces the next number.

[Fozzie interjects his brief interruption from Kermit with "...moving RIGHT along..." which will be the title of his duet with Kermit in "The Muppet Movie".]

MUSICAL NUMBER - "WINDMILLS OF YOUR MIND"

A fuzzy creature discloses that despite his outwardly calm demeanor, his internal nature is quite opposite as the viewer is invited into his mind which shows him running frantically around as he sings his song faster and faster!

[The puppet is designed with a cartoonish Road Runner-style rotating series of legs that move around in a wheel! Poor Jerry Nelson must have impressed everyone the year before in the Ruth Buzzi episode as Floyd was forced to sing "Sonny" at a growing tempo that he once again repeats this vocal dexterity here.]

BALCONY

Floyd demands a word with Kermit about the "Lullaby of Birdland" number. Fearing a retread of the Kaye Ballard episode's experience, Kermit quickly interjects that the idea was Fozzie's. Floyd heartily congratulates the bear for allowing the band to finally perform a jazz classic.

[Both Statler & Waldorf's comment and this scene make reference to the Windmills bit as being the opening number - this may have originally have been intended to be the opening number but got switched during taping.]

CURTAIN

In contrast with earlier, Kermit now introduces the guest as "the very relaxed Mr. Don Knotts."

SKETCH - "BEAST OF THE WEEK"

Don plays the host of a children's show and introduces a newly discovered, still-unnamed creature, a cute little ball of brown fur that's more aggressive than it initially lets on. Unfortunately, its mother shares the same ability of getting out of "escape proof" cages.

[In the grand tradition of naming Muppet Monsters after the function of their first appearance, the large brown monster introduced at the end of this sketch is known as "Big Mama".]

BALCONY

BALCONY

Announcing that Fozzie's "so hip, you make us flip", Floyd alerts Fozzie that he's been christened a "bono-fide registered hip dude" and presents him with ultra-dark "official Charlie Parker Lives super cool sunglasses".

VETERINARIAN'S HOSPITAL

The medical trio examine the creature from the "Windmill" number.

UK SKETCH: MUSICAL NUMBER - "BURLINGTON BERTIE"

An old gentleman in a ratty suit performs some crowd-pleasing English Music Hall. [Perhaps since the American puppeteers have become more acclimated to their English setting, many of the UK sketches this year actually carry a more English flavor often drawing on traditional Music Hall influence. Jerry Nelson gets a chance to display his ear for dialects in this number.]

TALK SPOT

Fozzie, still wearing his shades, fills in for Kermit and discusses being hip with Don. Mr. Knotts pulls out his own large sunglasses and the two bond in their visual impairment.

MUSICAL NUMBER - "WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD"

Rowlf sweetly serenades and strokes a live cocker spaniel. [The dog in this number would be the first of many real animals brought onto The Muppet Show set during season two. Perhaps due to the direct experience of the old show business creed, "Avoid working with animals and children", subsequent seasons don't continue the trend.]

BACKSTAGE

Animal personally wants to shake Fozzie's hand. Of course Animal tends to shake more than the hand.

[Floyd's commands for Animal to heel hint at the idea that Floyd tends to serve in some care taking role for Animal, which will be explored further as the year progresses.]

SWEDISH CHEF

The Chef attempts to make "fishie chowder" with a still-alive fish with a kleptomaniac streak.

BALCONY

BACKSTAGE

Kermit worries when Floyd announces the band needs a bass player for the Birdland number since he'll be playing the vibes - but Fozzie has already taken care of the situation.

CURTAIN

In full wigged-out hip (and blinded) mode, Fozzie brings on a "golden goodie from Fozzie's Wiggy Wonderworld"!

CLOSING NUMBER - "LULLABY OF BIRDLAND"

The Electric Mayhem discovers their bass player is none other than Don Knotts - complete with zoot suit, his oversized sunglasses and music stand. (Dr. Teeth: "Sheet music? I haven't seen that stuff in years! Look at that - the cat can follow the dots!") Once the music starts, it becomes obvious Don's qualifications are lacking - he first tries playing the bass with a bow rather than plucking it, and then has difficulty keeping up with the rest of the band.

CURTAIN

Kermit thanks guest Don Knotts and Fozzie Bear for helping plan the show - who is subsequently officially and permanently de-shaded by the band.

CLOSING THEME