Our closing Little Muppet Monsters assessment was written by WaggToons, who additionally recommended the concept for this text collection! With bonus artwork by WaggToons, Will Carroll, and Jon B.
Welcome to this closing a part of ToughPigs’ look into the extraordinarily quick lived Muppet present, Little Muppet Monsters!
Now a few of you could be questioning, “Wait a tick, this present solely had three episodes, and people have been already reviewed! What else is there?” To that I say, “Who the heck are you and the way did you get in my home!?” After that I might appropriate you and say that there are a number of extra Little Muppet Monster episodes filmed, they have been simply by no means accomplished.
Regardless of producing just a few unaired puppet segments, the cartoons couldn’t get accomplished on time (I don’t know if you recognize this, however animation takes a very very long time). Quite than re-run the completed episodes after simply three weeks, it was determined simply to air a second episode of Muppet Infants as a substitute. Not solely did this not trigger the rankings to drop, however they improved. Thus, each CBS and Jim Henson agreed that there was no motive to maintain the troubled manufacturing going after they might simply double down on Muppet Infants, leaving the remainder of the already filmed episodes to stay unfinished and unreleased.
By some miracle, three of the unfinished LMM episodes ended up on-line, nevertheless it’s solely the puppet stuff. Anytime it cuts to a cartoon section it cuts to a black display screen We don’t get storyboards or animatics or Frank Welker studying script pages – simply the void. For instance, the puppet model of Kermit introduces “Kermit Personal Eye”, however we see no footage of his animated counterpart. This sadly additionally results “Fozzie’s Comedy Nook,” as a result of it being a section that mixes puppetry and animation, so we don’t get to see any of these. My guess is that these unseen skits would’ve concerned Fozzie making an attempt to inform a joke a couple of rooster and the toon rooster being irritated, however what are the chances of that??
Nonetheless, simply having the live-action wraparounds is a implausible discover. I keep in mind first recognizing these on YouTube and I turned overjoyed at seeing this materials I believed would by no means floor. Even when I believed the three completed episodes of LMM have been underwhelming, I’m at all times up for watching some classic Muppet materials. Shocking to me, I really loved these greater than I did the completed episodes. How is that you could be ask? Nicely, I’ll get to that in a bit.
GONZO’S TALENT HUNT
This episode focuses on internet hosting a particular showcase of bizarre acts, with Gonzo being the principle headliner, ensuing on this being essentially the most Gonzo heavy episode of the collection. After seeing the primary bizarre act, a Gargoyle performing ballet, Tug is impressed to herald one thing to impress Gonzo, however he doesn’t have a lot luck impressing the choose board of chickens. His first try is to deliver the ballroom dancing duo of Phil and Wilhemina, sadly solely Wilhemina exhibits up, as apparently Phil determined to separate and be a part of the dancing gargoyle’s act. Wilhemina makes an attempt to do the dance solo, however finally ends up falling flat on her face (actually). Seems it’s laborious to do a one-person dip.
Tug’s second found act doesn’t do significantly better, a seven-foot-tall faucet dancing carrot (to not be confused with the seven-foot-tall speaking carrot from the Gilda Radner episode of The Muppet Present), who appears to be a great dancer, however is so huge that his dance shakes all the basement. Nonetheless Wilhemina appears to get pleasure from his act.
Later Tug will get an concept, mix peanut butter and chocolate have Wilhemina and the dancing Carrot dance collectively! This finally ends up working tremendous effectively, to the purpose the place even Gonzo refers to it as “the weirdest factor he’s ever seen!” (And contemplating that is Gonzo saying this, it’s not one thing to take frivolously.) We finish the episode with a candy ballad as Whilhemina and the Carrot change into a model new dancing workforce (and attainable merchandise? Nicely, we’ve seen weirder pairings on this franchise).
Out of all of the episodes within the present, this feels essentially the most like a traditional episode of The Muppet Present (the ballet dancing Gargoyle positively feels prefer it might have been a gap skit). A group of enjoyable and weird songs and skits with little bits of behind the scenes story tying all of it collectively. You don’t miss the cartoons in any respect (I’ll go extra into element about this later).
FOO-FOO-PHOOEY
This one is essentially the most unfinished out of all of the unfinished episodes. Whereas many of the incomplete footage for the opposite two episodes finally ends up operating at round 11 minutes, this one is simply 8 and a half. Additionally it is missing the Kermit introduction and closings to “Kermit Personal Eye”, and there’s no “Weirder Than Me” section to be seen. We will guess that this episode was supposed to be extra animation heavy.
On this episode, the monster children try to placed on a magic present (Wait, didn’t they already do a magic present episode? I didn’t suppose we’d be repeating concepts that shortly), just for Scooter to come back in asking the children to look at over Miss Piggy’s canine Foo-Foo.
Sadly for the monster child trio, Foo-Foo drops the candy cuddly act as quickly as Scooter exits the basement, inflicting havoc on their magic tips. Tug will get so irritated with the canine that he finally ends up sticking her in a tuba. Had a member of the penguin band not blown her out, she may nonetheless be in there 40 years later. Tug dedicated a smidge of animal abuse, however since this can be a Saturday Morning present everybody principally shrugs it off.
It’s solely when Tug finally ends up tripping on Foo-Foo’s basket getting coated in paint that she begins warming as much as him, as a result of whereas Foo-Foo could be Miss Piggy’s pet, no canine can resist the attract of getting soiled.
Miss Piggy is consistently referenced all through the episode, “Miss Piggy wants somebody to look at over her canine,” “Miss Piggy is gonna kill us!”, “Piggy’s coming very quickly now!”, nevertheless Piggy isn’t any the place to be seen on this episode (I’m guessing Frank Oz was busy directing a plant that day). If this episode ended up making it to air, I can solely think about how irritating it might have been for teenagers to be always teased a Miss Piggy look just for her by no means to indicate up.
GUNKO
As we begin this episode, Tug Monster proudly proclaims that Little Muppet Monsters now has a sponsor (and one which isn’t a quantity or letter of the alphabet, a primary for a Muppet). A product often known as Gunko. The present proceeds to carry out a brand new business for GUNKO, full with an extremely catchy track, “The World is Waking As much as Gunko”, which would be the spotlight of all the collection. Sadly, whereas stated business was entertaining, it leaves our Muppet gang with one query; “What does Gunko do?” A query that Tug has no reply for.
Tug makes an attempt to search out a solution to no success. It doesn’t work as an ice cream topping (if something it’d most likely be toxic if ingested) and it’s actually not furnishings polish (burning a gap straight by means of one of many chairs). He will get so caught up in attempting to determine what Gunko does that he finally ends up utilizing all of it.
This enormously upsets the Penguin Band, who state it was their walrus repellent, and thus order a brand new case from Bob’s All-Evening Grocery store sending the invoice to Tug (harsh, however honest, he did use it with out asking). Sadly even this reply doesn’t seem like proper, because the supply man from Bob’s finally ends up being a walrus himself (“Nicely who do you count on to ship from the south pole?”), who insists Gunko is used for shining devices. He even will get to hitch within the band on trumpet. It looks like this could be the reply, however earlier on Kermit states that Gunko is “Flipper Powder”, insisting he’s used it earlier than, so the thriller stays.
Possibly the actual use of Gunko is the buddies we made alongside the best way, however most likely not.
In Conclusion
And that brings me to a revelation I had after I watched these unfinished episodes for the primary time. Once I first watched them I didn’t discover them nice, however I nonetheless loved watching these greater than the completed episodes that acquired aired. Why was that? Then I figured it out. These episodes are all Muppets, no cartoons. Now I’m certain the animation crew did the very best they may (particularly given the small period of time they needed to full these), however TV animation was nonetheless in a rut again within the 80s, with the standard leaving one thing to be desired till Disney and Warner Bros entered the sport. If you simply have some cheaply produced cartoons, it’s okay. When you’ve gotten cheaply produced cartoons alongside aspect high-quality Muppet materials, it’s gonna look poor compared.
To not point out whereas Muppet Infants was put collectively in a fast period of time, it was just one present, LMM was like 8 totally different exhibits rolled into one. It was a transparent instance of attempting to do an excessive amount of in too little time, which is why this system ended up flopping. If that they had simply targeted on the live-action bits, or heck, perhaps the live-action bits and one or two recurring cartoons it might have turned out higher.
Little Muppet Monsters is usually referred to by the Muppet Fan Neighborhood as certainly one of Jim Henson’s greatest flops. A lot that most individuals exterior of the fan neighborhood don’t even know stated present even existed. Is there any likelihood for the present to be re-released? Positive, having solely three episodes doesn’t sound that interesting, however it’s sure to be simpler to place these on Disney+ than the unique Muppet Infants collection. Possibly they may even deliver Matt Danner and his crew from the 2018 Muppet Infants reboot to finish the cartoons for the unfinished episodes. There’s a variety of potential right here for one thing particular. Think about the merchandise! Disney may very well be promoting gallons of Gunko on the Disney Shops nationwide! The entire dang world may very well be waking as much as GUNKO!
However even with all the chances, I can’t assist however suppose again to Jim Henson. Jim wasn’t the sort of man to dwell on the previous, or previous failures. Jim was extra targeted on the current and what was coming sooner or later. If you’re a artistic individual, you experiment lots with issues, and irrespective of how profitable you’re, not each experiment goes to succeed. LMM flopped, Jim determined to take the L and transfer on to the subsequent factor.
It’s tempting and even kind of enjoyable to think about how we will repair a failed experiment like Little Muppet Monsters, however on this case, we should always take a lesson from Jim. Be taught from our errors, mud ourselves off, and see what new tasks the long run has in retailer for us.
(Tribute artwork by Will Carroll, Jon B, and WaggToon. You’ll want to click on to enlarge!)
(For the sake of brevity I’m going to depend these three episodes as one huge episode for these end-of-article classes.)
Most Useful Muppet: Actually, I’m gonna have to provide it to Gonzo right here. He makes one heck of an MC through the “Expertise Hunt” episode, even when he doesn’t present up that usually. He simply is stuffed with power like he can’t wait to indicate you what’s developing subsequent. Makes me want we acquired to see Gonzo in a internet hosting position extra usually.
Finest Section: Regardless of solely showing in “Gunko”, Gonzo’s “Weirder Than Me” wins by default, as as a result of it consisting of Gonzo commenting on previous public area footage it’s the one section in these unfinished episodes to really see completion. True it’s nothing spectacular, however anytime spent with a Dave Goelz efficiency is time effectively spent. Possibly this may very well be a brand new present, have Dave Goelz remark over Public Area motion pictures in-character as Gonzo, kind of a Muppet tackle Thriller Science Theater 3000. Fast, get me involved with Disney+!
Weakest Section: Tie with all the remainder of them right here! Just about each one cuts straight to a black display screen, or within the case of “Pigs in Area”, holds on Boo awkwardly observing his pocket book after which chopping to a black display screen. The closest we get to a further section is in “Gonzo’s Expertise Hunt” the place we see the start of that episode’s Comedy Nook, Fozzie makes certainly one of his trademark entrances twirling a rubber rooster and letting a balloon unfastened. That bear certain is aware of the right way to make an entrance (“Now if solely he could make his exit! Doh-Hohohohoho!”).
Most Prophetic Cultural Second: In “Gunko” Tug mainly allowed his present to be sponsored by a product he is aware of completely nothing about! In different phrases Little Muppet Monsters predicted modern-day influencer sponsorships.
Dumbest Joke That I Laughed at Anyway: The assorted promoting phrases spouted out throughout “The World is Waking Up To Gunko!”
“Void the place prohibited! No synthetic sweeteners! Licensed drivers solely!”
All of it makes completely no sense. I find it irresistible!
First Look of: The dancing Gargoyle and the seven-foot-tall faucet dancing carrot! Each of whom would by no means be seen once more.
Most Astonishing Cameo: In “Gonzo’s Expertise Hunt”, Wilhemina is definitely the vocalist from the Muppet Present band “Geri and the Atritics”. Some individuals may claimed they only reused the identical puppet for price saving functions, however she can be preformed by Kathryn Mullen so I prefer to suppose these are the identical character. If true, then she’s the one member of “Geri and the Atritics” to really get a reputation exterior of Geri.
One Extra Factor…: Due to Muppet Wiki We even have a little bit of behind the scenes information about “Gonzo’s Expertise Hunt.” In response to a memo from Micheal Frifth, Kermit was going to be extra closely concerned, as Gonzo’s acts must undergo him earlier than going to air, however this was taken out to make the episode extra easy (most likely the right name right here).
Okay, One Extra Factor…: Surprisingly, regardless of the “Gunko” episode not being formally launched, it ended up that includes essentially the most well-known scene from the collection, that being of Kermit shortly typing on his typewriter. The GIF (initially created by Muppet Wiki admin Scott Hanson) has change into generally used on-line and is now arguably the most well-liked Kermit meme, second solely to him ingesting tea.
Click on right here to debate about what Gunko does on the Powerful Pigs Discord!
by WaggToons
