Final week, we had been handled to the information that The Muppet Present might be making a grand return in 2026, simply in time for the unique Muppet Present’s fiftieth anniversary. Naturally, there are a variety of feelings floating round right here at ToughPigs HQ, and most of them are starvation.
For years and years (and years), followers have been telling Disney, “simply carry again The Muppet Present,” as if it was the obvious factor on the planet. In all probability as a result of… it’s? We right here at ToughPigs have been on each side of the argument, making factors about why it’s inconceivable to recapture the magic of the outdated present, whereas additionally recognizing that the Muppets’ most pure habitat is within the Muppet Theater. It’s a conundrum, however because the years have passed by, I’ve moved nearer and nearer to the “positive, simply carry again The Muppet Present” camp.
We don’t really know a lot concerning the particular but, so we are able to’t touch upon the upcoming present itself. However we CAN make a bunch of educated guesses! For instance, we are able to guess that the format of the present might be nearly an identical to the outdated sequence. Nonetheless, does that imply we’ll be seeing all the identical recurring segments? A good backstage plot? New characters? OLD characters? Will they’ve the heart to provide us bizarre and experimental puppetry moments, or will they stick with the primary forged? And what number of occasions will “Rainbow Connection” be carried out?
One factor that appears like a query mark is the announcement that that is only a one-off particular. Naturally, there’s good and unhealthy about that. The unhealthy, after all, is that we would like a full season pickup. What a tease, to simply get one episode of the present we’ve been actually begging for! And if it’s pretty much as good as it’s in my desires, that runtime will go by far too quick, leaving us aching for a full season’s value of Muppet Present love. I imply, higher one thing than nothing, however I feel we get to be slightly grasping on this situation.
On the intense facet, one episode means it might be a secret pilot episode to showcase the characters and format and to persuade Disney+ to order extra. (Different information retailers are calling this a “backdoor pilot,” which ToughPigs’ personal Ryan Roe has identified is a very completely different factor.) And as everyone knows, the Muppets have a historical past of making a number of pilots to promote their basic exhibits. The unique Muppet Present had two: The Muppets Valentine Present and Intercourse and Violence. Heck, even Sesame Avenue had 5 (FIVE!) take a look at pilots earlier than they went to air. So, let’s simply name this “custom.”
I’m additionally very a lot in favor of the Muppets doing extra one-off specials, even when they really feel like separate episodes of a TV present. What if Disney+ promised quarterly Muppet Present specials? Certain, it’d be good to have 24 episodes per 12 months, however I’d be okay with giving the creatives time to provide one thing singular and stand-alone for us frequently. And if it opens doorways for extra specials like Muppets Haunted Mansion, then all the higher.
Trying again at Muppets Mayhem, there’ll all the time be part of us that sees the present as a failure, just because it was canceled earlier than it may get a second season. However the present was actually good, and we hardly speak about it anymore. I really consider that if it was positioned as a “miniseries” and never an ongoing sequence, we’d contemplate it a rewatchable basic. As a substitute, it feels incomplete. I predict the identical for The (new) Muppet Present: A sequence of specials can’t be canceled like a TV present. They every exist on their very own, and I feel they’ll be extra fondly remembered shifting ahead.
In contrast to Muppets Mayhem or Muppets Haunted Mansion (or Muppets Now or The Muppets or… properly, you get the image), we’re lastly placing the Muppets again of their iconic theater. I kind of like the concept that the in-universe Muppet Present by no means really ended. They’ve been doing stage exhibits of various high quality with unappreciative visitor stars, simply ready for us to take discover once more. The idea holds up, with our uncommon sneak peeks again on the theater in It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas, the 2011 Muppet film, and that Weezer music video. It’s previous time they turned the cameras again on for us all.
Okay, so we’re all good and excited concerning the new Muppet Present, proper? We’re all prepared to provide Disney our consideration and our Disney+ subscription {dollars} and free promotion? Not so quick. Loads (and I do imply so much) of followers have been talking out concerning the poor selections from the highest brass at ABC and Disney for pulling Jimmy Kimmel off the air for his political beliefs. Even diehard Muppet followers are canceling their Disney+ subscriptions as a type of protest, selecting to skip the brand new present to keep away from supporting organizations which can be violating free speech and kowtowing to our corrupt political leaders.
What’s taking place out on the planet is actual scary, and all of us want to search out our personal methods of combating fascism. For lots of us, which means selecting peaceable protest over our beloved Muppet content material. For others, it means holding onto the hope of a brand new Muppet Present as a silver lining in an in any other case merciless world. I’m right here to let you know that there’s no mistaken approach to go. Do what’s best for you, and what’s greatest to your personal psychological well being.
The previous few weeks have been fairly the (rockin’) curler coaster. We get each nice and devastating information on the identical time. We’ve hopes and fears for the way forward for the Muppets. We’re getting what we would like, however afraid it received’t be proper – or we’re not getting what we want, however hopeful we’ll make it by means of the storm.
No matter occurs, we’ll be sticking it by means of as greatest we are able to. We’ll report on the brand new Muppet Present as new information comes by means of. We’ll arise in opposition to atrocities as a lot as a Muppet fan web site can. And when issues really feel like they’re getting an excessive amount of, we’ll submit one thing foolish about Lew Zealand and hopefully make your day a smidge higher.
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by Joe Hennes – [email protected]
