The Muppets - Do you still love them?

[flippyshark]

I certainly do, but lately, I wonder

- Is there life left in the Muppets as an ongoing TV or movie franchise?

- MuppetVision doesn't seem draw much at DCA (it does better at Disney-MGM Studios) Would a Muppet dark ride or other elaborate (non-movie) attraction be viable, or is their theme park heyday over?

- Will the WDCompany ever really do anything with them? Will they grow and evolve, introducing new characters and keeping old ones fresh?


I have no answers, but I'm curious. How do others feel?

[Ghoulish Delight]

I still adore the muppets. We watched every second of the 1st season DVDs we got and I'm dying for the next season. The original show and the movies never fail to make me smile and laugh.

But nothing post-Henson has been right. Oh, there's been stuff that's been pretty good amongst many many mediocre-to-bad attempts, but even those just weren't...right. It's reached the point where being iconic is more "important to the brand" than real creativity.

And while I desperately wish there could be a spectacular Muppet attraction done right, I have zero faith that "right" could ever happen.

Of course what would be really great would be if someone could create something new that had the Muppets sensibilities without the iconic-status weighing it down.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

The a duck catholic? Is a pope's butt water-tight?

No.

But I love the Muppets, and that's never going to change. Watching the first season reminded me all the more how it resonated with me, even when I was wee. I think that, with appropriate *writing* (and I know that's tough, but it's possible) it would be just as delightful today as way-back-when.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I think that, with appropriate *writing* (and I know that's tough, but it's possible) it would be just as delightful today as way-back-when.

I definitely know that it's theoretically possible for those characters to be fantastic again. I'm just fairly certain that a) no one (or collection of someones, as that's more often than not what it takes) with the talent to do that has bee within 100 feet of the franchise in quite some time and b) a certain corporation that owns the rights will put in just enough energy to sell a bunch of plush and pajama sets rather than support the creative work necessary to revive them.

[mousepod]

Personally, I think that the public's love for the Muppets was dissipating way before the Muppet vehicles started to fade. Case in point: Muppets Tonight. It wasn't The Muppet Show, but it sure was fantastic. And did America love it? Ummmm....

Perhaps Fozzie and Gonzo are a bit passé for kids today, but Kermit is forever and Pepe needs his own attraction. I would love to see a Pepe-themed dark ride.

[mousepod]

...and here's a video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iz6o28Yo4TQ) of the ultra-hip Craig Ferguson (see Alex's post in the Britney thread) doing his best Bing Crosby in a Christmas duet with Pepe.

[innerSpaceman]

But nothing post-Henson has been right.
Oddly enough, I think the immediately post-Henson Muppet Christmas Carol is the best thing they've ever done.

The tv shows seem dated, though charming. The first movie is great stuff. The characters are what they were, and will ever remain so. That's the beauty of such "characters"* - - their timelessness ... their earlier, popularity-snaring work never quite diminshed by lesser later efforts.


I know my fondness for them will never die ... but it doesn't mean I'm going to run to see anything "new" that might be done with them. Heck, I'm not even going to see Dr. Bunson Honeydew and Beaker at DCA this weekend.





* Most timeless characters are animated. Since they are puppets, the Muppets have always amazed me for having the same effect as animated characters - - all completely without eye movement!





.

[Ghoulish Delight]

You know, I haven't see an episode since it first aired, but I remember being very unimpressed with Muppets Tonight. As I recall, I found it not horrifically bad but not particularly inspiring.

I don't find the old shows particularly dated. Sure the star-power of many of the hosts has faded, but their sense of humor is timeless, to my eye at least.

[Stan4dSteph]

Yes, I still love the Muppets. I think there's still life in them.

I think some of the non-Muppet Henson stuff has been fantastic. Farscape was very cool. That puppet with the Houston ballet.

Kids still dig Muppets. Bear in the Big Blue House seems pretty popular.

[flippyshark]

I really liked Muppets Tonight, and was depressed that it wasn't well received. Also, I agree, iSm, that Muppet Christmas Carol was fantastic. Also, your footnote is right on. It always amazed me that felt and foam rubber puppets could evoke such empathy, and be as funny or as heart-breaking as any human or animated character. I guess that's why I want to see that particular art form continue in some way, with the classic characters or with new ones.

[Not Afraid]

I never really even liked the Muppets. It's one of those things that I just don't "get".

[Gemini Cricket]

I liked the Henson-ified Muppets. Their humor used to be targeted towards adults, now it seems like they don't know what to do with Kermit and friends.

I love watching the older films and the Muppet Show.

:)

"Listen, I don't take my clothes off for anyone, even if it IS 'artistic'."

[Alex]

I never loved them in the first place. It seems to have been a development stage I skipped and have never understood the appeal either when I was a kid or as an adult.

Probably because I skipped Sesame Street completely as a kid (went straight on to 3-2-1 Contact, Electric Company and CNN Headline News) and therefore didn't have the infant/toddler introduction to them. Doing a crossword puzzle I learned a couple weeks ago that Bert and Ernie live together; I knew of both characters but not this apparently dumbfoundingly obvious detail.

A girlfriend at the time caused me to see A Muppet Christmas Carol in the theater and I think I've seen The Great Muppet Caper at some point. Various episodes of the TV show over the years. A lot of the Muppet Babies cartoon mixed in with other Saturday morning toons.

I did like Fraggle Rock, though.

[RStar]

I definatly feel that Jim Henson was the heart of the Muppets, and particularly Kermit. Jim was the creator, and the voice of Kermit, and much the way Walt Disney was the voice of Mickey that launched the Disney Empire, Jim's Kermit launched the Hensen Empire (no Yoda pun intended).

The problem is not just writers, or actors reading a script. The heart that was Jim Henson could carry on only so far after his death (the same may be said about Walt). Most of the shows afterward could be funny and intertaining, but with a hollow, empty heart. I mean when Kermit sang "it's not easy being Green" you felt for the little guy, and he seemed so real and so alive. That magic just hasn't been there post Jim, in my opinion.

And if I go see the Muppit Mobile tomorrow, it will be out of curiosity for the technology, not for the Muppets.

[katiesue]

I love the muppets. Loved Sesame Street, loved the Muppet Show, loved the movies (except Muppet Treasure Island - I worked for a company at the time making the game from the movie it was a nightmare).

They do hold up and if done right could come back I think. But the odds of done right are pretty slim. If you look back now every "star" of the day was in the show or had movie cameos. I'm not sure you could get that today.

[mousepod]

Did we know this already? (http://www.muppetcentral.com/news/2007/011307.shtml)

(If you don't want to follow the link - new Muppet Show in development)

[katiesue]

Interesting concept. If done right it could definately work.

[flippyshark]

That was news to me, very welcome news.

[RStar]

I was hoping to see the 10 minute Pilot! Shucks!

[Matterhorn Fan]

With the exception of one very, very long and dull song, I really like Muppet Treasure Island. I liked Muppets Tonight.

Muppets has bad attendance in DCA compared to the Studios for two reasons: (1) it's in DCA, and (2) everyone in SoCal's seen it a million times by now. I love MuppetVision, but it's still a movie. Once you've seen it a million times, once a year or so will do.

[Ghoulish Delight]

We thought we liked Muppets Treasure Island...until we saw it again without making out during half the movie.

A comment Morigoon made in the other Muppet thread kinda gets at my point.

Haha... things you don't expect to hear from a muppet:

"I'm going to have to administer some punishment to both of you." - Dr. Bunsen Honeydew
Actually, if you watch the Muppets of old, that's very much in character. They were not clean cut, and were perhaps even a bit too racy for today's definition of "kid-friendly". Perhaps the Mobile Muppet Lab (which I thought was great) is a good sign, but recent Muppet incarnations have strayed more and more into that realm of overly-kid-oriented and I worry that's it's gone so far that Disney isn't willing to risk the "How dare you have something aimed at children allude to sex or violence!"

Perhaps I'm wrong. I hope I'm wrong. But I'm not holding my breath.

[mousepod]

Especially considering the first Muppet Show pilot back in 1975 was called "Sex and Violence (http://www.lib.umd.edu/digital/henson/video.jsp?pid=umd:1149)".

[Ghoulish Delight]

Especially considering the first Muppet Show pilot back in 1975 was called "Sex and Violence (http://www.lib.umd.edu/digital/henson/video.jsp?pid=umd:1149)".I chose my phrasing for a reason...

[mousepod]

When one is maxed out on mojo, a visible mojo is in order.

One mojo for GD.

[BarTopDancer]

I loved Sesame Street, 321 Contact and Muppet Babies but I never liked the live Muppets except for Kermit and Ms. Piggy.

[NickO'Time]

I was totally enamored(sp) by the Muppets as a kid.
Even my mother who was a surgery nurse, who admittedly would act out the surgery room scenes as Miss Piggy while Rowlf the Dog while performing surgery. :eek:
No shame in sharing this.
I also was glued to Muppets Tonight every time it was on TV.

I think the Muppet Mobile lab was a great "wienie" so to speak to capture a new audience. :cool:

[Ghoulish Delight]

Even my mother who was a surgery nurse, who admittedly would act out the surgery room scenes as Miss Piggy while Rowlf the Dog while performing surgery. :eek:OMG, you mean Veterinarians Hospital? That's...freaking...awesome. That's my favorite Muppets bit by far and the image of someone actually using those lines in surgery just makes my night.

[flippyshark]

"The continuing stooooory of a quack who's gone to the dogs." :)

[NickO'Time]

OMG, you mean Veterinarians Hospital? That's...freaking...awesome. That's my favorite Muppets bit by far and the image of someone actually using those lines in surgery just makes my night.
Yes, Veternarian's Hospital exactly. My mother would brag about this,better times for sure.:(

Disney isn't too far off from the personalities of Beaker and Dr. Bunson Honeydew with the Muppet Moblie lab. These two Muppet have always found themselves in a little accidental mischief, which fits a lot of the Disney themed attractions. It always seems like there is someone to save from some form of paradox or dilemma.

"The continuing stooooory of a quack who's gone to the dogs." :)
Gawd I love that line!! :lol:

[RStar]

Actually, if you watch the Muppets of old, that's very much in character. They were not clean cut, and were perhaps even a bit too racy for today's definition of "kid-friendly".Like they werre trying to make the Muppets into Sesame Street. I know what you mean....