It’s time for the Muppets to light the lights again - Discussion

[BigPigletFan]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...589952,00.html

According to this article a new, prime-time slot Muppets Show is in the pre-production stages. Celebrities will again join the show.Multimedia is the stragety to market these characters.The original The Muppet Show had 120 episodes that were broadcast between 1976 and 1981 in 100 countries. How do you feel about this? Is Disney making too much of the Muppets or are they simply re-introducing them to a new generation? Could this be tastefully done or does it just scream disaster?

[Dustysage]

This is fantastic news. I hope this show is slated for a US audience. Perhaps the Disney Company really is going to breath new life into the Muppets!

-Dusty

[BigPigletFan]

This is fantastic news. I hope this show is slated for a US audience. Perhaps the Disney Company really is going to breath new life into the Muppets!

-Dusty

That's what I'm hoping for too. Personally I always loved watching Muppet Babies. The complete first seaons is rumored to be on DVD in the US fall of this year according to ultimatedisney.com. So hopefully this will all link itself together?

[IndyJn511]

MMmmmmm......... Muppet Show! I cant wait to see it! That is, if it gets finalized. Note to self: Time to revert to muppet-geekey-ness.

[dramaqueen]

OOOO! This is something I desperately miss from my childhood! I own several of the Time-Life DVD's and it is always a great thing to pop in. I think this would be wonderful for TV audiences. The "Nick and Jessica" variety shows on ABC have proven to be very popular, so I definitely think something like this will do well, as long as it is done in the spirit of the original.

[migitmouse88]

ahhh i can see it now... the pies, the hecklers, the penguins... yay!

[Speedway]

I read in The Sun (British tabloid) the other day that the new show would be on British screens before the end of the year. YAY

[Disney Analyst]

I miss the muppet show

[BigDaddyKyle]

I am VERY excited about this news. I also saw where they have released a 20th ann. DVD of Fraggle Rock...MAN I love that show!

[mistyisjafo]

Really? Truly??? I loved the Muppet Show as a kid. I can't wait to have them back!!

[Evil Minion]

I can confirm that the first season of The Muppet Show will be coming to DVD this fall (as well as the first season of Fraggle Rock). From what I've heard the big debate over the first season set is the original introduction.


The first season had a completely different opening sequence and song.

I hope this will be on the first season set, even if only as a bonus feature (like the original animated opening sequence of I Love Lucy on those DVD season sets)


The Muppets Wonderful Wizard Of Oz soundtrack will be released on Tuesday May 17th and a DVD will be released on Tuesday August 9th.

[Fishbulb]

Way too cool news!

I had a discussion the other day with a friend of mine on the re-introduction of The Muppets to today's CGI generation. The Muppets were created in a time when computer generated characters were not remotely possible. Puppetry was used as a way to give life to creatures that didn't look like some guy in a costume or that didn't mix 2D animation with live action. You could see the wires used to operate Kermit's arms but your brain suspended disbelief and you ignored them, buying into the illusion of a living character. Todays kids, though, are used to the now polished look of fully dimensional beings interacting with live actors and anything else imaginable. Will today's generation buy into Kermit and friends rougher less polished puppetry look, or will they find it boring "cuz you can see the strings,it aint real!!!"?

Can Disney make The Muppets a new and exciting property? I want them to I REALLY DO!!! The Muppets ROCK!!! But will todays X-Box generation have the patience for it, much less the imagination? We will see.

[Alchimedes]

Bring back the Muppets!!! That would be gigantic!!

[speederscout]

I sure hope this is successful... and I'd HATE to see the muppets become CGI creatures in the same way that the company is currently trying to ruin Mickey and friends. But with what they've recently done to their own animation department this could be scary news.

It breaks my heart to hear kids today so quickly put off older programming simply because they've become desensitized to anything that doesn't move at the pace of a mindless MTV video, or have an explosion every thirty seconds.

The current and future generations need to learn the simple beauty and craftsmanship required for real "art".

Bring back the felt!

[Morrigoon]

I hope this will be the old muppet show format, not that ill-concieved arsenio-wannabe thing they tried.

[Evil Minion]

This was posted on March 21st at TV Shows On DVD.
It gives some additional information about The Muppet Show: Season 1 DVD sets:

...After talking with several insiders about the DVD sets, some information has been collected and gathered. Please remember that until there is an official announcement from Disney, anything listed can potentially change...(but) The Muppet Show - The Complete First Season should be in stores by the end of the year.

The video is reported to be transferred from their original British (PAL) tapes,...will be unedited and will contain the UK skits. This goes to show how Disney is trying to create a collection of the episodes like never seen before.

Although at this point, the inclusion of the original season 1 opening sequence is still undetermined. Apparently there are strong arguments for including the original openings, and also powerful reasons for not including them. The answer of which it will be has flip-flopped back and forth throughout the set's production and the final outcome is not available at this time.

...Many fans wondered if these season sets would include any of the show's pilots or specials. The answer to this is yes. Disney does plan on including several of the historic Muppet Show pilots and specials.

...Many Henson employees, performers, and fans have been interviewed on film for bonus material. These include: Craig Shemin, Jerry Juhl, Jerry Nelson, Dave Goelz, Carroll Spinney, and Michael Frith - just to name a few. It is not definite how these interviews will be used, but it probably means there will be a great collection of information on these sets.

One feature that has been confirmed is trivia and other factual information. This will expose all kinds of things about the show, the characters, the skits and songs, and much more (even the die-hard Muppet Show fans will learn something). The information, facts, and trivia for the sets was provided and created with the help of Michael Dixon (webmaster of Kermitage.com), Craig Shemin, Dave Goelz and Jerry Juhl. The information was gathered and provided by people who really know the Muppet Show inside and out, and really shows the dedication of Disney to produce quality sets.

Disney has stated that they want to make the best possible sets and it seems like they are...An official announcement of the season 1 DVD features, release date, retail price, and more should be released by The Muppet Holding Company and Disney Home Entertainment later this year...

[MegarooFifi]

This is some news that REALLY excites me. I LOVE the Muppets... I remember watching the Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock AND MuppetBabies... I miss them all. I will be at the store the day the DVD set comes out... Yay!

[migitmouse88]

wow ... i hope this happens, i was too young to remember the original muppet show and barely remember the companys second attempt at a muppet show called "muppets tonight"
what i do remember is muppet vision 3-D, the muppet movies, and that the show had something to do with penguins...can anyone send me a message telling me more about the original muppets because i feel like i have known about them my whole life but have hardly seen any of theyre original origins, i have mostly seen the modern stuff like muppet treasure island(mr.bimmbo :lol: ) and muppets from space.

[Demigod]

ahhh i can see it now... the pies, the hecklers, the penguins... yay!

Don't forget the chickens!

[cellarhound]

I remember the Jim Henson Company trying desperately to update the muppet show by presenting "Muppet Television"...

It failed miserably I think partly due to the lack of Kermit and the rest of the gang...

I remember it, because it was the first time I ever saw Woopie Goldberg's Surfer Chick routine... (Yes it was that long ago... in the Stand Up age of Woopie...)

Something to think about...