ZOOTOPIA (8.5 out of 10) Directed by Byron Howard and Rich Moore; Written by Jared Bush and Phil Johnston; Starring Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Shakira, Idris Elba, J.K. Simmons, Nate Torrence, Jenny Slate, Tommy Chong, Octavia Spencer, Bonnie Hunt, Don Lake, Alan Tudyk, Tommy “Tiny” Lister, Raymond Persi, Katie Lowes, Jesse Corti, John DiMaggio. Rated PG for “some thematic elements, rude humor and action”; 108 minutes; In wide release March 4, 2016.

From the same folks who brought you Tangled and Wreck-It Ralph we get another gorgeously animated film that children can enjoy while also learning a lesson about being yourself, following your dreams, and dealing with prejudice– even your own.  

Zootopia is the story of Officer Judy Hopps (Goodwin), the first ever bunny on the police force of Zootopia– a massive city made up of 12 distinct biome districts, from Sahara Square to Tundraland. While predator and prey live side by side, the animals often face prejudice about their species and what they’re capable of, so Hopps finds herself relegated to meter maid duties while the rest of the alpha predators investigate a series of disappearances.

While setting records for writing the most tickets, she also makes frenemies with a con-man fox Nick Wilde (Bateman). It then literally turns into a children’s version of 48 Hours as the mismatched pair have to race the clock to solve the mystery that might unravel the peace between predator and prey in Zootopia.

Goodwin and Bateman shine here in the lead roles, but the supporting cast are even more spectacular. Idris Elba plays the water buffalo police chief, JK Simmons and Jenny Slate the lion and lamb mayor and deputy mayor, Maurice Lamarche shows up as a mob boss named Mr. Big, Shakira is a gazelle who is Zootopia’s top pop star, and Alan Tudyk makes a cameo as “Duke Weaselton”– a clever Easter Egg reference to his other work in Frozen (We see what you did there, Disney).

There’s also car chases, action sequences, and lots of fun as the film plays with its premise. But it’s the serious side that really engages you as an adult.

Underneath all the gorgeous animation, this is a story (very much like Wreck-It Ralph) about breaking out of stereotypes. Except here it’s both far more explicit and, yet, understated at the same time. Sexism, racism, and any other form of bigotry based on outward appearances could stand in for the prejudice animals face because of their species. 

While some of these are played for laughs (the sloths in the DMV are a notable high point, as are the rodent mafia), the rather serious message is as timely for 2016 as it is classic: you can be whomever you want to be. Even better, it doesn’t pull its punches and forces our main character Jenny Hopps to face some of her own prejudices about other animals.

If even our hero can have prejudices, maybe so do we?

This hopefully leads to introspection and understanding of the specific privilege each of us may have in our own society.

We also see how unscrupulous forces work to manipulate these prejudices to disrupt the social order and gain power. In a year when our presidential politics are playing out with a female frontrunner likely facing a despicable bigot, this feels incredibly prescient and very “now,” a sharp contrast to most children’s entertainment.

This works because while these themes are basic to children’s stories, but somehow we in the adult world have all forgotten them. In a conversation with my 10-year old afterwards, she literally said to me “That’s kind of like Donald Trump saying Mexicans and Muslims are dangerous.” Yes. Yes it is.

But that’s not the basic thrust of the film. Mostly it’s just a fun story about animals living together and a fox and rabbit learning to overcome their differences. And a buddy cop story between the by-the-book up-and-comer and the con man forced to help out.

The maestro of all of these disparate elements are directors Byron Howard (director of Tangled) and Rich Moore (director of Wreck-It Ralph). We’ve previously talked with Rich Moore about his influences and history, and this is yet another feather in his cap. 

If there’s one complaint, it’s that this isn’t quite as good as Wreck-It Ralph or Tangled. But that’s ok. Just because Help! isn’t quite as good as Revolver doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy “Ticket to Ride”. And even though Kung Fu Panda 3 isn’t a bad movie, this is just miles ahead in terms of animation and story. This is the movie to go dump your kids in so you can go see Deadpool again. Or, go see it with then.

This is a movie children and parents will enjoy. It’s funny, it’s exciting, and underneath it all are some very serious issues if you want to wade into them.

Bravo again to Disney, who deliver another instant classic.

8.5 out of 10

It started as a rumor last year, and then we got some sneaked peeks at some sculpts, but now they’ve been finally revealed. The next series of LEGO Minifigures will be Disney characters. The only other times LEGO has done licensed characters were for “The LEGO Movie” and “The Simpsons” (with two series), although I hold out hope that there will someday be a DC Comics Minifigures series, or Star Wars, or I’d even take Marvel Superheroes. It’d be a great way to get some of those obscure characters who will never anchor a set, but who would make an unforgettable character. 

Anyway. Here’s the Disney lineup:

So here’s the list:

• Mickey Mouse
• Minnie Mouse
• Donald Duck
• Daisy Duck
• Alice
• Cheshire Cat
• Aladdin
• Genie
• Mr. Incredible
• Syndrome
• Stitch
• Ariel
• Ursula
• Peter Pan
• Captain Hook
• Maleficent
• Buzz Lightyear
• Pizza Planet Alien

We already knew about ten of those characters from rumors. And from the beginning, I figured I wouldn’t be getting every character, because A) I’m not a completist when it comes to collecting anything, and B) I’m not a huge Disney fan. 

So here’s who I’m getting for sure:

Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy: more based on childhood affection than anything. I mean…it’s Mickey Mouse. Come on. Even then, I think they look kind of weird in minifigure form–which I also thought about the Simpsons characters. So yeah. I’ll be buying them anyway. 

Mr. Incredible and Syndrome: in the hopes that we’ll eventually get the rest of the family more than on the basis of these two characters alone. Again, they look kind of wonky. They’ll grow on me.

Ariel and Ursula: It’s a good movie (although “Beauty and the Beast” beats it in every way imaginable), but the real selling point here is that Ursula is hot. So yeah. Must-buy.

Peter Pan and Captain Hook: Favorite movie when I was a pup, and that Peter Pan looks fantastic. They’re also a great addition to LEGO Pirate and other sets — sold. 

Maleficent: favorite Disney villain of all time, and even that dumb movie with Angelina Jolie didn’t make me not like her. So yeah. Hella-sold. Whither Sleeping Beauty though? Come on! 

The characters I won’t be picking up:

Aladdin and Genie: Never liked the movie, and Robin Williams (RIP) bugs the heck out of me.

Alice and Cheshire Cat: I can see myself picking them up just because they look better than most of the other characters, but I’ve never cared about the movie, book, or characters. So meh.

Stitch: I’ve never seen the movie, I don’t care. Where’s Lilo?

Buzz Lightyear and Pizza Planet Alien: I have the entire Toy Story lineup from around the time “Toy Story 3” came out, so these guys would be redundant. Everyone else should pick them uup though. Because they’re awesome. 

So. These are going to sell like LEGO Disney Minifigures. Who would I want to see next?

• Goofy
• Uncle Scrooge
• Huey, Dewey, and Louie
• Pluto
• Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey
• Elasti-Girl
• Dash
• Violet
• Jack-Jack
• Sleeping Beauty
• Prince Phillip
• Belle
• Beast
• Kermit the Frog
• Miss Piggy

…pretty predictable list, but with the first series laid out the way it is, I’d want to see them complete things like the Incredibles, and move on into some new territory. And yes, since Disney owns the Muppets now, I want some damn Muppets in the mix. Beyond that, I’d love to see movies that would fit in well with existing LEGO themes. Just as Peter Pan complements LEGO Pirates, Robin Hood would work well with LEGO Castle. Actually, so would most of the Disney fairy tales. 

I’m excited about this line, even if the lineup and execution isn’t quite what I want it to be quite yet. Who would you want to see? Will you be collecting them all? 

During “The Wonderful World of Disney: Disneyland 60” on abc last night Disney fans got their first look at the remake of “Pete’s Dragon.” Right away fans of the original film will notice major differences but if you’re anything like me even seeing Elliot for a few seconds at the end has me excited for this movie. Check it out below.

“Pete’s Dragon” hits theaters summer 2016.

Last week, there was great news for ABC’s new series “The Muppets.” They started with a thirteen-episode order. Pretty standard these days. Four episodes in, ratings were good enough that the network ordered another three episodes, bringing the season up to a total of sixteen. An odd number (a full season is typically twenty-two episodes these days), but positive news nonetheless.

Yesterday, Deadline broke news that show co-creator, executive producer, and showrunner Bob Kushell was given the boot. According to Deadline, there were conflicts between Kushell and co-creator/executive producer Bill Prady. Because Prady has his hands full with his “other” series “The Big Bang Theory,” Kushell was more hands-on in the day-to-day filming of “The Muppets.” The conflicts between Kushell and Prady were “starting to show on screen,” so it was decided that Kushell would go. These things happen in television all the time, but with a high-profile new series, it’s troubling. 

The other piece of this puzzle is “The Muppets” ratings. Here’s what Deadline has to say about them, which may make more sense than if I were to paraphrase it:

…after a highly-rated premiere, ratings dropped. “The Muppets” has done an OK job opening Tuesday night for ABC at 8 PM, with its numbers on par with lead-out “Fresh Off The Boat,” but because of its marquee title, The Muppets has been held to a different standard, so its performance has been considered somewhat disappointing.

So…bad news. But then there’s this:

Season-to-date, “The Muppets” still ranks as Tuesday’s highest-rated new TV show among Adults 18-49 (2.6). On average, the freshman show is improving its half-hour for ABC by 69% in Total Viewers (7.6 million) and by 86% in Adults 18-49 (2.6), standing as the net’s strongest performing Tuesday comedy in 4 years.

ABC’s strongest performing Tuesday comedy in 4 years

Other numbers provide a similar mixed message; that because the Muppets (characters, not the television series) are owned by Disney, it’s an in-house production, which makes it less expensive, meaning the network can give them more leeway with ratings. However, the production demands of the Muppets, including building every set and prop from scratch so that (for example) Kermit has an appropriately-sized phone instead of one as big as his torso, make the series more expensive to produce than a standard sitcom. 

So. There it is. For so many of my friends and acquaintances, I’m the biggest Muppet fan they know. This is only because they don’t know my Muppet Friends. But I am a big Muppet fan. My license plate is “KERMIT.” For reals. Because I’m such a fan, it’s hard to be objective about the series. Frankly, I love about 80% of it and what they’re doing. I like the setting of the backstage of Miss Piggy’s talk show. It lets her be the diva, but in an updated context. I really don’t want to see the Muppets do vaudeville like they did 40 years ago. I like that they’re playing themselves instead of Charles Dickens or Benjamina Gunn or the Wicked Witch of the West. Those adaptations are fun, but these are my friends. I like seeing these pieces of their lives.

I love about 80% of it

I think the pilot episode, which is the one that many people tuned in to, seeing if they’d like the new show, went a little too far with the shock factor. Muppets swearing, Muppets referring to sex — both of which they’ve done before, but it’s been a while, and overlooked by most Americans who just like the sentimental Muppets that warm our hearts. Because they do. And that’s good. After that first episode, they’ve toned that down, while keeping the show funny and sharp and weird. Episode 4, “Pig Out,” had them at a karaoke bar wayyyy too late, and coming to work the next day with hangovers. Including Bunsen and Beaker wearing each other’s clothes “if it didn’t happen at work, we don’t need to say anything, Beakie.”

This show is pushing the boundaries of comedy for the Muppets, but also for puppetry. There are scenes that are amazing to watch simply because of the puppetry. Some of it is accomplished with greenscreen, but much of it isn’t. Things like Miss Piggy’s sultry moves on the piano singing to Josh Groban, and the beginnings of her “apology dance” with Reese Witherspoon — they’re things Jim Henson would have been proud of. The puppetry, but also the comedy. The blurring of the lines between puppet and person, reality and television. 

I like that they’re using multiple “guest stars” per episode. We don’t need a fully 22 minutes of story all revolving around one Very Special Guest Star. For the most part they’ve worked them in organically, like Nick Offerman showing up to be a writer for the show, and running into Ed Helms at the karaoke bar. Some of them are actual guests on “Up Late With Miss Piggy,” but several others are just around because hey, it’s Hollywood. 

I’ve said this before, but this is the first time they’ve had a fully-casted family of Muppet characters in a long time. Janice, the hippie guitarist for Electric Mayhem? She’s talking again. And she was the love interest of Sam Eagle, in some awkward awkward scenes. That I love. Zoot the saxophonist has had some of the best, most quotable lines for the first time ever. The Swedish Chef, well — he threw down to “Rapper’s Delight”

The Muppets are more than just Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, and Gonzo. They always have been. For these characters to find life again pleases me more than I can express. And they’re not the same as they used to be. And that’s great. For me, honestly, Scooter has become the breakout star of this series. Scooter. Scoooooter. I never would have thought that in a million years. Whether he’s wrestling Elizabeth Banks for control of a golf cart or pie-ing Christina Applegate in the face or flashdancing on his glasses and smashing them and having to go without them the next day and giving us the most horrifying image ever:

…he’s surprising me in every episode. And that surprise comes with a bark of laughter. And my wife is also laughing. And my kids are laughing. And sometimes at four different things, but man. This is a Muppet series that puts comedy above sentiment, puts the puppets above the humans. It’s funny. I like it. 

Alllll that said, there are definitely things that need tweaking. Fozzie Bear has carried most of three different episodes, and it’s clear they haven’t quite figured out what to do with him yet. I want to like him almost as much as he wants to be liked…but I don’t. Not yet. The producers (not sure if this was Prady or Kushell) said something to the effect of “dancing chickens and singing food have no place in this series.” Which is blatantly ridiculous. They’re the damn Muppets. You have a talking frog, a singing pig hosting a talk show, you have a whatever the hell Gonzo is–and his girlfriend should be Camilla. Camilla the Chicken. She’s a thing. He doesn’t need the online dating schtick. Bring her back, and have her bring her adorable little glasses from “The Muppets” (2011)(holy crap they need better titles) with her. Those weird little touches of chickens and penguins and anthropomorphized food are all part of the Muppets. 

So. The Deadline article refers to a reboot. That after episode ten there will be an extended winter hiatus (common for shows), and when it comes back it will be different. Hopefully that’s just tweaks. It could use some tweaks. But a full-on reboot? Of a show that is, itself, a reboot? Don’t. Give it time to grow. The new showrunner is Kristin Newman, who’s written for “How I Met Your Mother,” and co-executive produced “Galavant.” She knows funny, she knows musicals. She could be a good fit for the Muppets. The Deadline article, and other outlets that have picked this story up, frame it all as bad news. I see the bad. But there’s a lot of good too. The Muppets are still the Muppets. If ABC gives them a chance, they’ll find their way. 

They will, right? They’ll find their way? 

Just hold me.

“Bonkers” Created by Robert Taylor, Duane Capizzi, Bruce Talkington, Greg Weisman, and Robert Hathcock; Starring Jim Cummings, Earl Boen, Frank Welker, Jeff Bennett, Karla DeVito, April Winchell, Sherry Lynn, Ron Perlman, and Corey Burton; Run time 30 minutes; Originally aired September 4, 1993.

“Bonkers” was originally envisioned as a sort of homage to “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” and wanted to further explore the ideas of a world inhabited by both humans and toons. Production saw early trouble in that the human characters were also animated and they struggled to convey the difference in existence. Troubles with finding the right voice and tone for the series as well as a lackluster response on original episodes caused changes in the creative team which delayed the release of the series.

A new team was brought in and the show you know and love was born. The titular character was a washed up toon actor turned police officer and the episodes would focus mainly on Bonkers’ struggles to conform to normal human life and be useful in his job.

Though the cartoon most of you are familiar with began in 1993, the conception of “Bonkers” was long foretold and the eventual birth of the show was convoluted, resulting in a confusing timeline. The character, and the universe he inhabits, first saw the light of day as an animated short film titled “Petal to the Metal.” The short was theatrically released preceding “3 Ninjas” but by this time a 65 episode series had already been in production.

During the same time “Raw Toonage” was in development, Michael Eisner has purchased the rights to “Marsupilami” which, at the time, was known only via its Belgian comic strip and the two characters, along with the segment “Totally Tasteless Video” came together to become “Raw Toonage.”

It gets worse; the series itself contains two distinct sets of episodes, ones where Bonkers is partners with Detective Lucky Piquel, and ones where he is partners with Officer Miranda Wright. These two sections are distinct not only in the change of a central character but also in tone. The Lucky episodes feature a relationship wherein Piquel hates toons and Bonkers is constantly trying, and failing, to win his praise. Miranda is more kind hearted and because Bonkers doesn’t have to impress her the show becomes more slapsticky. In addition to the change in tone the design of Bonkers was changed slightly.

Because the team working on the shorts had a smaller task and shorter production schedule they were able to turn out the “Bonkers” shorts before the series could air despite the series’ long head start. This enabled the short film to be released with “3 Ninjas” the year prior to the premier of the series.

This is where the trouble peaked. The premise of the shorts was the “Bonkers” was a delivery person consistently fawning (heh heh) for the woman of his dreams Fawn Deer. This didn’t mesh well with the premise of the series and is made all the more confusing because the Miranda episodes were produced around the same time as the “Raw Toonage” shorts and they share the same design for Bonkers. The Piquel episodes have the newer design but were shoved at the beginning of the series. Meaning that for someone watching in real time they would see Bonkers in his original state, then updated, then changed back, with the tone and theme of the universe the characters inhabit changing each time.

Despite all the trouble with production the character went on to be successful, beloved, and well remembered. The shorts were explained away as having been films Bonkers made during his acting days and the changes in the series were mostly shrugged off. It is a cartoon after all, it doesn’t have to make complete sense as long as it looks good and is entertaining. While it’s fun to dig in and nitpick now, the average “Bonkers” viewer circa 1993 probably had less discerning views on the subject matter.

While cartoons are still going strong a decade and a half into the twenty-first century, they’ve changed. They no longer inhabit the toon world as Disney and Warner Bros. envisioned it where the laws of physics are different but well defined and anything can happy as long as it’s wacky. “Bonkers” represents one of the last bastions of the old ways before cartoons moved into their current state. Perhaps it’s appropriate that the transition happened with a show that included human characters, an omen to foretell what was coming. Or maybe not. It was fun anyway. 

“The Muppets” Episode 1.3, “Bear Left Then Bear Write” Starring Steve Whitmire, Eric Jacobson, Bill Barretta, Dave Goelz, Matt Vogel; Guest Starring Christina Applegate, Liam Hemsworth, Nick Offerman. Written by Nell Scovell & Steve Rudnick; Directed by Randall Einhorn. (8 out of 10)

Whatever apprehensions I had lingering about “The Muppets” disappeared entirely this week. I laughed and laughed at the latest episode. There was a lot less Miss Piggy and more Pepe and Gonzo, as well as a belly-laugh-inducing scene with the Swedish Chef. Whom I love.

For her latest show, Miss Piggy invites Christina Applegate on as a guest, but the interview goes awry when the guest shares an embarrassing video of Miss Piggy falling face first into a cake. Miss Piggy, not one to take being embarrassed lying down, vows revenge.

The Swedish Chef runs into Christina and asks her for an autograph, and to make it out to “Meegan”. At first she thinks it’s a woman he’s asking for, but then she realizes that “Meegan” is the Chef. Again misunderstanding, she says “You go girl, live your truth.” Chef snaps his fingers and says “Okey dokey.” It’s a scene I can’t do justice to with words, but it was hysterical. And “how to say me in Swedish” is something I did just Google.  

The cameras follow Fozzie after he decides to leave Piggy’s show to write a movie, but Fozzie’s scenes are the least interesting, in spite of his trek inspiring the episode’s title. “He wasn’t funny, but he kept it clean,” Sam the Eagle says after his departure, and that mostly sums up the bear comedian’s segments. He doesn’t even talk about a fork in the road or moving right along, so I was eager to move right along to the next part.

And oh, boy.  Pepe. Dear sweet Pepe. He is the true star of the show. When Chip the IT guy discovers emails and a dating profile on Gonzo’s computer, it’s revealed that he used Liam Hemsworth’s photo instead of his own. He’s supposed to meet Debbie that very afternoon and asks what he should do. Pepe: “Drink poison. That is the only move that will satisfy a Debbie.”

They sit down to talk to Liam “Mr. Handsome Mans” under the guise of asking him to be on Miss Piggy’s show, and they convince him to meet Debbie and then direct her attention to Gonzo. When she walks in, Pepe again has something to say, “You wouldn’t think a Debbie would wear slacks to the first date.” But the date doesn’t go as intended.

The end segment reminded me of that time in “Muppets Take Manhattan” when Miss Piggy wears disguises and follows Kermit around, convinced he is involved with waitress Jenny. Evoking memories of beloved early Muppet movies is not a bad thing. Miss Piggy continues to seek revenge on Christina Applegate, but her plan, too, backfires. Hopefully next week our beloved Muppets will have more luck in love and revenge. 

Although originality is very highly valued, people typically find it easier and thus more attractive, to simply copy what others are doing. The easiest thing in the world to sell people is what they already know and like, right up until the moment they grow tired of it. Convincing them to buy into something they have no idea they need or want, let alone like, or the answer to a problem they haven’t considered, let alone confronted, is the work of visionaries, missionaries and martyrs. The completely new concept, perspective, way of doing things — they’re absolutely vital to advance mankind, commerce and art. But most, looking at things the way they are, will simply ask, Why?

The quote ‘Good artists copy, great artists steal’ is attributed to Pablo Picasso. There isn’t evidence that Picasso said those words, other than Steve Jobs saying Picasso said those words. Anyways, many view Picasso as a champion of originality, right? He helped create the first collage. He was one of the leaders of the Cubist movement. He invented constructed sculpture. But the truth? He snatched success formulas from other painters.

For instance: He used a scene from Las Meninas – a 17th century painting by Diego Velázquez, and he created 44 new paintings based on that scene. He copied the central figure: five-year old Margaret Theresa – the favorite daughter of King Philip IV. He imitated the arrangement: the maids of honor, the dwarfs, and the reflection of the king and queen are all snatched from Velázquez’ painting. He even re-painted the large dog.

Picasso didn’t plagiarize, because he didn’t outright copy. He added his personal touch and his own style to create new paintings – his interpretations of the same scene. What matters is how much of your own talent you can bring to improve on the original. Picasso had talent, yes a talent for copying, but also a talent for copying in a way that brought new insights into what he did. 

With ‘Tomorrowland’ about to be release on DVD, director Brad Bird, has been making the rounds in the press…talking about the risk of original ideas and the loss of original franchises. I thought that ‘Tomorrowland’ was one of the most unique theatrical releases of the year. It had a message on the mindset of doom and gloom in the future, which seems to be a common trend nowadays. I also thought that the movie was a good interpretation of the importance of the actual place, in that it’s not ‘Tomorrowland’ that’s special, but the idea behind it. To always aim for a better tomorrow. It was a fun movie. It reminds me of the time when we had great original ideas like ‘Roger Rabbit’ or ‘Back to the Future’ and we could be surprised by Hollywood. 



Bird was also quoted, “I don’t think the live-action brands really have the same [quality] assurance attached to them.” – No kidding. There’s a “whatevs, we already got your money”- attitude towards a lot of what gets made today. The built-in audience gives them what they want automatically. I admire Disney investing in ‘Tomorrowland’ with it being more original than recent releases. However, the film was hurt by a muted marketing campaign that promised glorious revelations and towering spectacle just behind the curtain, as well as kid-friendly thrills that would remind audiences of the all-ages fantasy adventures that were once a thing in a pre PG-13 tent pole era. Next time, Bird should just re-paint the large robot. ‘Tomorrowland’ ends up as a high profile, big scale miss of 2015 and that is a shame. 

-Dagobot



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“The Muppets” Episode 1.2, “Hostile Makeover” Starring Steve Whitmire, Eric Jacobson, Bill Barretta, Dave Goelz, Matt Vogel; Guest Starring Josh Groban, Laurence Fishburne, Jay Leno, Lea Thompson, Reza Aslan. Written by Bill Prady, Paul Kushell; Directed by Randall Einhorn. (8 out of 10)

Last week’s premiere of “The Muppets” was good. But there were a few missteps in the tone. A few times where it felt like they were being edgy for the sake of being edgy, instead of telling the best joke. I mean, there were some not-kid-friendly jokes that worked, and were funny. But a few that misfired too. “Hostile Makeover,” this week’s episode, is funnier than last week’s, and more coherent as an episode of an ongoing series, instead of a series pilot. 

The episode starts with Miss Piggy on a rampage, because she’s needing a date for the People’s Choice Awards. Kermit happens to know how her needs work, so he hooks her up with Josh Groban. They may have met on the set of “Muppets Most Wanted,” where Groban was a gulag prisoner kept in a box. Josh and Miss Piggy fall for each other fast. On a piano. On the set of her talk show. That scene was a meisterwerk of puppeteering, by the way. In the first two episodes we’ve seen some examples of puppetry that I’ve never seen with the Muppets before–not just greenscreening, not CGI, but actual puppeteering. That’s awesome. Uh. Anyway. Groban and the Pig. He wants to class up her talk show, booking guests like biographer Reza Aslan instead of the more lowbrow (and popular) guests she usually gets. 

Another storyline follows Fozzie Bear as he visits his hero Jay Leno’s house (I know, right? Ugh.) and finds a…unique way to show his appreciation at being at Leno’s party. Basically he steals stuff. A candy dish. And while the kleptomania seems a bit out of character for Fozzie, his excitement at being loved enough to be invited is very much in character. This felt more authentic than Fozzie’s storyline last week, which had some angry flareups at his girlfriend’s father. It felt weird. This was still weird, but funnier. Beware of bears wearing hats. 

Also bears selling Girl Scout Cookies, because Bobo the Bear and the Muppet Newsman end up in a fierce competition to sell the most cookies for their daughters (no, I didn’t know they had daughters either, and that’s part of what makes this great). They try one-upping each other until they find an elegant solution that’s funny for the kids on one level, and the adults on another. Munchies, man. Munchies. 

It looks like one of the features of this quick cut, edited-together format is going to be a lot of plots, a lot of one-liners all put together. This affords us tiny glimpses and gags that we might not get in a different format. I love seeing Kermit huddled together with Uncle Deadly and Scooter under his desk — a pair of characters who were forgotten (Deadly) or voiceless (Scooter) for decades. Seeing the Muppet Newsman, and a full Electric Mayhem band, and Rizzo and Yolanda the rats — it’s good. The Muppets need a critical mass of characters to reach full chaos, and they’re getting it here. They could use more chickens, some singing food, a boomerang fish — but this is good. You need those minor characters to fill in the spaces between Kermit and Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear and Gonzo. Some of them may even develop their own storylines. Rizzo the Rat used to be a background character. Hell, Miss Piggy used to be a background character. It will be interesting to see if this series lasts long enough for those to emerge through writing and performances. 

Also, Lips – the trumpet player on the far right – had his third line ever on this episode. Muppet history, man. Muppet history. 

If you miss any episodes of “The Muppets” you can catch it streaming here: http://abc.go.com/shows/the-muppets …or on my DVR if you’re around. Call ahead first. Pretty far ahead. 

Out this week from Disney Lucasfilm Press are three books that retell the stories of the original Star Wars trilogy. Not just new novelizations or adaptations, these grade school retellings add a bit of a twist to the classic stories we know and love. Tom Angleberger, author of the hilarious Origami Yoda books, spins his version of Episode VI with Star Wars: Return of the Jedi: Beware the Power of the Dark Side! 

Review: Beware the Power of the Dark Side! basically takes the story of Return of the Jedi and amps it up. As Angleberger described at Comic-Con, we have more of everything: more action, more explosions, more Ewoks, and more footnotes! As with the other two books in the trilogy of retellings, the book includes concept art and sketches from Joe Johnston and Ralph McQuarrie, but the real treat here is the story. Angleberger uses a storytelling style that brings humor and levity, as well as a penchant for sound effects. Imagine Threepio telling the story of Return of the Jedi. Nothing like that. Imagine an overenthusiastic adult with the heart of a kid telling you the story with big hand motions. That’s what this retelling is: Excitement!  

The movie is broken into seventy-four short chapters, some with entertaining names such as “In Which Jerjerrod Hopes Darth Vader Will Look at Some Paperwork.” There’s some great extra scenes, including one that makes the story now pass the Bechtel Test: check it out! Angleberger gets into the heart of the story and tells it with glee. Not as a joke-filled parody of the film poking fun at it, but bringing the fun alive with his written exuberance. He gets into the character’s heads at times, and we get a sense of the tragedy of being Darth Vader (and the tragedy of Romba the Ewok scout). I really enjoyed this book and found it hard to put down. I think Star Wars fans young and old will get a kick out it. Big thumbs up!  

For a little bit more of my review and me reading an excerpt, watch my video here!

An advance reader copy of the book was provided by Disney Publishing Worldwide for this review.

Out this week from Disney Lucasfilm Press are three books that retell the stories of the original Star Wars trilogy. Not just new novelizations or adaptations, these grade school retellings add a bit of a twist to the classic stories we know and love. For Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back: So You Want to Be a Jedi?, author Adam Gidwitz puts the reader into Luke Skywalker’s role in his quest to become a Jedi.

Review: So You Want to Be a Jedi? transforms Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back into a fairy tale, placing the reader into the shoes of Luke Skywalker. The narrator, as some Jedi mentor, lets the reader fill the role of a Jedi-in-training, as the story of Luke is told, and is broken up with Jedi lessons for the reader to practice. Using the second person “you” for Luke’s character, we get into Luke’s head, thinking his thoughts, feeling his emotions in real time as the adventure unfolds. The larger picture still remains as scenes that do not include Luke are still told. The story also includes concept sketches and art from Ralph McQuarrie and Joe Johnston which help set the mood of the story. 

I liked the approach that Gidwitz, no stranger to dark fairy tales with his take on classic fairy tales in The Grimm Trilogy, used in this retelling. The story becomes a roller coaster as you the reader take on the role of the blank hero, Luke Skywalker, and feel his highs and lows through the story. There are some new scenes added to the story, especially on Dagobah, as well as a really cool parable that Yoda tells Luke. The Jedi lessons that appear at the end of every chapter draw a bit on meditation and mindfulness and are applicable to readers. Do the exercises that Gidwitz is teaching!

Overall, Gidwitz succeeds in putting the reader into the mind of Luke Skywalker, aspiring Jedi, as he journeys from Hoth to Dagobah and Cloud City. I enjoyed the extra scenes that appear in the tale, that add to the training of a Jedi, and the real-world Jedi lessons finish the sense of being an apprentice at the feet of a mentor. This book is a lot of fun and I would recommend it to Star Wars fans, especially younger readers. Also, the translations of Chewbacca’s dialogue are a hoot. Thumbs up!

For a little bit more of my review and me reading an excerpt, watch my video here!

An advance reader copy of the book was provided by Disney Publishing Worldwide for this review.