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.

It was one of the biggest tragedies of my young life. May 16, 1990, Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets, died. I was heartbroken, I cried real tears. Not just for the characters I loved — Kermit the Frog, Ernie, Guy Smiley, Rowlf the Dog — but for Jim Henson and his family. The last major project before he died was “The Jim Henson Hour” on NBC. That show had a shifting format — sometimes it had classic Muppet characters, sometimes “Storyteller” tales, but most episodes had Jim Henson, with a calmer-than-Cosby-sweater, talking to the audience about inspiration, creativity, sometimes showing us how Muppets work, things like that. This was in 1989, and even though it only lasted nine episodes, it was my last contact with the man who became my inspiration. A big part of the reason I became a teacher was because of “Sesame Street.” Any sense of humor or music or art or creativity I have came from admiration for the work that he did. And losing him was more than I could handle.

Aside from all of the Muppety stuff that Jim Henson had his hands in (literally)(don’t go there), he had these nuggets of wisdom that came out in interviews and in more candid moments. Some of my favorites:

“As children, we all live in a world of imagination, of fantasy, and for some of us that world of make-believe continues into adulthood. Certainly I’ve lived my whole life through my imagination. But the world of imagination is there for all of us–a sense of play, of pretending, of wonder. It’s there with us as we live.” 

“There is a sense of our characters caring for each other and having respect for each other. A positive feeling. A positive view of life. That’s a key to everything we do. I believe that everything we do should have part of that. Sometimes we’re too heavy in terms of ourselves and trying to carry an idea, and telling kids what life is about. I often have to tell myself that too.” 

“The attitude you have as a parent is what your kids will learn from more than what you tell them. They don’t remember what you try to teach them. They remember what you are.” 

I read all of his words with his own voice in my head, which, although a slightly lower register than Kermit the Frog’s, definitely has a lot of Kermit and Ernie in it. Those voices sang some of my favorite songs, from “Rubber Duckie” to “The Rainbow Connection” to “Movin’ Right along” and “It’s Not Easy Bein’ Green.” I can’t separate the man from his characters, or the characters from what they did for me, shaping me as a person. 

25 years later, it still stings. If it’s possible to still miss someone you’ve never met, I do. Muppet fans divide movies, television series, and other projects into “Jim” and “Post-Jim.” After he was gone, the Muppets seemed to have a hard time finding their way. Movies included adaptations of classic works, television series and specials struggled to find a tone that was family friendly, but still…interesting. I’m still a fan, I’ll always be a fan. But there were a lot of Muppet projects I watched more out of loyalty than excitement. 

After Disney acquired the characters, things started looking up. “The Muppets” in 2011 was a bona fide hit, while “Muppets Most Wanted” didn’t light the box office on fire in 2014, but is still very, very funny, and you should watch it. These movies have tightened the Muppet family up, recasting dormant secondary characters like Rowlf and Scooter, putting them back alongside Kermit, Miss Piggy, and Gonzo. With a the gang more complete than they’ve been in 25 years, they’re ready. For…something. 

The Muppet family is more complete than it’s been in years

Now, no doubt due to Disney owning ABC, the Muppets get another crack at a television series, with the (for me personally irritating) confusing title “The Muppets.” not to be confused with the recent movie of the same name, nor the characters themselves. For anyone who happens to write about the series, it’s going to be a pain in the neck. 

But you know what? Looking at the trailer, it looks like it’s going to be good. Funny. I’m actually excited to watch it, instead of watching it out of sentiment or loyalty, or nostalgia of past projects. “The Muppets” looks family friendly, but with enough edge that it won’t be sugary sweet. Will this format allow there to be singing and dancing and guest stars and cameos? Probably. Will it be different than what we’ve seen the Muppets do before? I hope so. It looks like Fozzie is continuing the cross-species dating that Muppets seem to be into by having a relationship with a human, but we also have some classic Miss Piggy action, and some quick jokes that are perfect for our hyperactive generation. They break the fourth wall, which is something the characters have always done, but fits in perfectly with the “documentary” style. Hopefully this catch on like the viral viruses tv execs want in a 21st century series. It will be airing on Tuesdays this fall, and hopefully they’ll have enough success to warrant a whole season. In my very, very biased opinion, the show looks fantastic. And it feels like something Jim would have had his hands in. 

Jim Henson is gone. And not gone. With projects like this, with permanent museum exhibits opening in Atlanta and New York, with “Sesame Street” entering its 46th season…he’s got a place in most of our hearts, whether we know him or his creations. I still miss him. But I’ll never forget him. 

Youtuber Mylo the Cat created a short video of Swedish Chef, Beaker, and Animal singing and dancing along with Beastie Boys “So What’cha Want” and there is just something perfect about it.

via laughingsquid.com

DISNEY MUPPETS MOST WANTED (7 out of 10) –  Directed by James Bobin, written by James Bobin and Nicholas Stoller; starring Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell and Tina Fey, and featuring the voices of Steve Whitmire, Eric Jacobson and Matt Vogel; rated PG; in general release; running time: 112 minutes.

As refreshingly sweet and clever as 2011’s “Disney The Muppets” was, the musical-comedy wasn’t a completely original creation. In terms of its plot, it was very reminiscent of several earlier, getting/putting-the-band-back-together movies like “The Blues Brothers” (1980) and “Ghostbusters II” (1989) – especially the former.

Keeping that in mind, that must mean that its follow-up – the less-inspired, more gag- and spoof-centric comedy “Disney Muppets Most Wanted” – was clearly inspired by caper comedies like the “Ocean’s” films and the “Pink Panther” movies, right? It certainly has a lot in common with those movies, both in terms of its plotting and its style of humor.

Luckily, it is a lot more like the “Pink Panthers” that starred Peter Sellers than the ones that followed in the wake of his death, particularly the ghastly attempts to re-create those earlier films’ magic with a less-than-inspired Steve Martin in the Sellers role.

Again, “Most Wanted” is not quite as magical as its immediate predecessor, which took home well-deserved Oscar gold for its songs (courtesy New Zealand musician Bret McKenzie, of Flight of the Conchords fame), and which had more than enough universal appeal to win over cynical old fans of Jim Henson’s beloved puppet creations, as well as introduce them to a whole new audience.

And let’s face it, they’ve already done this type of story before, with the earlier cinematic feature “The Great Muppet Caper” (1981), which rivals this movie for laughs and fun moments. Still, it’s hard to come down completely on a movie that makes you smile as this one does at times.

While “The Muppets” focused part of its attention of a pair of human character (played by Jason Segel and Amy Adams), “Most Wanted” instead returns its attentions to its title characters. And as with “The Great Muppet Caper,” there are shenanigans involving identical twins. This time it’s Kermit the Frog (voiced again by longtime Muppets performer Steve Whitmire), rather than Fozzie Bear, who has a doppelganger.

Kermit’s lookalike is Constantine (the voice of Matt Vogel), an international jewel thief who eludes capture by shifting the blame to our unwitting amphibian hero, who has joined the rest of the Muppets on a European comeback tour. (The conniving Constantine evens “removes” his tell-tale mole and slaps it on Kermit’s face.)

The horrified frog protests his innocence to the authorities, including detective Jean Pierre Napoleon (“Modern Family’s” but Ty Burrell), he’s having a hard time convincing anyone human that he’s who he claims to be.  Meanwhile, Constantine is acting more than a little suspiciously and he’s having a hard time fitting in with the Muppet troupe. (Animal, in particular, isn’t buying into Constantine’s act.)

Without Segel and Adams as central characters, this film is missing that human element that gave its predecessor some needed warmth and more-relatable presences. To their credit, the “human” co-stars do have their fun with this material, though, especially Ricky Gervais, who’s clearly loving playing a bad guy (he plays Constantine’s henchman),Tina Fey (as a jailer) and Burrell, who clearly studied Sellers’ “Pink Panther” work in preparation for his role.

Co-screenwriter/director James Bobin also crams this one with cameos and bit parts, both credited and uncredited. Among the names: Tony Bennett, “Downton Abbey’s” Hugh Bonneville, Tom Hiddleston, James McAvoy, Lady Gaga, Saoirse Ronan, Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs, Rob Corddry, Ray Liotta, Danny Trejo, Frank Langella, Celine Dion, Salma Hayek and Christoph Waltz (the latter two playing themselves). It’s a bit of overkill, frankly.

And the tale is more relient on corny wordplay, jokes and puns – some of which are funny, but some of them are so terrible that even Muppets funny man Fozzie Bear would probably give them a half-hearted “wocka wocka wocka” at best. Having musician-turned-actor Usher Raymond play an usher? That’s awful. Just plain awful.

Additionally, the McKenzie-written songs and musical numbers aren’t quite as memorable this time out. “We’re Doing a Sequel,” which features Bennett and Lady Gaga, is nothing special, though “Interrogation Song” (featuring Burrell and Whitmire, as Kermit) is a hoot, and McKenzie’s Conchords co-hort, Jemaine Clement, does sing Boyz II Men’s hit “End of the Road” with Liotta and Trejo.

Jeff Michael Vice can also be heard reviewing films, television programs, comics, books, music and other things as part of The Geek Show Podcast (www.thegeekshowpodcast.com), and can be seen reviewing films as part of Xfinity’s Big Movie Mouth-Off (www.facebook.com/BigMovieMouthOff).