There’s a new, one off for the moment, Muppet Show on Disney+. Not a reboot as it sticks pretty faithfully to the 1970s original format of guest star, musical numbers, backstage drama, unrelated sketches and, er, chickens. Guest star Sabrina Carpenter hammed it up perfectly with Miss Piggy and danced and sang with various other characters. I was glad to see that the regulars like Statler and Waldorf and Dr Teeth and the Electric Mayhem were not only present but hadn’t been messed around with or updated. In fact, I could have been twelve years old again, gazing at Debbie Harry or Alice Cooper. I hope they do more.
The Muppets are back, sort of
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Hurrah!
Now, if they’d like to bring back Scooby Doo while they’re at it…
My vote would go to Noggin the Nog or Tarot Ace of Wands.
If they brought back Scooby Doo, they’d probably have to bring back Scrappy-Doo, and we wouldn’t want that….
The scene opens with a close up of Scooby Doo looking sad, and pulls out to show him standing by a small, freshly-filled grave. Cut to the headstone which reads ‘Scrappy Doo, 1979 – 2026. Rest in Puppy Power’ [unusually long lived for a great Dane but never mind].
As Scoob walks away from the grave the shot pans to a shovel lying next to the loose earth, then closes in to show a streak of puppy blood along its edge. The opening close up is repeated, but this time Scooby winks to the viewers, then grins. The audience cheers knowing it can watch the rest of the programme without his irritating little tit of a nephew spoiling their cartoon entertainment.
Too dark?
Does a small paw break through the earth?
Yes, but in a shocking but rewarding twist it turns out to be Uncle Bert, the owner of the closed down fairground, wearing a Scrappy ghost costume to scare away competing property developers.
Can we have a Muttley laugh at the death of Scrappy?
My daughter got me this at Christmas, my son said it’s “very you”.
https://geekbitshirts.com/products/muttley-retro-japanese-vintage-distressed-t-shirt-gb250700477-1
When am I going to grow up? Not any time soon I fear.
I quite fancy one of those
He was sent to the dog pound in the live action film and killed by Velma’s ghost (!) in season 2 of Velma (I’ve never seen it).
Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated from 15 years ago was really pretty good. I think it is still on Disney+.
Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! from 10 years ago was, er, less good. Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? from 5 years ago was, er, not at all good, and pulled half-way through the season.
‘Hammed it up with Miss Piggy’…
ISWYDT.
Well spotted.
Much kids TV from my childhood was, if I’m honest, a bit crap (as was proved when I had my kids watching Mr Benn.
The Muppets though – instant winner with ’em all when they returned after their German ownership never being repeated or seen lean times
(apart from occasional Mah Na Mah Na screenings)
Update: just read German Company EM>TV bought the for $650 million, and sold them back 3 or 4 years later for $90 million
I watched it last night and it was reassuringly the same as the late seventies / early eighties. The same format / same crap jokes and the guest star not afraid to make fun of themselves. It was only missing Pigs In Space, but maybe that will make an appearance in later episodes…fingers crossed.
I read it’s the 50th anniversary of the first episode of The Muppet Show, which can’t possibly be right as that would mean that I’m…oh.
Anyway. I watched the new episode and it was all rather fab.
I especially enjoyed Sabrina Carpenter signing with the chickens and whilst I did miss Pigs in Space I thought Pigs in Wigs was a excellent replacement.
I really enjoyed it. Miss Piggy on top form and Sabrina Carpenter was a laugh also. Slightly confused by the bit with the rats as it was v close to our own Roland, but that was a minor quibble.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, though it was heading towards getting mawkish for the final number. Also, making the theatre audience a mixture of muppets and humans was weirdly disconcerting. But Sabrina Carpenter was terrific, Pigs in Wigs a decent gag, and the rats doing Blinding Lights worked well – they’ve always been good at editing the musical numbers so that they don’t overstay their welcome.