It IS Time To Get Things (Re)Started!!!!

I have been pretty critical of some recent Muppet efforts. 

Happily, it is time to point out that they have turned things around.

Disney Plus aired their 50th anniversary episode of The Muppet Show last week, with guest star Sabrina Carpenter...

And they nailed it.

WOO HOO!

I don't know if some of the new performers have settled into their roles better over time, or the environment, writing and direction helped them truly embody the characters. Whatever it was worked spectacularly.

There was a lot more of the little Muppet subtleties of motion that I've found missing in other outings, along with much more of the background, upstaging foolishness that has always been a wonderful bit about Muppets.

It felt just like the original, flying by in what seemed like way less time than it actually took.

I was so jazzed by this return to form I've always loved, I feel the need to go through it one act at a time:

Opening- A touch of sentimentality, but then shifting to a gag that landed well. There was a nice nod to the fifth season of The Muppet Show by passing Pops before transitioning to the much more well known, Scooter, door knock beginning. 

The Theme- Using the classic theme for the return to the classic show was the right way to go. It was mostly pretending no time had passed -same music, same running gags. (But with some new friends in those arches!) They left the puppet control rods visible, as they should as puppetry on its own is an art. You're going back to the classic show, going back to old school effects as much as possible was the right choice. One change that came from the 2011 The Muppets  and the 2014 Muppet's Most Wanted films was including humans in the audience. That will be important for a later reference to a different Muppet Performance.  

Manchild - In the later seasons the show usually opened with huge, all Muppet production numbers. Yet there were plenty that started out with guest star spot opening numbers, and this one killed. (Literally- It reminded me of the Rita Moreno and Sandy Duncan bar numbers.) Sabrina Carpenter falls right between two of the top categories of Muppet show guests, "Excited and willing to join in all the Muppet shenanigans," and "Practically a Muppet herself." Great to see Crazy Harry back, still crazy but less explosive based on the current world. 

Backstage Bit- Kind of the soul of the Muppet Show, where we get interactions and the real side of the characters. Robin... awwwwwww. Fozzie gets to do some signature bits, even if it wasn't on stage. Woo Hoo! We also get the gag with Seth Rogen. (Wearing the season one purple tux with ruffle shirt!) The idea of extra celebrity guests showing up came from the underrated Muppets Tonight.  (OK, technically having extra cameos started in The Muppet Movie in 1979, but I mean in a controlled theater environment, not an open world.) Having actual humans in the audience allows this to more organically be part of the classic set up of the show. Good call.

The Great Gonzo- His act is A) Insane, B) Tangentially Cultural and C) A 

disaster. Wonderful job returning to form! The fact that it continues as a running (or rolling) gag throughout the episode was also wonderful. Minor quibble, that has been going on a while and I've whined about previously. I REALLY miss Gonzo's ability to move his eyelids. Changing from looking sad all the time in his first season, bedraggled days, to being able to transition between that and to an excited, wide eyed maniac stare really helped define the character. Now he's always in the latter state. It is still Dave Goelz and Gonzo is still my favorite but, it is a loss. Although on subsequent viewings I noticed no eye movement in Beauregard either. Also, Bunsen doesn't do his signature figure twiddle. If these minor losses are the trade off for keeping Dave Goelz in the roles, I'm all for it.

(Footnote that no one cares about- Fozzie is tied with Gonzo as my favorite. But only when performed by Frank Oz.)

Pigs in Wigs- It's kind of a nod to the classic "At the Dance" sketch but also a specific Bridgerton parody. Specific parodies were a part of Muppets Tonight. However, that didn't prevent it fitting seamlessly into the classic format, showing they're maintaining the vibe, while building on what they've done other places. Woo! The jokes were funny, and having Pepe pop in to the old school Muppet show as a replacement character was a hilarious combination of him being perfect for the part and simultaneously out of place. 

Backstage- I loved all the backstage bits. I'll take this one to point out the "too many acts" running gag was perfect for this initial return, as it allowed cameos of Muppets from all different eras: Season one folks that vanished (Wayne and Wanda shout out for Anabelle), the Muppets Tonight gang who have never seen this theater,  (I would very much like to know the content of the conversation that took place between Johnny Fiama and Manah Manah. I feel that would be comedy gold.) and new characters. ( I said the same thing Seth Rogen did about the Armadillo in the Tutu.) When (he said hopefully) they pick up a full season, we very much need Clifford to show up.

Blinding Lights- Rizzo's back! (So is Bean! Woo hoo!) A fun, rat based, modern number with a Beauregard catastrophe cameo. No notes!

Dressing Room- The guest has heartfelt moments with Kermit, idolizes Miss Piggy, and the latter accidentally (more or less) clobbers the former. Comic timing is excellent throughout, just like old times.

Muppet Labs- Another Dave Goelz signature bit! Woo Hoo! Once again, just like old times- Beaker's trauma transitions almost immediately from unnerving to hilarious.

Backstage- Comedy built on Kermit's frustrations, as it should be. Hey, did they rebuild Janice bigger for the Electric Mayhem show? She towers over her little froggy friend. 

Muppet News Flash- When they make more of these (OH PLEASE WANT TO!!!!!) there are going to be a boatload of celebrities who wish to be involved. (And rightly so.) Humans in the audience is the way to do it. Those sections are also a nice way to sneak in returning bits (the Newsman) and lesser known characters. (A shining moment for Beautiful Day Monster!)

Islands in the Stream- I was hoping for this. They remembered that the Muppets had beautiful, artistic moments between the insanity, and changed back and forth without warning. Granted, there was some foolishness between Sabrina Carpenter's two duets, but it was well executed and funny foolishness that didn't detract from the beauty of the number before and after. 

Backstage- Another staple- the crisis of the week being addressed backstage and transitioning into the closing number. We're home again, folks!

Don't Stop Me Now- A huge, Muppet only, closing number of an amazing song! What a way to end! No gags, just straight spectacle!

I was going to have a minor quibble that they focused on newer music when the original Muppet show pulled from current hits, oldies, vaudeville & music hall numbers and folk tunes.

However, I then realized that if the original Muppet show selected a song as old as this one is now (that was released when that first version was airing) it would have picked a song from1932.

Here is a Muppet News Flash- I am an old man.

Show Closing- Return of Sabrina Carpenter fitting in with the Muppets perfectly, a packed stage, "good night"s full of chaos, and Statler and Waldorf being 100% on point all night. 

Putting a gag on Zoot's final note, which never had one, was a surprise laugh that placed the final perfect punctuation on the evening. 

I have complained about some of the new Muppet efforts, but even in those it always felt like the performers really believed in the characters and put their all into them. Recent seasons of Sesame Street supports this. Now the decision makers have figured it out what we fans have been saying all along. Just make The Muppet Show as it was. They did and created something that both everyone who made it, and everyone who watched it, loved.

NOW MAKE MORE!!!!!!