The original incarnation of "The Muppet Show" might predate me by several decades, but Disney+'s new "Muppet Show" special event felt practically purpose-built for me. I spent my childhood wearing out VHS tapes of movies like "Muppet Treasure Island," "The Muppet Christmas Carol" and "Muppets from Space" and have been an ardent fan of more recent Muppet outings, too (the 2011 movie being a particular highlight).
So, when we learned last year that the gang would be returning to the Muppet theatre for an all-new outing guest-starring none other than Sabrina Carpenter, I was ecstatic. And, having had the pleasure of watching this half-hour special in advance of its release on ABC and Disney's streaming service on Feb. 4, I have one small plea to make to the House of Mouse: greenlight a new season of this chaos, now.
'The Muppet Show'
If you're not up on all things Muppet, the original variety series ran from 1976 through 1981 and saw countless celebrity guests like Elton John, Diana Ross and Johnny Cash sharing the stage with Kermit, Miss Piggy and more as the crew hosted their own variety performances, and now they've done it all again ahead of the series' upcoming 50th anniversary.
I knew going in that I was primed to laugh along with Kermit and co., but unless you're a real cynic (or you simply can't stand puppets), I defy you not to at the very least crack the odd smile at some point during "The Muppet Show." Simply put, this is a half-hour's worth of sketch comedy, songs, and all-out chaos — and I loved it.
I know that I'm susceptible to Muppet silliness, but I just found this to be a blast. From a rendition of one of Carpenter's popular hits supported by a clutch of sassy hens to Miss Piggy's machinations to be the star that she is, to the cutting put-downs from Statler and Waldorf, and a big swamp-set duet, the special frequently had me laughing, and that's all I really needed it to do.
I don't have much more to say other than that; these Muppets feel very much like the characters I've been a fan of since I was a kid, and Disney+'s new "The Muppet Show" was a treat. It's a dose of light entertainment, and it did its job, and did it well.
This special proves that there's plenty of fun still to be had with "The Muppet Show" with the format, and I really hope it's a hit with subscribers of all ages. Early on, Kermit jokes that this could be the start of another comeback, "depending on how tonight goes," and I really hope that rings true. So, if you've got a half hour to spare, and you're looking for a quick, comedic blast of fun, this is it.
The new "The Muppet Show" special begins streaming Wednesday, Feb. 4 on Disney+
Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds.
