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Muppets Minimates!


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Well, I think Kermit has always been that emotional core. I think he still functioned like that in the new movies. Personally, I think a Parks and Rec style show with the Muppets sounds fantastic. Anyone remember the Larry Sanders Show? I think it would be a lot like that.

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Larry Sanders show had great writing, though. I think that's the best strategy for trying to pull off a successful adults Muppet show at this point. I watched about 1/2 of the Muppets Most Wanted this weekend, and it felt flat and uninteresting to me. I appreciate that they were obviously trying to recapture some of what made the older movies (Muppet Movie and Great Muppet Caper) work so well, but they didn't, and frankly that's just not feasible at this point.

It's funny, for many years all I wanted was more Muppets stuff in the spirit of the original shows and movies (I saw Muppets Tonight when it aired and Muppets in Space in the theaters with this hope. . .), but now I think we've seen folks give that their best shot, and it's not happening. So now I'm hoping they try to do something pretty different if they do anything at all. Maybe it's a realization that this is an issue across the various media trying to recapture nostalgia from the '70s and '80s. The GI Joe from the mid-80s is gone and will never come back (even Larry Hama's neo-classic comics released with the updated figures were lackluster), but they can do something like Resolute that works brilliantly as an update. Why? Because it retains some of the core of the original franchise, but allows itself not to be handcuffed to the tone and approach. They hire on one of the best, and most creative comic writers around to update the story, and its something special and puts a nice coda on the A Real American Hero story. The new Ninja Turtles cartoon seems like another very effective update.

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Larry Sanders show had great writing, though. I think that's the best strategy for trying to pull off a successful adults Muppet show at this point. I watched about 1/2 of the Muppets Most Wanted this weekend, and it felt flat and uninteresting to me. I appreciate that they were obviously trying to recapture some of what made the older movies (Muppet Movie and Great Muppet Caper) work so well, but they didn't, and frankly that's just not feasible at this point.

It's funny, for many years all I wanted was more Muppets stuff in the spirit of the original shows and movies (I saw Muppets Tonight when it aired and Muppets in Space in the theaters with this hope. . .), but now I think we've seen folks give that their best shot, and it's not happening. So now I'm hoping they try to do something pretty different if they do anything at all. Maybe it's a realization that this is an issue across the various media trying to recapture nostalgia from the '70s and '80s. The GI Joe from the mid-80s is gone and will never come back (even Larry Hama's neo-classic comics released with the updated figures were lackluster), but they can do something like Resolute that works brilliantly as an update. Why? Because it retains some of the core of the original franchise, but allows itself not to be handcuffed to the tone and approach. They hire on one of the best, and most creative comic writers around to update the story, and its something special and puts a nice coda on the A Real American Hero story. The new Ninja Turtles cartoon seems like another very effective update.

While I do think you're in the minority in that feeling, you're certainly not alone. I remember that a lot of the old guard Muppeteers didn't care for the reboot film. Personally, I think both movies are really funny and did a great job in capturing that special Muppets tone. But, to each his own.

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I can't say I've ever been a true fan of the Muppets, but I appreciate that they keep trying. I watched the Muppet Babies as a kid and I really enjoyed the Jason Segel movie, but that's about it. This might be blasphemous to say, but I never liked the Miss Piggy character, which is a problem, because she's probably the most recognizable character after Kermit and they can't just get rid of her. Anyway, I'll give the new show a shot; hopefully it's good.

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I don't think it's all that different from any kind of reboot. its an intangible on some levels, but I think it would be very difficult to really match the tone and approach of any original with a reboot years after the fact, with the original creative team all but gone. The original Muppet stuff was more than just Henson's influence, but he was the glue that held together that crew, and the made sure the spirit was right. He also had great comic timing and instincts, of course. And all that left a clear stamp on his work that I'm not sure we can ever hope to see again.

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Your point to GI Joe is kind of spot on. Resolute works because it WAS aimed at us, not kids. Renegades didn't so much because they tried to straddle the line and fell flat. So target this Muppet reboot at the true audience, and you should be good.

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So, exactly the P&R/Office approach.

I'm not sure. Muppets dating humans? That's a bit off-putting outside of the casual flirtation of the old show. But then, as an allegory for racism/homophobia, could be interesting. The format is a BIT played it, but if it's going to work anywhere, it's here. I'll remain cautiously optimistic

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UK, thank you for that. :) I have one question tho....

How do Kermit's feet reach the pedals to drive his car?? LOL

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Just realized two things that Kermits says in the trailer:

"You've made my life a bacon wrapped hell on earth"

And

"The Band?....Their always happy.....Legally now."

Wtf

I know they said adult, but i didnt think like this!

Exspeccaly the drug refrence

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Since Muppets are products of the 60s, I have no problem with the weed reference. One of my kids will catch it and laugh. Another will have to think about it and then might get it. The gag will go right over my 10-year-old's head. My wife and I thought it was funny.

As for the hand-held, documentary style format being "played out?" No. Not when you compare it to single-camera comedies or worse; multi-camera sit-coms. This format is still in its infancy and the fact that the Muppets are totally aware of the gimmick makes it even better.

Statler & Waldorf watching from a screening room for test audiences is an appropriate update. Loved that.

My only question is what is the show going to be about other than the personal lives of the Muppets? The Office was a mockumentary about the employees of a paper company. Will this be about the Muppets creating a TV show for ABC?

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