A 21st Century Muppets Revival
This is a short essay I wrote for my History of Television final. Posting here to add to my portfolio and in case Disney sees it and realizes that this is money they’re leaving on the table (this won’t happen)
If I had the opportunity to reboot any 20th century television show, I would choose to put The Muppet Show back on the air. Of course, this would not be the first attempt to translate the muppets to a modern audience, with shows such as Muppets Tonight in the 90s and ABC’s The Muppets in 2015. These shows weren’t as well received and didn’t have the lasting cultural impact of the original 1970s show, but I believe that these characters are beloved and timeless enough to translate for a modern audience. While Disney will still make the occasional muppet film or streaming series, I don’t think these characters are being used to their fullest potential, and a proper reboot of The Muppet Show, if done well, could really do these characters justice.
In my hypothetical reboot, this show would be as close to the ethos and energy of the original Muppet Show as possible. While the original Muppet Show is clearly a product of its time, being a direct parody of 70s variety shows, I believe that the tongue in cheek nature of the show makes it far more timeless and gives it much more longevity than the shows it was parodying. Generations of people who weren’t around to understand the aspects of 70s television culture The Muppet Show lampooned are still able to appreciate the silliness of the comedy and the craft behind the puppetry and practical effects. Because of this, I truly think that a reboot of The Muppet Show with an extremely similar formula to the original show, a hybrid of variety show-esque skits and comedic sketches about backstage antics would still translate well for modern audiences. I’m usually very wary of reboots that stick too close to the original show, but this is an exception that I think would work.
If I was developing this reboot, I would essentially sell it as ABC’s answer to Saturday Night Live. Despite the criticism that Saturday Night Live sometimes receives, it remains a very popular show to this day, and it’s a show that I believe is worth emulating on other networks. I believe that a modern iteration of The Muppet Show could be a response to SNL, offering a different type of comedy in a similar format. The overt silliness and meta humor about running a sketch comedy show that The Muppet Show provides could work as a welcome contrast to Saturday Night Live, and find its own audience as a result. I don’t think that The Muppet Show would be a direct competitor with SNL, due to an audience for The Muppet Show skewing a bit younger. As opposed to an 11:30 timeslot, this reboot could air on ABC at 8:30 or 9:00, making it slightly more geared towards families and young people compared to SNL.
Another aspect of SNL that I would incorporate into this Muppet Show reboot would be having two celebrity guests per episode, instead of the one guest that The Muppet Show traditionally had. I think having a musical guest, alongside a celebrity host, has been a great way for SNL to capture multiple audiences per episode, and incorporating a musical guest alongside a non-musical celebrity would be a great way to get people watching this revival. Having two celebrities to bounce off each other in backstage sketches would be a great way to make the show fresh, while keeping as close to the 70s show as possible. As somebody who follows pop music very closely, I think a lot of modern musicians would be a great fit for a Muppet Show reboot. Olivia Rodrigo comes to mind, with her being a great musical performer, alongside her background in acting which would help her sell the sketches with the muppet characters. Another star that would be perfect for The Muppet Show is up-and-coming pop star Chappell Roan. Her look and performances are extremely theatrical and over the top, and her eccentric performances would be perfect for this show, whether it be a duet with Miss Piggy or a solo performance with dozens of muppet backup dancers. These are just a few of the stars who I believe would both work well and be interested in appearing on The Muppet Show. Celebrity guests have always been a large part of the muppet brand, and even in their current underutilized state, celebrities are constantly appearing with them and discussing how great it is to be working with the Henson muppeteers. Especially early in its run, I believe that celebrities would love to guest on the show, another benefit of putting the show back on television.
Another reason I believe that this show would succeed is not because of the continued success of the muppets, but rather because of the longevity of other Henson properties. The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, despite being canceled after one season, was released to critical acclaim in 2019. Apple TV+’s Fraggle Rock revival, Back to the Rock, has been airing to positive reviews since 2022. However, the biggest example has to be the continued success of Sesame Street. Despite being on the air since 1969, Sesame Street is still hugely popular with children and general audiences alike. The characters are widely beloved among all ages, with each of them having major online presences showing that even as people grow up, they still enjoy these characters. It’s also an example of celebrities still having interest in working with the Henson Company, with people like SZA and Quinta Brunson appearing on the show in recent months. I think this continued success could translate into a successful Muppet Show reboot, showing both industry and audience interest in the properties.
The Muppet Show, despite its roots in 70s variety and sketch comedy television, is a timeless show that continues to connect with audiences nearly 50 years later. These characters have been severely underutilized in recent years, and a faithful revival of The Muppet Show could bring in a new appreciation and new audiences for these timeless characters. If a show was able to capture the ethos of the original Muppet Show, I think it would be greatly successful, and I think it’s a rare case of a reboot that would actually bring a jolt of life and energy to the current state of network television.