It took a decade, but it finally happened. On Feb. 4, “The Muppet Show” made its grand return on Disney+ and ABC with special guest Sabrina Carpenter. While the Muppets have never been completely absent from the world of entertainment, the premiere marked the beloved puppet ensemble’s return to a variety show format.
The revival was not the first episode of a new series, but a backdoor pilot: If successful enough, the special will be picked up as a full spin-off show. With more than 7 million already tuned in, an entire new series seems imminent — all the better, because right now, our youngest generation needs the Muppets.
As they age into older kids and preteens, Generation Alpha bears witness to a ginormous entertainment landscape. But growing up in the age of streaming means these kids have no reference point for “The Ed Sullivan Show”-style of variety television that “The Muppet Show” encapsulates. The show’s puppetry, goofy antics and clever use of celebrity guests make it the perfect vehicle for introducing children to sketch comedy, variety shows and parody.
This iteration of “The Muppet Show” relies less on self-referential humor, a departure from the 2010s Muppets films, which frequently called back to the original ’70s show. While this might ruffle the feathers of classic Muppets fans, it makes the reboot even more accessible for younger generations, who may not be familiar with previous content. The writers instead mine humor from creative interactions between the Muppets and guests — in one great bit, Fozzie Bear fires Seth Rogen from the show within the show, poking fun at his omnipresence in the film industry. Exposing a young audience to clever writing and consistent jokes can lead them to one day discover other canonized comedy series, like “The Office” and “30 Rock.”
Beyond conditioning a new generation of comedy fans, “The Muppet Show” reboot is a refreshing 30-minute episode in a sea of mindless short-form content. Children today are rapidly consuming soulless entertainment like “Cocomelon,” chipping away at their attention span and other brain functions. “The Muppet Show,” on the other hand, can serve as a formative introduction to longer, healthier forms of entertainment.
While the Muppets have always utilized meta humor to lampoon the concept of the variety show, this latest special is something else. They poke fun at the longevity of their own series, the ridiculous guest stars they attract and even the chaos at the very heart of the show. It’s certainly not subtle, but it’s better to learn unsubtle meta humor from the Muppets at a young age than from Ryan Reynolds’ unbearable Deadpool as a teenager.
The Muppets also nurture their audience’s inner theater nerd. The lights, the music, the grand auditorium — they’re all there to inspire the thespians, directors and writers of the future. Why wait for kids to sit through their high school’s lackluster production of “Hamlet” when we can foster their love of the performing arts today? Watch their faces fill with joy in real time as their passion for the stage takes root.
There is nothing quite like “The Muppet Show.” The premise of puppets working their hardest to run a chaotic variety show is so damn unique, and its beloved characters draw in new viewers every generation. The show is clever and meta, but adults and kids alike can still turn their brains off while watching and laugh away. Not to mention, it brings people together: We can all agree that Bunsen and Beaker are funny and that the Swedish Chef is an integral part of Scandinavian culture. It’s time to realize that we need the Muppets as much as they need us — in other words, it’s time to play the music and light the lights.
Contact Jakob Werling at [email protected].