Review: Tonight's Premiere of THE MUPPETS is Joyless, 'Real Life' Reinvention

I grew up watching the MUPPET BABIES, loving the whimsy of the odd, but relatable creatures (although always frustrated that we couldn't see Nanny's face). Then, MUPPETS TONIGHT debuted during my freshman year of high school and I started to really understand the joys of a variety show (only later for that to be enhanced by finding clips of THE MUPPET SHOW on YouTube). Also, I adored 2011's big screen THE MUPPETS; in fact "Man or Muppet" is still in heavy rotation on my iTunes. So anytime there is a new addition to THE MUPPETS Universe, my inner-child takes notice. However, as details of their new TV show (also confusingly called THE MUPPETS) started being revealed, that inner child began to feel left out. The idea was to reinvent THE MUPPETS in a more real-life, adult sitcom; yes, a real-life, adult sitcom, starring felt puppets.

Rather than continuing in the variety show and sketch comedy tradition of THE MUPPETS SHOW and MUPPETS TONIGHT, the new series is a backstage look at the "real" lives of the familiar characters, something I can honestly say that I have never wanted to see. The series utilizes the mockumentary format popularized on American TV by THE OFFICE, PARKS & REC, and MODERN FAMILY, just to name a few. Gonzo sums up my feelings for the approach perfectly in tonight's premiere, "Cut to interviews?" he says. "That is just a totally overused device used to make easy jokes;" PREACH my blue brother.

The gang is back together working on UP LATE WITH MISS PIGGY; obviously Piggy is the star and Kermit is the Executive Producer. Fozzy is the warm-up act, Gonzo is the head-writer, and The Swedish Chef runs craft services. While the characters are still recognizable versions of those that we love, by striving to make them more "real," they have made many of them less likable. The premise of the show isn't too terribly different from previous Muppet TV incarnations, but with an adult approach, it feels more stressed, more irritating, and ultimately more pedestrian.

Miss Piggy can get away with being an unmitigated diva when the show has a fantastical, large-than-life approach, but in this new "real" world version, the queen Muppet just comes off as obnoxious. Likewise, while Kermit has always been the group's harried wrangler, traditionally, he has fulfilled the role with a fatherly twinkle in his eye. In this new version, however, the twinkle is gone, and the only father that he resembles is the one that buys a Mustang and a hair-piece. Kermit is now down-trodden and world-weary, two things that I never want my muppets to be. By making them more "real," more "adult," I am afraid that they will alienate the fans that have turned to THE MUPPETS for childish escape for over half a century.

The premiere episode is not devoid of humor, by any means; Sam the Eagle as the network's Standards and Practices officer is just about perfect. The fact that Statler and Waldorf have front row seats to Piggy's tapings is fantastic, and even Kermit, no matter how mid-Midlife Crisis he is, comes up with some zingers.

That being typed, I don't need to hear Kermit the Frog say the word "sexy" ever again. And while jokes about Miss Piggy's weight have been a part of the Muppet repertoire for decades, now that we are in this new "real" world, and Piggy is (unironically) the female host of a late-night network talk show, I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable as the jokes continued to fly.

As has been plastered across every marketing media outlet for the past few months, Kermit and Miss Piggy are no longer a couple, and Kermy has moved on to a new "pigfriend," network marketing exec, Denise. There is something about the not-so-subtly sexual relationship between the two that just doesn't sit well with me. THE MUPPETS have always ostensibly been a children's property that had a few wink-winks and nudge-nudges for parents. In the premiere episode, the winks and nudges have almost been completely eliminated for strictly adult innuendo. Good luck explaining to the kiddos that when Kermit says, "What can I say? I'm attracted to pigs," he doesn't mean bacon.

One thing that is special in every incarnation of THE MUPPETS is the presence of stars, and it doesn't appear like that will change with the new TV show. The phenomenal Riki Lindhome plays Fozzy's inter-species girlfriend Becky, the always funny Tom Bergeron plays himself as a replacement guest for Elizabeth Banks, whom Miss Piggy has unexplainably FORBIDDEN to be a guest on her show. Imagine Dragons are Piggy's musical guest in tonight's episode. Future episodes will feature everyone from Josh Groban to Jennifer Lawrence to Jay Leno, to Reese Witherspoon. With ABC and Disney's ever-extending arms, THE MUPPETS will never be in need of big-name guests.

I am still holding out hope that THE MUPPETS will be able to recapture the joy that made us all fall in love with the crew in the first place. Disney certainly has every financial reason to make sure that THE MUPPETS continue to expand their audience, so hopefully they will listen to the legion of fans that like their puppets (mostly) innocent and optimistic.

What did you think of The Muppets' return to television? Let me know in the comments below, or on Twitter @BWWMatt. If you want to follow along with my "366 in 366" articles, you can check out #BWW366in366 on Twitter. Also, don't forget to follow @BWWTVWorld on Twitter and Like us on Facebook for all of the latest TV news, reviews, and recaps.

Photo Credit:
1) Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog: Michael Desmond | ABC
2) Denise and Kermit the Frog: Andrea McCallin | ABC
3) Riki Lindhome and Fozzy Bear: Andrea McCallin | ABC