So we watched the pilot for the new “The Muppet Show” on Disney+.
My father and I used to watch the original show every week when I was a kid.
It was at times brilliant and managed to tread that fine line of humor that kids could laugh at as well as adults. (Not something easy to write at all!)
They more or less attempt to follow the same formula as the same show, but I have a major personal problem with The Muppets in 2026.
Hell, it is the same problem I’ve had for years: These aren’t MY muppets!
With Jim Henson and so many of the other original creators/puppeteers having passed, and with Frank Oz no longer involved, these characters just feel wrong.
While original puppeteer Dave Goelz (Gonzo) is still involved at 79 years of age, the puppeteers who are now these characters just sound hollow and fake to me.
That’s no slight against the talent. That’s a slight against MY memory of the original actors.
That’s not Kermit or Rolf on screen. It is someone trying to barely mimic them.
That’s not Fonzie or Piggy on screen. It is someone else that doesn’t quite doing it right.
That’s not Robin the Frog on screen. That’s some odd abomination voice.
I don’t know if there will EVER be an audience for The Muppets again as there was in the 1970s to early 90s.
Now with so many of the creators having passed, and the few remaining ones no longer involved with the characters they created, it just don’t feel right to me.
In fact, it is actually quite a barrier for me to watch and even enjoy them.
Yeah, it is a “me” problem. But since I am a firm believer that all things must eventually ending, I think it is best for me to just rewatch the original shows with the original creators.
So here’s to Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, and Dave Goelz and the amazing work they did in their prime! Nobody today will be able to come close to achieving that manic brilliance again!
https://www.npr.org/2026/02/03/nx-s1-5697369/the-muppet-show-review