At various points over the last 20 years, the Muppets have tried to regain their prominence in the world of popular culture. After being acquired by Disney, the beloved felt puppet franchise has had plenty of false starts, from movies of varying success to a few attempts at television series that never got off the ground.
Now, the Muppets are back again in the six-episode Disney+ series Muppets Now. With a modern and meta premise, the series finds Scooter scrambling to upload the episode itself, while communicating with other Muppets via their own Zoom-like platform. It’s a series that’s scattered at best, but there are still glimmers of the old Muppet magic to be found along the way.
Worked: Muppet Masters
The recurring skit “Muppet Masters” may have been one of the less frequently used in the series, but it offered some of the most fun and laughs. The premise saw young Muppet Walter trying to learn about other Muppets’ hidden talents.
“Muppet Masters” skits included Walter getting an inside look at Kermit the Frog’s knack for photobombing, a hilarious bit with Sam Eagle, and Uncle Deadly giving poor little Walter a very intense intro to stage fighting.
Definitely Didn’t: Poor Celebrity Guests
Celebrity cameos have been a major part of all Muppet productions from the very beginning, which is what makes Muppets Now‘s overall lack of high quality stars all the more disappointing.
Beyond that, the series for some reason went all in on casting Taye Diggs and Linda Cardellini in truly forgettable skits that appeared in every episode. It’s not clear why these two were chosen, but it’s also clear that they left virtually no impression.
Worked: Uncle Deadly
Uncle Deadly is a character that has been in the background more often than not, with a minor role in 2011’s The Muppets and a supporting bit part in the 2015-2016 series that aired on ABC.
But Muppets Now brings the underrated Uncle Deadly directly into the forefront of the action. He features prominently in Piggy’s sketches as he tries in vain to support and encourage the diva’s habits, as well as sharing— and stealing— scenes with Walter in the aforementioned “Muppet Masters.”
Definitely Didn’t: Too Much Piggy
Miss Piggy may be one of the most iconic Muppets of all time, but a little bit also goes a long way with the character. And in the case of Muppets Now, a lot of Miss Piggy goes, well, way too far.
Miss Piggy’s “Life Sty(le)” skits are the only ones to appear in each episode, and almost every single skit in the series fails to land its intended punch lines. If anything, the diva-like Piggy comes off even more obnoxious than ever, which is no easy feat.
Worked: Okey Dokey Kookin
The Swedish Chef is one of the better utilized Muppets in the entire run of Muppets Now, and that’s all thanks to the hilarious and chaotic skit “Okey Dokey Kookin.”
In this series of five sketches, the adorable turkey hostess Beverly Plume leads the Swedish Chef in a cooking lesson and cook-off with guest chefs and celebrities alike, including a hilarious and touching turn from Danny Trejo.
Definitely Didn’t: No Music Numbers
Kermit the Frog is known for many things, one of the most prominent of which is being a gifted singer and banjo player. The musical legacy of the Muppets is well known, with classics like “The Rainbow Connection” imprinted upon pop culture history, and various Muppet films featuring robust musical performances and soundtracks.
It’s almost impossible to understand, then, why Muppets Now doesn’t feature a single musical number, much less even a theme song. It’s a real loss on the series’ part, and one that stands in direct conflict with the Muppets’ musical track record.
Worked: Joe The Legal Weasel
New Muppet characters can be hit or miss for diehard fans, but Joe the Legal Weasel is perhaps one of the best new characters introduced to the world of the Muppets in decades.
With an incredibly dry sense of humor, an adorable costume, and one of the funniest laughs in all of Muppet history, Joe is always a welcome presence whenever he arrives on the scene, even if he’s just speaking legalese.
Definitely Didn’t: Sidelining Beloved Muppets
Muppets Now features plenty of Muppet characters very prominently, for better or worse. But in its fixation on certain puppets, it either completely omits or largely ignores some of the franchise’s most beloved players.
Fozzie Bear and Gonzo the Great are almost entirely absent from the series, with Fozzie only appearing in a couple of sketches and Gonzo assigned to a pointless camping plot. But perhaps worst of all is the glaring omission of the beloved Rizzo the Rat, whose girlfriend Yolanda appears but without once mentioning the snarky little rodent.
Worked: All Things Pepe
If there’s anything to be learned from Muppets Now‘s first season, it’s that the series is never better than when it’s focusing on the zany, madcap antics of Pepe the King Prawn.
The six-episode series is never funnier than when the current sketch is “Pepe’s Unbelievable Game Show.” From his tendency to make up rules that even he doesn’t know at the drop of the hat, to the way he calls poor Scooter “Scooper,” to his stylish and snazzy little suit, Muppets Now is at its best when focusing on the tiniest players.
Definitely Didn’t: The New Kermit Voice
Some parts of Muppets Now are possible to gloss over, but one glaring problem with the series— and now the Muppet franchise at large— that isn’t quite so easy to deal with is the current Kermit voice.
There was a real sea change in the Muppets world following the dismissal of Steve Whitmire in 2016, and unfortunately, the replacement puppeteer and voice actor Matt Vogel just isn’t living up to the famous role. Kermit’s voice is both deeper and somehow also whinier, which not a good combo. It may not be easy being green, but it’s not easy being a Kermit fan right now either.
