The Muppets

Post by **Daniel** » December 18th, 2008, 4:24 pm

I saw it last night and was dissapointed. Maybe I was expecting too much, but it was just boring.

I'm not a big Muppet fan though, but I agree on Christmas Carol, Ben - love it!

Post by **Ben** » December 18th, 2008, 5:07 pm

Apparently it drew the biggest audience share for the whole evening! At least that's good news for The Muppets and the prospects for future projects.

WE NEED A NEW MOVIE!!

Post by **Randall** » December 18th, 2008, 10:36 pm

We watched The Muppet Christmas Carol this past weekend. It's one of my favorite movies of all time. Brian Henson and Paul Williams did fantastic work. It's just beautiful.

Post by **Neal** » December 18th, 2008, 11:42 pm

Shoot I forgot about it! I'm going to search for a re-airing.

Post by **Josh** » December 19th, 2008, 12:27 am

I finally saw A Muppet Christmas: Letters to Santa and really enjoyed it. I feel it's the best Muppet project Kirk R. Thatcher has directed. (While I like It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie, I think the film has too many pop culture references.)

As for The Muppet Christmas Carol, I love that movie! I wish it was on television often, for more people to discover. I'm puzzled why it isn't on at least a couple of times during ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas.

Ben wrote:Isn't there a new Muppet Show styled series that pairs the troupe with the current Disney Channel stars? I read something about that playing on a digital channel here that I don't get, but it sounded interesting.

I believe you're thinking about Studio DC: Almost Live, a series of specials that aired on Disney Channel. Here is some info on the show.

You might also be interested in the Muppet videos that are at YouTube and Disney.com.

Ben wrote:WE NEED A NEW MOVIE!!

In an interview with Collider, Nick Stoller stated that he and Jason Segel are waiting to hear Disney's thoughts on the script they submitted. I hope we get a new Muppet movie soon.

Post by **Ben** » December 19th, 2008, 4:14 pm

Funny thing about MCC (and M Treasure Island apparently)...it seems "director" Brian Henson was off set for most of those films and they were actually handled by David Lane, previously of Thunderbirds and the like. He's credited for something else, but when I met him he told me that most of those two films were down to him while Henson Jr was off "partying"...

Just what I heard...

Post by **Randall** » December 19th, 2008, 9:36 pm

Interesting....!

Post by **EricJ** » December 20th, 2008, 3:44 pm

Ben wrote:I obviously didn't see the special, being stuck here in the old country, but we just watched The Muppets Christmas Carol last week again and I'm doggone if it's perhaps not the best of all the Muppet films. Gets me every time.

"Carol" was one of the Penultimate Great Hurrahs for an "old-school" Muppet film, with Jerry Juhl script, Paul Williams songs, and Brian Henson involvement, before the Let It Be Beatles-breakup that was "Muppets From Space"

(There was also "Treasure Island", but "Carol" was their first movie for Disney, and not as much Eisner-era corrupting influence.)

As for "Letters" and the Disney Channel series, it's also a "last" of sorts, as Bob Iger has been trying to determine whether or not to keep or ditch the company's "inheritance" of Michael Eisner's great Ahab-obsession, which just hasn't been bringing back returns:
Every new Henson owner has to play with their toy once, and they wanted to see whether the reason "Muppet Wizard of Oz" didn't pan out was that they didn't have Lisa Henson working on it under their own production company...If that experiment fails, the grants may be cut off.
(Or, it could just be both parties' apology for that "Very Muppet Christmas" thing that hasn't been back since.)

Post by **Josh** » December 20th, 2008, 6:15 pm

EricJ wrote:Every new Henson owner has to play with their toy once, and they wanted to see whether the reason "Muppet Wizard of Oz" didn't pan out was that they didn't have Lisa Henson working on it under their own production company...

I think the time slot for Muppet Wizard of Oz is the sole reason the movie didn't have decent ratings. It aired on the Friday evening in which many families were seeing Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie and A Muppet Christmas were scheduled better, in my opinion, and found larger ratings.

By the way, It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie is airing tonight on WGN America, if anyone here would like to see it.

Post by **Ben** » December 20th, 2008, 6:26 pm

Very Merry Muppet Movie also gets perenniel playing over here too. It's on this week on the BBC.

Muppet Wizard Of Oz was also just not very good, Josh, and badly lost its way in the second half. They need to get back away from the book based thing and make something original.

Post by **Neal** » December 20th, 2008, 6:59 pm

Hm, doesn't seem like this one's re-airing in the next two weeks. Darnit... wanted to see it!

Post by **Josh** » December 21st, 2008, 12:16 pm

Ben wrote:Muppet Wizard Of Oz was also just not very good, Josh, and badly lost its way in the second half. They need to get back away from the book based thing and make something original.

Oh, I completely agree with you that Muppet Wizard Of Oz is not very good. I just meant that I feel its terrible ratings were due to a bad time slot. I shouldn't have written 'sole reason,' though, as I'm sure mixed reviews also contributed to the lackluster ratings.

Post by **Dacey** » December 21st, 2008, 12:19 pm

I actually liked this special. It was pretty cute.

Didn't care much for "The Muppet Wizard of Oz," though.

Post by **Phil** » December 22nd, 2008, 8:52 am

I watched it online at www.nbc.com

I don't know how long it'll be up.

Post by **Josh** » December 22nd, 2008, 6:11 pm

According to The Muppet Newsflash, A Muppets Christmas will be online until December 31.