When JIM HENSON left us 33yrs ago today, Disney Imagineers sent this drawing

[LetMyPeopleVote]

Link to tweet

[EYESORE 9001]

1. And then the mouse devoured the frog

[LetMyPeopleVote]

17. Disney has been a decent home for the Muppets

My middle child's favorite attraction is the Muppet show at the Hollywood Studios. We have to hit that attraction every trip.

[electric_blue68]

2. I went to a Memorial Service at St John The Divine Cathedra (NYC)l. Sad, and Wonderful.

[Auggie]

3. The Muppets haven't been the same since

I thought Disney could be that one entity to capture some of the magic created by Henson and staff, but they haven't come close. Their recent effort, The Muppets Mayhem, is a disaster. No wonder Kermit is crying.

The Original Muppet Show, syndicated from 1976 to 1981, remains the standard to achieve or top.

[Tetrachloride]

5. I will disagree on The Muppet Show

I liked some 1970s Sesame Street vignettes more.

[Auggie]

7. I agree. Thanks for including ...

I’d add several appearances on Ed Sullivan too. Though to be fair, many of those were sans major cast characters like Miss Piggy, Fonzi, Swedish Chef etc that are now nearly default characters on every effort. I was looking forward to the series about the band because it would be different. Unfortunately, Disney gave it to creatives who excel in banality.

[Tetrachloride]

8. i may quote you to my LA friends on this.

[Auggie]

15. I'm not insulting all Disney Creatives. Just those that phone it in.

[Tetrachloride]

19. Also good. I do quite a bit of movie theory.

[lame54]

11. The Jason Segal version was great

[Auggie]

14. I hated it

[lame54]

16. That makes me want to check out Muppets Mayhem

[Auggie]

20. It's, uh, lame

Last edited Wed May 17, 2023, 08:30 PM - Edit history (1)

Sorry. Couldn't resist.

The Muppets work best in sketch comedy.

As noted upthread, early efforts included appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, Sesame Street, and 1976's The Muppet Show -- sketch comedy. It made them stars. Innovation, masterful puppetry, character design and characterization was Henson's focus! Quirky, quick humor, some so groan-inducing you can't help but smile. Catch The Muppet Show reruns on Disney+ and you'll see.

What doesn't work -- or is hugely challenging to make work -- was/is relationship humor among cast regulars (Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, etc) that could play out in a full 90 minute storyline or over 8 episodes or more. Jason Segal made it worse by adding pathos in his 2011 film. Only about 15 minutes is worth watching.

I like the ABC effort, Muppets 2015, because it drew upon that sketch comedy formula and was actually funny. I believe ABC didn't give it time to fully develop and cancelled it too soon.

I don't know where to start with Muppets Mayhem. I watched episode three the other night and fell asleep half-way through. Booor-ing.

[Rebl2]

4. I remember that

clearly. I believe he had been ill from something (I want to say flu or pneumonia) and died from sepsis. So sad. I just looked it up and they said he had been ill for a week and went to the doctor that prescribed aspirin. Think I would have been suing a certain doctor.

[Tetrachloride]

6. Group A Streptococcus acerbated by refusing to see a doctor

Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome

[Rebl2]

9. Okay.

What I read was sepsis. Is it the same thing? I guess he thought he would be better soon and refused going to doctor. Sad.

[Tetrachloride]

12. Actually, i don't know the difference. I take a particular emphasis

on Sesame Street.

I tried watching some recent Sesame Street but had a hard time.

[markie]

10. a bit aside but relevant...

Jim Henson's Memorial Service....

[electric_blue68]

13. Oh! "My" Cathedral! 🥰 And Harry Belefonte, too! 🧡 Lovely, ty.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

18. Thank you for posting this

That was amazing

[Mad_Dem_X]

21. I remember when I heard he had passed...

It was like a big portion of my childhood had died along with him.

[a kennedy]

22. Kermit's whole demeanor changed when Jim died.......he had the biggest heart and his son

who does the voice of Kermit just isn’t the same…..sounds kinda like him, but doesn’t come across as him. Jim Henson WAS and always will be KERMIT. 🥰 🥰 🥰

[a kennedy]

24. And dang, so sorry, after Jim died, it wasn't his son that took over the voice of Kermit it was

this guy…. Steve Whitmire.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/kermit-frog-gets-new-voice-first-time-27-years-180964041/

[Mr.Bill]

23. This was the first muppet I saw.

Rowlf on the Jimmy Dean show in 1963. I was 10.