As 1979’s Muppet Movie made clear, and the Muppets’ career post-Henson has made doubly clear, Hollywood can be a rough place. Gigs have been sparse for Kermit and friends this past decade, even with the boost from powerful new owners Disney MegaProductions Inc. It’s been five whole years since their last major job, a short-lived 2015 mockumentary series on ABC.
But with the advent of streaming comes new possibilities. The felt menagerie is going to try this again with Muppets Now, a weekly improv series on Disney+ starting later this month. “Improv” here means the same thing it does in stand-up…they’re going to make everything up as they go and see where it takes them. Hey, what do they have to lose?
Video conferencing may be the trend these days (and also a necessity), but the Muppets were doing it before it was cool, as you’ll see in this new trailer “dated” January 14. Muppets Now has officially been greenlit and they’ve virtually gathered to discuss their plans. There’s just one problem…the looming shadow of authority.
It’s not just Sam the Eagle giving them hassles this time, it’s a newcomer from Corporate referred to only as “Joe From Legal.” Joe has even taken over the official Muppets Twitter account, posting gems like “Please only refer to this as a “SPECIAL LOOK” at the creation of #MuppetsNow. The phrase “behind the curtain” implies both a curtain and the existence of something special behind it. Legally, we cannot encourage looking behind, under, around, or near curtains.” Joe is such a buzzkill, the hackers today didn’t even want to bother breaking into the Muppets account.
They may not sound the same — Kermit is on his third actor right now — but even Wrong-Sounding Muppets can be entertaining if given decent material. Muppets Now premieres July 31 on Disney+, with new episodes arriving every Friday afterward.