NBC has its flashy new variety show starring Neil Patrick Harris. FOX owns a duo of beloved men in Rob Lowe and John Stamos. CBS continues the impenetrable drama NCIS. Your Tuesday nights are going to start off fantastic no matter what, right?
Wrong. Nothing here looks attracting. Whether they're dwelling in the past or trying too hard with glamor, no network seems to have the perfect combination of pizzazz and common sense to attract the modern primetime viewer at 8:00 PM EST on a Tuesday.
But out of the blue, a champion stands out. ABC, the most popular cable channel last season, has put forth a winner, with a shade of green and the smell of bacon. The rejuvenated Muppets have come onto the scene once again with their own 30 minute show, as their comeback continues after two major motion pictures pushed them back into the spotlight over the past few years.
This show has been purported as the 'adult' version of the Muppets, implying that it's not safe for children. This couldn't be further from the truth. The Muppets perfectly blends the charm of the characters that we've grown the love with some humorous overtones. The closest we've seen so far to the show being too 'edgy' for kids are quotes from Kermit the Frog including the word 'sexy' when referring to his former flame Miss Piggy, or saying ''My life is a bacon-wrapped hell."
Are those terms and quotes too much for our kids compared to the rest of the things they could hear in the world we live in? We think not. With the balance between cute humor and belly-laugh humor, the Muppets may have something going on here.
Set in an office-type atmosphere, Kermit The Frog manages a team of writers/stuntmen/makeup artists and more for a late night show called 'Up Late With Miss Piggy'. With multiple story-lines mixed together, including the ongoing feud between Kermit and Miss Piggy, Kermit's new girlfriend that also happens to be a pig, Fozzie the Bear's human love interests, Gonzo's lack of talent as a writer, and a slew of other intricacies, 'The Muppets' turns back to what we most love about them: the chaos.
What other show can you find racial slander against bears? Where else can you hear about how Elizabeth Banks ruined one of America's most well-known relationships (between Kermit and Miss Piggy)? In what universe can you delight in watching a deranged, red 'thing' (also known as Animal) almost ruin a performance by Imagine Dragons?
The Muppets is where the fun is now on Tuesday nights. If the writers can continually spring chaotic twists at us without getting too childish, or too grotesque, keeping the family enjoyment alive, we may have a long-term worldwide hit before our eyes.
It's not easy being green, but you can be sure that the Alphabet Network will do their best to let this show sprout wings, or in Gonzo's case, take off in a cannon into the stars.
