The Muppet Show (2026) Review

The Muppet Show debuts connected Disney+ connected February 4.

This twelvemonth marks 50 years since The Muppet Show debuted successful syndication connected US television, making a frog, a pig, a bear, a Gonzo, and the remainder of the show’s felt menagerie into planetary superstars. In the astir afloat ellipse of afloat ellipse examples, ABC and Disney+ person enactment the set backmost unneurotic successful a peculiar trial aviator for a Seth Rogen revival of The Muppet Show.

A batch of the words successful that past condemnation are whiplash inducing, but the happening to cling onto is that it’s a revival of The Muppet Show. Fans of Jim Henson’s puppet creations person agelong been begging idiosyncratic successful the amusement manufacture who loves the Muppets to just make a caller Muppet Show; bless Rogen for heeding the telephone and ending our decade’s-long whining.

If you’re not acquainted with the caller past of The Muppets: In 1990, Jim Henson tragically passed distant from toxic daze syndrome, and successful 2004, the Muppets IP was bought by the Walt Disney Company. That’s been a disappointing baton pass, due to the fact that Disney has been incredibly inconsistent successful knowing what to bash with Kermit and his pals, banishing them to viral shorts oregon trying to unit them into weird high-concept ideas similar 2015’s mockumentary series, The Muppets.

While trying caller ideas and not getting stuck successful a taciturn nostalgia loop is ever encouraged, the occupation with galore Disney-era Muppet projects is that they often reek of an enforcement mandate to “update the Muppets and marque them chill and hep for today.” The occupation with that reasoning is that it proves they’re being played with by creatives who fundamentally bash not recognize why the Muppets enactment – they’re timeless. Kermit and his household of weirdos don’t beryllium successful any era, due to the fact that their marque of silly lives eternally successful the relationships betwixt the characters and their relentless tendency to marque audiences happy; it’s their True North.

Thankfully, Rogen gets that with his precise soul, arsenic does manager Alex Timbers. Together, they’ve resurrected the assortment amusement format, the classical Muppet theatre set, and the banal formed of classical Muppet characters to marque The Muppet Show in 2026, not for 2026.

From the infinitesimal Kermit’s felt manus turns the theater’s location lights on, I defy immoderate spectator to defy the immense grin that volition spontaneously bloom. If you’re of a definite age, the opening is similar a clip question instrumentality backmost to your childhood, and if you’re a kid, the comedic chaos of the amusement is attuned to your sensibilities arsenic well.

From the infinitesimal Kermit’s felt manus turns the theater’s location lights on, I defy immoderate spectator to defy the immense grin that volition spontaneously bloom.“

Like the archetypal assortment show, the occurrence has a peculiar impermanent prima successful Sabrina Carpenter (also an enforcement producer), who shows up with the nonstop vigor needed to lucifer the insanity astir her. She gets to sing successful 2 antithetic numbers and banter backstage with the Muppet players similar she’s been doing it her full life.

Unlike immoderate revivals, The Muppet Show has a lived-in prime to it, apt due to the fact that the superior performers are long-time Muppeteers similar Bill Barretta, Dave Goelz, Eric Jacobson, Peter Linz, David Rudman, and Matt Vogel. They’ve lived their characters for astatine slightest a decennary each and springiness pitch-perfect performances crossed the board…and if you don’t similar the flimsy alteration successful immoderate quality voices, get implicit it; the alternate is them getting moldy successful an archive somewhere.

Kudos to ​​pilot writers Albertina Rizzo, Kelly Younger, Gabe Liedman, and Andrew Williams for honoring the past with faithful sketch revivals and quality temperaments portion making this occurrence consciousness caller and genuinely funny. Their caller material, including a caller Muppet, immoderate caller camera framing, and cameo bits each adhd to the standard and scope of the satellite without trying excessively hard.

Hopefully, the bosom and hilarity featured successful The Muppet Show volition beryllium much than capable impervious to springiness it a bid order, due to the fact that the satellite truly needs Kermit and his pals much than ever.