Finally, we can all stop pretending that literally anything Muppets related has been “great” over the past 20 years.
Let’s all take a deep breath, shake your sillies out and finally admit that the dewy-eyed Muppets film with Jason Segal was at best fun, and at worst maudlin nostalgia-core. Let’s finally admit that putting The Muppets in an Office-esque sitcom was good on paper, and it never really clicked until it was too late. And finally, let’s all admit we barely watched any of the Disney+ shows they tried with The Muppets. (Although you really should watch Muppets Haunted Mansion, it’s an absolute gem).
As a collective we’ve tried so hard since the turn of the century to will The Muppets back into the pop culture zeitgeist. We want the younger generations to experience the pure unmitigated joy we had watching Kermit and company getting things started on the original Muppet Show. We want our kids to sing “Rainbow Connection” and “Moving Right Along.” We want them to watch the crew in London trying to solve the mystery of who stole the fabulous baseball diamond. And most importantly we want them to be filled with the Christmas spirit as we get misty-eyed listening to Gonzo say, “Tiny Tim WHO DID NOT DIE.”
As of January 4, 2026, we no longer need to will The Muppets back into the spotlight. No longer do we need to do mental gymnastics to convince ourselves that putting the Muppets in something mediocre is actually great. This is because Executive Producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg did the thing everyone has been asking the gods of entertainment to do for years — just remake the Goddamn Muppet Show.
Why it took this long to do just this is a mystery onto itself, but Rogen and Goldberg went back to the playbook that Jim Henson cooked up 50 years ago. They stuck to the core tenents of what made the original series so beloved. They put Kermit the Frog, Missy Piggy, Fozzie Bear, the Great Gonzo and the gang back in The Muppets Theater and had them be silly for 30 minutes with a celebrity guest. That’s honestly it. There were songs, there was sketch comedy, there was humor that flew over the littles ones heads, and enough good-natured fun to warm your … and want more.
Sabrina Carpenter was the perfect celebrity for this special/pilot. She is one of the biggest pop stars in the world, and she is renowned for his sense of humor. Go watch her on Saturday Night, watch any of her music videos, or concert clips and it’s evident that the former Disney kid is always down for fun. As expected, Carpenter was able to do a number with one of her songs (“Manchild” with Henrietta and the other chickens), a cover (“Islands in the Stream” with Kermit and Miss Piggy) and do multiple backstage bits. Her performance in the backstage segments felt wholly sincere, and deftly clever (especially her joke about not minding kinks). She and Miss Piggy had a dynamite chemistry, and here’s hoping we can see more of these two sharing screen time in the future.
Outside of Carpenter, The Muppet Show special leaned into everything that worked about the original. Kermit remained the embattled producer of the show. Fozzie was the emotional core of the series, while still failing to land his jokes. Gonzo did a stunt that went horribly awry. There’s the lampooning of a piece of pop culture (Bridgerton), and the company came together despite everything falling a part to close the show out with a heartfelt song.
This version of The Muppet Show was an honest, sincere homage to an iconic series that captured the hearts and minds of millions. There was no cynicism or cloying nostalgia being weaponized to line the pocket of producers. This felt true, honest and heartfelt — and that’s when The Muppets are at their best.
Let’s hope this version of the misadventures of Kermit and his friends finds its footing within the world of Disney+, and we see more of it in the future.
