Plot: Scooter rushes to make his delivery deadlines and upload the brand-new Muppet series for streaming. They are due now, and he’ll need to navigate whatever obstacles, distractions, and complications the rest of the Muppet gang throws at him.
Review: The Muppets are an iconic creation that has survived decades of popularity. After a string of hits in the 1970s and 1980s, Jim Henson's creations were relegated to TV movies and mediocre fare for much of the 1990s. After being acquired by Disney in 2004, the ensemble cast of characters received an acclaimed feature film reboot in 2011. THE MUPPETS was a hit and won an Academy Award for Best Song. Since then, they have appeared in a less well-received sequel (MUPPETS MOST WANTED) and a short-lived ABC sitcom. Now, Disney is putting the brand to use on its streaming service with Muppets Now. Touted as an improvisational and unscripted comedy series, Muppets Now is a perfect fit for Disney+ and has enough comedy to appeal to both kids and adult fans of the characters.
Having seen four of the six episodes of Muppets Now's first season, I can say there are many more good things than bad about this show. Firstly, Muppets Now is not a long-form narrative like THE MUPPETS or any of the other feature films. This series harkens back to the classic days of The Muppet Show and is comprised of skits and musical numbers peppered with celebrity guests. The biggest difference in this new incarnation is that the segments are heavily influenced by social media by turning the skits into spoofs of YouTube shows. Before you groan at the idea, it is not much different than what The Muppets have been releasing on YouTube for years, just cut together under the wraparound story that Scooter is trying to upload each episode and is met with various obstacles.
I have always enjoyed The Muppets over the years, but they were never destination viewing. The comedy is fairly safe and it is often hard to not associate it with Sesame Street or pure children's programming. Muppets Now is not very different. Parents can easily enjoy this with their kids without worrying about inappropriate content and there is a consistent message of positivity throughout. That being said, like classic Muppets movies, there are multiple jokes that will fly over the heads of younger viewers while making observant adults chuckle.
The celebrity guests are also quite varied and include RuPaul, Linda Cardellini, Seth Rogen, Danny Trejo, Taye Diggs, Aubrey Plaza, as well as celebrity chefs Roy Choi and Giuseppe Losavio and people off the street. I did notice over the four episodes I watched that some guests, namely Diggs and Cardellini, make multiple appearances. Many of the segments appear over several episodes and after a few times through the gags begin to get stale. I never tired of Kermit's one on one interviews which allow for several ways to incorporate lesser known Muppets into the mix. Oh, and for fans of the recent feature films, newest Muppet member Walter does show up.
It was also very noticeable that Kermit the Frog is no longer voiced by Jim Henson's chosen successor, Steve Whitmire. New actor Eric Vogel doesn't sound quite the same and it bothered me the entire time I watched. Is Muppets Now doomed because of this change? No, but it does signal another way in which the Muppets of old are not necessarily the Muppets now. These are still fun characters but they also feel more and more like artifacts from a bygone era. This series is still a fun and light watch that won't require much of your attention and you may even chuckle, but it is mostly harmless. Not as innovative or original as The Muppet Show and nowhere near as entertaining as THE MUPPETS, Muppets Now is an enjoyable time-waster perfect for all ages.
Muppets Now premieres July 31st on Disney+.