"The Muppet Show is back! We need this, don't we? We need them. The TV show ended in 1981, yet decades later, memes of Kermit, Miss Piggy, Animal et al still circulate. We give their movies Oscars. Their version of A Christmas Carol is a non-negotiable tradition for anyone with sense. Jim Henson's furry anarchists bring us together like few things can."
"In an 1810 essay, German poet Heinrich von Kleist argued that puppets demonstrate pure grace: a weightless unself-consciousness that humans long for but never achieve. He was talking about marionettes, suspended from strings. Yet Muppets are hand puppets; extensions of a body. They have weight. As for grace, have you seen how Kermit moves? His arms flap, and he bounces vertically, while moving forwards. It's hard to imagine a less efficient walk. That frog, he silly. That's why we love them."
"Do we not, too, know ourselves to be odd, hapless psychological caricatures? Do our plans not also lead to flaming wreckage? Do we not long to put on a vaudeville-style variety show in a classic theatre? Which brings us to the 2026 Muppet Show (Disney+, from Wednesday 4 February), with executive producer Seth Rogen on board. It's a one-off, but could lead to a whole new series, the trailer reveals, depending on how tonight goes."
The Muppet Show returns in 2026 as a Disney+ one-off featuring Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Animal and other classic characters with Seth Rogen as executive producer. The programme recreates the vaudeville-style variety format built around attempts to mount a theatre show that repeatedly go awry. The Muppets' enduring cultural presence appears in memes, films, and holiday traditions such as The Muppet Christmas Carol. An 1810 argument praising puppet 'grace' is contrasted by the Muppets' deliberate physical awkwardness, exemplified by Kermit's floppy, inefficient movements. The characters trade self-aware farce about fame, guest stars, and production chaos.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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