The Muppet Show: Difference between revisions

 

 

On the Muppet Show tonight!"'' }}

 

The show became so popular that in at least one U.S. market, two stations broadcast different episodes of ''The Muppet Show'' in back-to-back time slots! The show was never actually cancelled; instead, Henson and company decided to end it so that they could work on films, ''[[The Muppet Movie]]'' in particular.

 

On the Muppet Show tonight!'' }}

 

Cheerful, cool-headed Kermit the Frog was the emcee-slash-production manager-slash-eye of the storm for this truly 'far out' all-puppet [[Variety Show]]. The setting was a tiny rundown downtown theatre and the tone was deliberately reminiscent of old-style vaudeville, where anything could happen and usually did. Other major members of the troupe included diva Miss Piggy, comedian Fozzie Bear, piano-playing Rowlf the Dog, daredevil performance artist Gonzo the Great, and Scooter the eager "go-fer".

 

To introduce to you:'' }}

 

Recurring sketches included Veterinarian's Hospital, starring Rowlf ("the continuing stoooooooory of a quack who's gone to the dogs"); Pigs in Space ([[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|yep, pretty much]]); Muppet Labs, with Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his perpetually terrified assistant Beaker ("Now your family can be protected from the heartbreak of gorilla invasion!"); cooking segments with the game-but-goofy Swedish Chef; and the disaster-prone 'Muppet News Flash'. Piano-playing Doctor Teeth and his Electric Mayhem -- laid-back bassist and singer Floyd Pepper, groovy guitarist Janice, silent saxophonist Zoot and drummer Animal -- were the house band. And sitting high above it all in the balcony, in prime position to volley insults, were [[Sour Supporter|codger hecklers]] [[Statler and Waldorf]]:

 

To have to watch this show!'' }}

 

And it's likely that few viewers knew of the ultimate origin of "Mah Na Mah Na" , the song used in the iconic sketch of the same name -- the soundtrack of a 1968 Italian soft-core [[wikipedia:Mondo film|Mondo documentary]], ''Svezia, Inferno e Paradiso'' (''Sweden, Heaven and Hell''), where it was used as background music for a sauna scene that is remarkably tame by today's standards. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I48IXSbHsy8 Here's the track itself.] (Henson also did [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtsKfzAwGRg an earlier version] back in [[Sesame Street]]'s younger days).

 

Some stuff that goes like this!'' }}

 

Currently revived in the form of a [[Comic Book Adaptation]], ''[[The Muppet Show Comic Book]]'', and a [http://www.youtube.com/user/MuppetsStudio Youtube channel].

 

''([[Couch Gag|Gonzo plays something on his trumpet]]. [[Hilarity Ensues]], usually)'' }}

 

* [[Deadpan Snarker]]: Believe it or not, this was Kermit's original schtick.

** He's still got shades of it that pop up from time to time.

'''Kermit:''' I don't know ''why'' to thank you guys. }}

** Rizzo the Rat, after breaking out of his [[The Voiceless|Voiceless]] role, quickly revealed himself to be one.

* [[Deal with the Devil]]: In the [[Alice Cooper]] episode, there's a subplot about Cooper offering various members of the cast a contract that will give them whatever they want in return for their soul. Kermit rejects the whole thing out of hand; Miss Piggy is tempted to do it for great beauty, until she finds out what Alice Cooper considers beautiful; and Gonzo is unreservedly enthusiastic about the whole idea, but has to pass because he can't find a pen.

* [[Demoted to Extra]]: Rowlf. As head-writer Jerry Juhl pointed out, Rowlf was mostly consigned to being used in musical numbers and skits, almost completely absent from backstage [[Character Development]]. It's not that they didn't like the character, it's that Jim was busy performing Kermit, yet didn't want Rowlf recast. As a result, ideas Juhl had for developing relationships between Rowlf and Fozzie, Rowlf and Piggy, etc never came to fruition.

* [[Double Take]]: Leo Sayer's reaction when Dr Teeth explains the purpose of the line running across the floor of his dressing room.

** And in the little known Muppet special on various types of puppetry, a cow is dropped near the characters in a demonstration on how the Muppet team uses their special effects.

* [[Dying Clue]]: Played for laughs in the Liza Minnelli episode:

'''Bunsen:''' Which, I believe, is the French word for fish! }}

* [[Early Installment Weirdness]]

** And the Muppets are constantly eating each other: one of the creepier instances of this was a Muppet eating another, then singing [[Incredibly Lame Pun|"I've Got You Under My Skin"]] -- while the smaller Muppet, still alive, struggles to escape. (And occasionally takes over the song for a line or two: "I've tried so hard not to give in...")

** When [[Vincent Price]] guest-starred, one monster decided Kermit looked delicious.

'''Vincent Price''' <sprinkling salt on Kermit's leg>: Well, I'd ''like'' to help, froggie, but you ''do'' look delicious!}}

* [[Inadvertent Entrance Cue]]: Crazy Harry's appearances were usually presaged by another character making the mistake of uttering one of these.

'''Crazy Harry:''' Did somebody say, "dynamite"? (''[[Stuff Blowing Up|BOOM!]]'') }}

* [[Incessant Music Madness]]: The "Salute to All Nations" episode ends with a rendition of "It's a Small World After All" that keeps going and going and going. It can be heard in the background as Kermit does the goodbyes at the end, and then swells again, drowning out the closing theme music.

* [[Insult Backfire]]:

**

'''[[Alice Cooper]]:''' Why, thank you. }}

**

'''The Sheriff of Nottingham (Gonzo):''' Oh, you silver-tongued flatterer. }}

* [[The Intern]]: Scooter, in the first season.

* [[Its All Greek to Me]]: The Swedish Chef speaks mock-Swedish. There were several episodes between his introduction and [[The Reveal]] that he wasn't speaking real Swedish [[In-Universe]].

* [[Japanese Ranguage]]: The 'Japanese' muppets who sing "Yokohama" in the "Salute to All Nations" episode:

And the rand we berong to is gland! }}

* [[Kayfabe]]: The Muppets have a long-standing tradition in appearances outside the show and in public events. The Muppeteers performing them are never seen and the humans interact with the puppets like regular people. The Muppeteers need to have perfect improv skills in order to say unscripted lines that would be appropriate for the characters!

* [[Left the Background Music On]]: During the cowboy sketch in the [[Bob Hope]] episode.

* [[Let's See You Do Better]]: The Hal Linden episode had [[Statler and Waldorf]] run the show themselves while Kermit and Fozzie watch from the balcony.

* [[Literal Minded]]: The butt of many, ''many'' of the show's jokes.

** After a scene in which guest star Juliet Prowse dances and then artfully fades out of view:

'''Waldorf:''' Yep, that's probably how she did it! }}

** When Scooter shows up backstage with a large wooden crate:

'''Kermit:''' ''What is in it?'' }}

** C-3PO, as per the usual, in the [[Star Wars]] episode.

'''C-3PO''' ''[to Kermit]'': What shall I cover it in? }}

* [[Loads and Loads of Characters]]

* [[Only Sane Employee]]: Arguably the inspiration of the trope, as [http://bloglynch.blogspot.com/2009/06/30-rock-is-rip-off-of-muppet-show.html one blog post] humorously points out.

* [[Only Sane Man|Only Sane Frog]]: Kermit, and at times even he was [[Wild Take|just hanging on]] by his metaphorical fingernails.

'''Kermit''': Me not crazy? I hired the others. }}

* [[Orphaned Punchline]]:

* [[Security Cling]]: The Pigs in Space sketch where Link and Miss Piggy explore the alien planet Koozebane has the exaggerated leap-into-his-arms version -- but it's dashing hero Link who leaps into Piggy's arms, much to her disgust.

* [[Self-Deprecation]]: Frequent jabs at the quality of the show:

'''Kermit''' ''(deeply wounded)'': ''Second''-rate variety show! }}

** Statler and Waldorf ''exist'' for this, in-show.

* [[Signature Laugh]]: Several, most notably Statler and Waldorf's "'''DOOOHOHOHOHOHO!'''".

* [[Silly Love Songs]]: The "Robin Hood" episode includes a love scene between Robin Hood (Kermit) and Maid Marian (guest star Lynne Redgrave) in which Marian brings up the fact that he's a frog and she isn't, and he sings a song to reassure her that he loves her anyway.

Although you are not even green. }}

* [[Sketch Comedy]]

* [[Spinoff Sendoff]]: In one of the pilots, Bert and Ernie from [[Sesame Street]] show up to perform a skit, where Bert worries that their little kid's show comedy wouldn't cut it on the new show meant for older audiences.

* [[Spontaneous Human Combustion]]: Played for laughs (naturally).

* [[Statler and Waldorf]]: We have this show to thank.

* [[Stealth Pun]]: Floyd, the house band's bassist, is [[Pink Floyd|pink]].

* [[That Russian Squat Dance]]: Done by pigs in Cossack costumes.

* [[This Banana Is Armed]]: One sketch features Fozzie as an Old West-style criminal whose entire arsenal consists of fruits and vegetables.

* [[This Is Sparta]]: "PIIIIIGS. IIIIIN. SPAAAAAAAACE!"

** Also, the end of the theme song. "This. Is. What. We. Call. The. Muppet. SHOOOOOOOOW!!!!"

* [[Threat Backfire]]: Milton Berle runs afoul of this trope more than once while trying to make Statler and Waldorf stop heckling him.

'''Waldorf''': Keeping people in! }}

* [[Trash Can Band]]

* [[True Art Is Incomprehensible]]: In-universe, this is The Great Gonzo's guiding principle in his acts.

* [[Tsundere]]: Miss Piggy. Making a grand entrance dressed as Princess Leia: "Listen, Skywalker -- just go with it or I'll break you in half."

* [[Two for One Show]]

* [[Wheel-O-Feet]]: In the Don Knotts episode, there's a creature running around the Theatre -- and when he stops running, it turns out it's not just a movement illusion, he really does have a wheel of feet. In the same episode, the creature performs (appropriately) "Windmills of Your Mind (The Thomas Crown Affair Theme)" ("Like a circle in a spiral/Like a wheel within a wheel--")

* [[Who's on First?]]: When Teresa Brewer, who had a number one hit beginning "Put another nickel in / In the nickelodeon", guest-stars on the show, there's a bit that begins with Animal finding a jukebox and inserting a nickel:

''(and so on)'' }}

** A more notable example happens between Fozzie and Kermit. The duo have agreed that upon Fozzie's saying "hear" at a certain point in his act, Kermit is to rush on-stage and yell, "Good grief, the comedian's a bear!!". Except that Fozzie naturally keeps saying "''here''" throughout his routine, causing Kermit to keep rushing out before his cue. The confusion escalates until Fozzie comes up with a different prompt.

** Another cowboy-riding-aross-the-lone-prairie example is the "Four-Legged Friend" bit in the [[Roy Rogers]] episode, although this time there's two of them -- and they're riding cows.

* [[You Can Say That Again]]: At the end of the Leo Sayer episode:

'''Statler:''' Wanna bet? }}

 

----

'''Waldorf''': It looks to me like they "took that" and ran with it.<br />

'''Statler''': If only we'd done the same, eh? <br />