To: Matthew Soberman, May 13, 2016
From: Matthew Soberman, February 3, 2026
Hey, bud. How are you? Don’t worry, I already know the answer. You’re not happy because ABC just cancelled The Muppets after one season. And you’re feeling pretty frustrated that a show that actually tried to do something new with the characters you love failed just as it was starting to find its footing. And you’re starting to feel angry at the general public that didn’t tune in, so you’ve posted something on the ToughPigs Forum to get these emotions out:
“As I’m reading more and more reactions to the show’s cancellation, one recurring comment is really starting to tick me off…
‘Disney should stop goofing around and just remake The Muppet Show. No new title, no new format, just The Muppet Show. That’s all we want to see.’
Now I like to think I’m a pretty open-minded guy, but that has to be one of the stupidest ideas I’ve heard…
Now don’t get me wrong: nostalgia can be a great creative tool: it’s how we got stuff like Grease and Back to the Future. But lately, I’m seeing a disturbing trend of lazy nostalgia. Instead of letting the past influence the creative works of today, studios seem content with letting the past take over completely. Forgive me, but I’d rather see the next Muppet Show, not the last one… Reviving The Muppet Show would be the signal that the powers that be have given up.
As far as I’m concerned, The Muppet Show ended in 1981. I’d like to see it stay that way.”
Now, I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve got some shocking news for you: I just watched a brand-new episode of The Muppet Show. Granted, it’s only a special, but I’ll tell you, it’s pretty darn good. Now I get your concern, and you’re not wrong about mainstream culture’s current arrested development, but there was one small thing you didn’t take into account: that a revival doesn’t have to completely be the same old thing. There is room for creativity and new ideas in the format. It can be all at once comforting and not just a “greatest hits” show. I know it because I’ve seen it.
It helps quite a bit that there are creatives out there that happen to care about the Muppets just as deeply as you do. (Well, maybe not to the point of assembling a playlist of “Weird Al” Yankovic songs that The Electric Mayhem should cover, but they do care a lot.) And they like coming up with new stuff too! Not only do we get classics like “Muppet Labs,” but some fresh takes on the show’s format. It looks and feels like The Muppet Show, but it’s not a carbon copy, and that’s to its benefit. We also get to see some characters get the spotlight that don’t always get showcased. It feels both classic and innovative.
Another asset is the guest stars they have. 2016 Matthew, do you know Sabrina Carpenter? From Girl Meets World? She goes on to bigger things. (Also, you may want to buy stock in espresso machines.) And it turns out she’s a natural fit for the Muppets! She’s funny, but also knows when to complement her costars. Of course, she spends most of her time with Miss Piggy, and the two play off of each other well. I suppose that’ll happen when divas work together. But we also get other celebrity cameos from Seth Rogen and Maya Rudolph. Rudolph in particular has a memorable moment that nearly steals the whole show.
But gosh, it does feel just so darn good to be back in the Muppet Theatre again, more than I ever thought it would be. This isn’t a perfect special, as not every joke lands and some of the bits feel rushed to fit the runtime, but that also leaves me wanting more. There are rumors that this might become a series, and if this is an indication of the level of quality we could get on a regular basis, it makes me hopeful that this could satisfy both those who want the familiar and those who want something new.
So 2016 Matthew, I want you to know that your worst fears about The Muppet Show returning didn’t come to pass. This doesn’t mean they’ve given up. Far from it! There’s no laziness to be found here, just an overall love and affection for the Muppets and the series that made them superstars. Is there nostalgia? Sure, but that’s not always a bad thing. This is the good kind of nostalgia, one that takes what we already know and runs with it into the 21st century. And for a project like this, that’s a dream come true.
(That said, some of your other worst fears do come true in 2016. But the Muppets persist, so at least you have that to look forward to.)
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by Matthew Soberman – [email protected]
