So what did you think of the new Muppets?

[enyawd72]

I thought it was okay...I had a few chuckles. Definitely more adult themed. Not sure about the "real world" aspect they're going for.

Something about the whole production seemed...off. Will give it a few more eps and see if it gels, but I have a feeling it's not gonna be around long.

[HardyGirl]

Well, I didn't watch it, (I was on a plane heading home), but there's a mother's group that's up in arms about it. They say it's too suggestive and too adult. It's not the Muppets we grew up with. If that's the case, they should probably put it on a later time slot, so it isn't on when kids can watch it. I don't think I'd really wanna watch adult themed Muppets anyway.

I wonder what Jim Hensen (RIP) would think?

[emeraldknight47]

Struggled through watching it. I guess I'm just so used to hearing Jim Henson and Frank Oz doing characters that the new voices kind of gave me a disjointed experience watching the show. I, too, am not a big fan of the Muppet interaction with the "real" world. It somehow pollutes and taints what always seemed wholesome, innocent and entertaining about The Muppets. I mean Fozzie "dating" a human girl and said human girlfriend's father even intimating a sexual relationship seemed not only totally weird, but also totally wrong. Put The Muppets back in their slightly shabby playhouse with visiting guest stars and maybe--maybe--I'll give it another try. In its current incarnation, thanks, but no thanks. As to what Jim Henson might be thinking---well, I'm sure he would likely be as unhappy and uncharmed as I am...

[huedell]

Struggled through watching it. I guess I'm just so used to hearing Jim Henson and Frank Oz doing characters that the new voices kind of gave me a disjointed experience watching the show. I, too, am not a big fan of the Muppet interaction with the "real" world. It somehow pollutes and taints what always seemed wholesome, innocent and entertaining about The Muppets. I mean Fozzie "dating" a human girl and said human girlfriend's father even intimating a sexual relationship seemed not only totally weird, but also totally wrong. Put The Muppets back in their slightly shabby playhouse with visiting guest stars and maybe--maybe--I'll give it another try. In its current incarnation, thanks, but no thanks. As to what Jim Henson might be thinking---well, I'm sure he would likely be as unhappy and uncharmed as I am...

Can't agree with this at all.

The old show had Miss Piggy macking on male human after male human---sexual innuendo ran RAMPANT. But it was the 1970s.

Heck, the pilot episode's title was "Sex And Violence"---that gives you an idea on what Jim and Frank were REALLY thinking regarding the "tone" of a Muppet-populated show.

I thought it was okay...I had a few chuckles. Definitely more adult themed. Not sure about the "real world" aspect they're going for.

Something about the whole production seemed...off. Will give it a few more eps and see if it gels, but I have a feeling it's not gonna be around long.

That's pretty much my review.

As an adult watching the classic 1970s Muppet shows (and despite being a big fan), I still see those shows as hit & miss too. The main difference I see personally with this current incarnation is it's ambitious attempt to traverse the different tones inherent in the mockumentary aspect when they should be concerned about the writing. I want to laugh more. I know they could do better, but they seem hung up on this wide spectrum of filming techniques.

Speaking of the writing---I think anyone criticizing the show, saying it's more "adult" than the classic show isn't being fair. The old show was packed with the same level of innuendo and "adult" humor that kids couldn't see even if they were looking for it--- albeit the original show being from a different era where the audience overall was more prudish. The country has grown since the 1970s and modern family programming has to grow with it.

I think though, the main problem that overshadows everything despite my personal "laugh meter" on this particular debut episode, is that their main "watching" audience (while I agree it should ultimately be a more "family" audience) is, at this moment, a more nostalgic audience. The majority of this audience wants the Muppets to be edgier in their humor, yet there's a huge contingent almost as big who want the Muppets to "stay as they were" with no modernization.

Meanwhile, the edgier 40-somethings and the 20 and 30 something newcomers will be turned off by anything too "sweet"---and they'll also be turned off by mediocre writing--- regardless of if the show's humor is edgier or not.

If it goes off the air sooner than later, it's a shame because the show is unique and needs time to find it's audience, and vice versa....not to mention, the characters are classic, and it's a shame to see a show with such classic characters suffer mainly due to that it's a "hard nut to crack" to produce just the right tone for the show.

The thing that made the 1970s Muppet Show such a big hit, unfortunately is Muppets 2015's greatest enemy: Back in the 70s "kid shows for adults" were coming into their own and the audience was easier to contain and please. But a show like this in 2015 with roots in the 1970s is almost a full conflict of interests.

It's the same thing that makes a show like The Munsters or Batman (1966) classic nostalgia but a huge challenge to market as a new show for a new audience. It's either nostalgic reruns for shows like that, or face the big challenge that Muppets is facing now. Good luck trying to figure out how to make shows like that work today without turning them into something probably TOO edgy ala The Simpsons or something. I wouldn't want to see that. There has to be a line drawn SOMEwhere between an actual Muppets 2015, and what Robot Chicken does with the Muppets. It IS the Muppets after all.

Hopefully the Muppets will find that elusive "balance" before it's cancelled. Till then: "Good luck Muppets"!

[Hedji]

I haven't enjoyed the Muppets since Henson's death. Quite honestly, I think I'm more of a Sesame Street guy anyway. Ernie and Bert segments are some of the finest sketch comedy, for children or adults. Oz and Henson together were gold, and they never fail to get belly laughs out of me.

[Earth 2 Chris]

I forgot this was on. I should have set up the DVR. Sigh.

The original Muppet show was pretty adult, they were just smart enough to veil it more. Kids got puppets, adults got stuff that went over the kids' heads.

Chris

[Boshek]

I love the Muppets! The new show was okay. I am really worried that ABC will pull the plug from the negative reviews.

[MIB41]

I saw the commercials for it, but decided not to watch it because, quite honestly, it just sounded like a bad idea. Some shows work as much for the premise, as the era they were released in. In my mind, the Muppets TV show will forever be a 70's product. We have to remember this came out around the same time when Starsky & Hutch debuted (which had crime bosses using candy stores as fronts for their syndicates while they drank warm milk). Starsky & Hutch was considered edgy material in 1976. So the sensibilities of the 70's are completely lost on a modern audience in 2015. I do agree the Muppets were probably pretty adult for their day, which is why so much of that gets lost in translation through the years. Now it looks quite innocent. But so does Starsky & Hutch. So having ANY expectation for a reboot to function as it's nearly 40 year old predecessor is probably not a realistic expectation. But that's also why I didn't watch it. For me, the Muppet Show is like watching Gilligan's Island. You only get away with that once. It's as much about nostalgia as it is the charm of the characters. I'm not interested in a new interpretation since I don't feel a strong connection to the liberal tendencies of today's generation. This is not your Dad's Muppets. Hence I'll pass.

[johnnystorm]

I thought there were a few funny parts, but the "Office" style format is wearing out. This seems like someone at ABC said we should do yet another version of Modern Family, we havent tried puppets yet...
I'll give it a few episodes, but it's up against tough competition...Flash, NCIS, Scream Queens...of course ABC airs things 80 times a week so...

[rykerw1701]

I liked the format and the concept of how they wanted to bring the show to 2015. It's certainly a "me too" Modern Family or The Office format, as has been stated, but I could see where that would work. The recent movie went this way too, and I liked that.

My problem wasn't the approach, it was that it wasn't particularly funny. But it was the first episode, and the series needs a chance to find its legs. Or was that a pun? My nostalgia eyes will give it a couple more chances.

[Hedji]

^Tom's right. It was a product of its time, when the popular format was... Variety Shows. Which was the perfect vehicle for Henson to try out little sketches and avant guarde absurdities.

[palitoy]

I think a lot of the outrage is out of control, my wife watched it with the kids and wasn't offended or bothered by it's content.

Me? I just don't really care, loved the muppets as a kid and still pop on the Alice Cooper/Vincent Price ones now and then but it's not something I needed back in my life.

[El Hombre Nuclear]

I liked the original as a kid, but can't offer an opinion on the new one (didn't catch it).

However, all this talk of puppets and wholesome '70s variety shows is giving me nightmarish flashbacks of the Mandrell Sisters...

[Nostalgiabuff]

no interest in it, like Brian said, loved them as a kid. as an adult I couldn't care less

[PNGwynne]

I enjoyed it with reservations; as some have noted here, it needs time to find its legs. Will it have that chance, IDK. I wasn't put off by the humor, I just wanted it to be funnier in general. It had some slapstick, absurdity, and cleverness I associate with the franchise, though.

I described it to a friend as "The Muppets meets Larry Sanders in the style of The Office." I don't think it's a bad approach, I liked the shift from variety show to late-night type show.