Well, there's some hope for The Mouse yet...
The Muppets (2006)Okay, to get it out of the way,
yes, the voices aren't quite there, and haven't been for some years now. It's been noted many, many times.
Yeah, Matt Vogel's no Jim Henson, I get it... but you forget that pretty soon once you get into this special. It's nice to see a return to classic form with the old variety show, with classic skits like "Muppet Labs" interspersed with new numbers like "Pigs In Wigs" and peppy modern songs. It's wonderful to see several generations of Muppets represented here--I think I recognized nearly every one from the original series--Miss Piggy's diva pout when Sabrina Carpenter inadvertently offends her by saying her
grandparents grew up watching her, Gonzo just as goofy and uncaring for his personal safety as ever
and still voiced by original actor Dave Goelz. Having cameos by bonus guest stars is an interesting angle, though a couple of jokes are a touch morbid--nearly killing Maya Rudolf? Statler laughing off Waldorf's possible impeding heart attack?
Brrr. Maybe lose
that angle, quick. Still, I loved it, and I hope to see more of the same if this gets green-lit for a series. Yes, even after Disney XD's rank lack of respect for the
Muppet Show and two decades' worth of
misfires and
outright flops, we still love these irascible little guys. The moment Kermit asks the ensemble backstage, in all earnestness, "Do you trust me?", it isn't just his friends and fellow actors he puts the question to; it's us as the audience. Do you trust Vogel and this new generation of actors and writers to do right by The Muppets?
Yes. Yes, we do.
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