Giles

I know that this posting is after the fact/show, but question, how did this show wind up on NBC, I thought the Muppet's were an ABC/Disney thing now?

as for the show, it was cute, and it was shot in beautiful hidef. The cast was fun as well as the humour (Fozzie's jokes) Richard Griffith as Santa was kind of creepy. Seeing Jesse L. Martin sing is always a treat.

starman9000

I enjoyed it and will grab it on DVD to happily add to my ridiculously long Muppet/Holiday collection.

Chew

The Henson magic and humor is long gone.

But, I still think this was as close as we've gotten in quite a while. The performances (eg the first Scooter appearance) still don't have that easy flow like they used to, but it seems like the voices are getting better.

I loved seeing some of the Muppets we haven't in a long time (Dr Teeth and the band, for example).

Pepe cracks me up.

Giles

I loved Kermit's reaction to Zoot's 'Happy Hannuaka' and Janice's trademark comment 'fer sure'

TheNightFlier

Beaker disappearing with the hot chick had us

echo725

My son is a big Sam the Eagle fan - so his cameo stating the federal mail tampering laws was cool although he was a bit upset he didnt' show up in the finale!

story

Our family used to joke that Sam the Eagle was the puppet version of my uncle.

Quack

A big step up to the last A Very Muppet Christmas Carol.....I liked the musical numbers....reminded me of the previous classics, Muppet Family Christmas, The Muppet Christmas Carol.

Chew

A 4.1/7 rating last night, it beat Pushing Daisies by more than a million viewers.

Shannon Nutt

I agree more or less.

Is Brian Henson no longer involved? I didn't see his name anywhere on the credits, but I always felt he was the reason THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL and MUPPET TREASURE ISLAND were so good.

Giles

not to sidestep the topic on hand, but is Brian involved with the upcoming Dark Crystal film: 'The Power of the Dark Crystal'? Nevermind... found my answer online.

starman9000

Pepe is great. I do think the Muppets can still be good, but mostly when they go with the new. Muppets from Space was ok, but it was Pepe and the newer characters that brought most of the funny (Rizzo is still good).

starman9000

The Henson co doesn't own the rights anymore do they?

Giles

beat's me, that why I asked how this was on NBC and not ABC, since ABC and Disney kind of go hand in hand.

starman9000

Yeah, I don't know how all that stuff works (I mean, all the different networks make shows for each other in the end don't they?). (Scrubs until this year for example)

I thought the last Christmas special by them was on NBC as well.

Chew

According to the Muppet Wiki: Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie was on NBC in 2002. Muppet Wizard of Oz was on ABC in 2005.

Given the pattern, I guess it's ABC in 2011.

Michael Corvin

So the Muppets are the new Super Bowl.

Giles

they really deserve a new film ... with a decent script.

mdc3000

^They're getting one, courtesy of Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller. (they just turned in their script to Disney http://www.imdb.com/news/ni0631755/ )

Michael Corvin

Once you resign yourself to the fact the Henson magic isn't ever going to return it's easier to sit back and enjoy. As for voices, they are all pretty solid except for Scooter. He wasn't even close. Kermit still isn't there either but with each new special he seems to be getting better.

This one was pretty good. The songs were pretty forgettable though except for the Fozzy & Gonzo duet. Dr. Teeth & the Electric mayhem need their own musical special.

mdc3000

100% agree - when Scooter spoke in this, I couldn't help but yell out 'What the FUCK!?' because of the voice...nothing like blurting out the F-word while watching a Christmas special with your family.

Quack

It's on NBC right now

big whoppa

I know Jim Hensen died but what happened to some of the other voices. Have the other actors been replaced or did Jim do a lot of them besides Kermit? Gonzo doesn't sound the same either. Thank goodness Frank Oz still does Piggy.

Chew

Uh, Oz has not performed Piggy since 2001-2002. Most of the Oz characters are done by Eric Jacobson now.

http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Miss_Piggy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Jacobson
http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/A_Muppe...tters_to_Santa

Dave Goelz has been performing or providing the voice of Gonzo since the beginning.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0324397/

Giles

I watching a couple of Muppet Show episodes over the Thanksgiving break with my neice and nephew and Gonzo in the first season looked like he had been hit by a truck or extremely high - what the heck is he anyway?? Wasn't that the whole concept/storyline of 'Muppets in Space' - I can't for the life of me can't remember what the revelation, answer was.