PART I PART II 60. THE CAST OF STAR WARS Season 4, Episode 17 - From a Galaxy Far, Far Away I am a geek. I am proud that I squee with delight whenever I see Jedis, Vulcans, Hobbits, Wizards, Singing Candlesticks and especially Muppets. This episode, however, has always been a mixed bag for me. It is one of those situations where what you are watching is so bad that it is actually good or the geekly collision of Star Wars and Muppets is so good that it kinda ruins them both. And on an ironic note, it is interesting that the episode's finale ends with "When You Wish Upon a Star" considering that both franchises are now owned by the House of Mouse.
59. LEO SAYER Season 3, Episode 2 - Annie Sue's Big Moment British pop/disco singer Leo Sayer guested on this one and sang some of his catchiest tunes (I really like "You Make Me Feel Like Dancin'!"). But the big highlight of this episode is the reaction Miss Piggy has to the way Kermit supports the new Muppet singer Annie Sue Pig (yeah, how did Kermit think Piggy wouldn't mind that?).
58. ROY CLARK Season 3, Episode 3 - Goin' Country Country music performer (and longtime Hee-Haw host) Roy Clark showed off his musical talents and helped the Muppets go "a lil' bit country." His songs are pretty good (especially "Sally Was a Good Ol' Girl" seen below), but the episode's high point is how Fozzie tries to hide from Kermit the fire that is going on backstage at the Muppet Theater.
57. RUDOLPH NUREYEV Season 2, Episode 13 - Culture Booking ballet legend Rudolf Nureyev onto the show was a major coup for The Muppet Show. According to the show's producers, once they got him it seemed like everybody wanted to be on the show. His ballet with a big Muppet pig (it's NOT Miss Piggy people!) is a major highlight. His other moments on the show are mostly so-so (he tries to sing, and basically...well, it's a good thing he was a phenomenal ballet dancer!). The episode MVP award has to go to Frank Oz' Sam the Eagle who tries to use Mr. Nureyev's appearance as a chance to make the show the cultural apex he wants it to be, despite the fact he is unsure what Mr. Nureyev actually does or looks like.
56. MARTY FELDMAN Season 5, Episode 18 - Arabian Nights Comedian Marty Feldman (Igor in Young Frankenstein) joins the Muppets to tell the legendary stories of the 1,001 Arabian Nights. Feldman, with his googly eyes and crazy antics, plays the mysterious Scheherazade (don't ask!) and other characters (like Aladdin's Genie, below). Of course being a half-hour variety show, they only cover the famous tales like Sinbad (Kermit), Aladdin (Gonzo) and Ali Baba (a Marty Feldman-like Muppet!). And with Ali Baba's classic "Open Sesame," a cameo from some of your favorite Sesame Street characters is a natch!
55. VINCENT PRICE Season 1, Episode 19 - The Horror Show When you book a guest like horror film icon Vincent Price, most of the stuff you do in the episode is going to be an homage to the said genre. The best part is when Fozzie and Gonzo go to a haunted house and meet the mansion's creepy owner (played by Mr. Price).
54. HELEN REDDY Season 3, Episode 13 - On the Floor Australian pop singer Helen Reddy (she is woman, hear her roar!) sings some catchy tunes and dances with a camel (seriously, don't ask!). But it is the character of Beauregard (the janitor) who steals the episode with his lovable dim-witted ways. Plus, my brother always loved this scene.
53. LOU RAWLS Season 2, Episode 15 - RollerBear Lou Rawls was so smooth and cool. Every song he sang on the show was absolutely "groovy." And how do you not love Fozzie on roller skates? It is the perfect recipe for a classic Fozzie Bear disaster (its a good thing, people!).
52. PETER USTINOV Season 1, Episode 12 - Bein' Green With Envy Two-time Oscar winner Peter Ustinov was a very interesting guest star (not someone who springs to mind when you think of TV variety!) and his segments are pretty hilarious (especially his skit with Fozzie, seen below). But the episode's biggest highlight is Kermit, who is jealous of all the praise the other Muppets have for Sir Ustinov, sings his classic anthem "Bein' Green." The episode is funny, sweet and classic.
51. JOHN DENVER Season 4, Episode 1 - Goin' Camping Kermit and John Denver want to take the whole gang camping in the swamp (Kermit's home!), but no one is really interested...except for Miss Piggy. She's interested at least until she finds out exactly what camping in the swamp entails. So when she tells Kermit she doesn't want to go, he becomes frustrated with everyone telling him "No!" that he does something he probably shouldn't have. Denver, however, manages to sing some of his classic songs and make them memorable (particularly "Grandma's Featherbed," below).
50. GENE KELLY Season 5, Episode 1 - The End of the World Silver screen legend Gene Kelly comes to The Muppet Show as the guest...literally, he just wants to sit and watch the show. He has no intention of performing and he certainly has no intention of singing his classic "Singin' In the Rain." He does however manage to give Kermit a dance lesson, duets backstage with Miss Piggy (and The Great Gonzo when Piggy has to be on stage!) and is coerced into singing a medley of his classic songs that all seem to have the same opening vamp as the legendary song he "won't" sing. The other highlight of this episode is that sweet, lovable and incredibly dim Beauregard is under the impression that the world is coming to an end. Ironically this was the last episode to be filmed for the show (yet was somehow the first to be aired in its last season!?!?!?), so "the end of the world" storyline was pretty clever.
49. LYNN REDGRAVE Season 3, Episode 23 - Kermit & His Merry Muppets With British actress Lynn Redgrave as the guest star, the Muppets decide to perform the story of Robin Hood. There are so many good things in this episode ranging from Fozzie and Scooter showing the Merry Men how to properly "cavort" to the Great Gonzo as the Sheriff of Nottingham who enjoys torture so much (especially when the instruments are used on him!) to Miss Piggy who is jealous that Kermit cast Ms. Redgrave as Maid Marian instead of her (Sister Tuck was not a good enough consolation prize for her!).
48. PAUL WILLIAMS Season 1, Episode 8 - No Short Jokes, Please! Singer/songwriter Paul Williams was a good friend of Jim Henson's (he later wrote the songs for The Muppet Movie) that he guested on the show in the first season. He sang some of his classic songs and partook in some obvious "short jokes." And Fozzie had another classic moment alongside Scooter performing, what is in Scooter's words, the classic "Telephone Pole Bit" (Google it, it's so hokey that it's actually funny!).
47. JONATHAN WINTERS Season 4, Episode 16 - The Gypsy Curse The late comedian Jonathan Winters guested on this episode in which a strange gypsy has placed a curse on the show. Everyone becomes wary when bad things start to go wrong with every act and Winters himself is afraid to perform. The episode is great because the Muppets are the way they are, Jonathan Winters was his usual awesome self and when everyone starts speaking Swedish it jurgen borgen hurgen gurgensy.
46. DOM DELUISE Season 2, Episode 10 - Miss Piggy Buys the House Miss Piggy decides its time Kermit really appreciate her, so she has Scooter pay the audience to cheer for her every time she is on stage (and jeer when she's not!). Of course, this disturbs everyone (including guest star Dom Deluise) and Kermit smells something fishy. When the truth is revealed, all is well because Dom Deluise leads them in a song. It is silly, predictable, hokey and sappy; yet, it is so classically Muppet that it is hilarious.
90. EDGAR BERGEN Season 2, Episode 7 - Ventriloquism Legendary ventriloquist Edgar Bergen was quite possibly Jim Henson's biggest influence. His appearance on The Muppet Show early in its second season was treated on the set with great awe and reverence from all the crew members. And of course his beloved Charlie McCarthy makes some of his best comments about the Frog, the Bear, the Pig and all the crazy Muppets surrounding him in this episode.
89. CANDICE BERGEN Season 1, Episode 15 - Deliveries A year before his appearance, Edgar Bergen's daughter Candice did her friend Jim Henson a favor by appearing in the show's first season. Her good looks and flair for photography were showcased. But some of the best moments came from scenes like the one below where you see why years later she became famous for rolling her eyes as hard-nosed reporter Murphy Brown. Also, if you watch her sing Barry Mannilow's "Friends" with the rest of the Muppets, you'll understand why they made so many jokes on Murphy Brown about her tone deaf voice.
88. DIZZY GILLESPIE Season 4, Episode 13 - Keep the Noise Down! The best part of this episode is the backstage story where apparently neighbors of the Muppet Theater have complained about the noise and they have to try to keep it down or get evicted. The trouble is that their guest star that week is one of the great legends of jazz, Mr. Dizzy Gillespie!
87. SANDY DUNCAN Season 1, Episode 14 - The Great Banana Sketch I'm gonna say it and it may be a horrible thing to say, but I spent most of this episode trying to guess which one is her glass eye!
86. MELISSA MANCHESTER Season 5, Episode 12 - Crisis Upon Crisis She was one Bette Midler's former back-up singers before she started her own career on the pop charts (she sang the haunting love theme from Ice Castles people!). Her episode is rather ordinary, but the songs she sings are quite enjoyable and the Muppets are up to their usual crazy hi-jinx.
85. VALERIE HARPER Season 1, Episode 20 - Love Among the Ivy Her work as Rhoda Morgenstern was well-known, so she wanted to show off her singing and dancing skills. And, of course, that doesn't leave out a little crazy comedy. It is the Muppets after all!
84. ANNE MURRAY Season 4, Episode 15 - Skateboardin' The songs pop singer Anne Murray sings on the show are quite good, but the highlight of the episode is Scooter on a skateboard the whole time...and driving Kermit nuts!
83. JAYE P. MORGAN Season 2, Episode 18 - A Tale of J and P When I first saw this episode years ago, I had no idea who Jaye P. Morgan was. Well, its several years later and I'm still not sure who she was...but she sings some catchy tunes on this episode (especially "That Old Black Magic!").
82. BRUCE FORSYTH Season 1, Episode 13 - Hecklers' Surprise British comedian Bruce Forsyth was a fun guest for the Muppets to have in the first season. He dances with a strange bird and duets with Miss Piggy (he even fights with her too!). But the best part (naturally) is Fozzie Bear who spends the whole episode worried about the heckling he gets from Statler and Waldorf. Kermit "relieves" his worry by cancelling him and putting on Bruce Forsyth instead and Bruce shows ol' Fozzie how to handle the boxed curmudgeons.
81. JAMES COCO Season 3, Episode 12 - The Old Razzle Dazzle James Coco tries to give the show a little more pizazz and change the pace. The result being one of the funniest Vetrinarian's Hospital sketches and some very confused Muppets.
80. KAYE BALLARD Season 1, Episode 23 - Band On Strike The Muppet Orchestra, led by Floyd Pepper, is tired of the show's theme song and they threaten to walk out. Kermit convinces them to stay through the show because Kaye Ballard is the guest. Why a comedienne should make them rethink their position I don't know, but they do (It's the Muppets, don't ask for logic!). And she wears what is quite possibly the most horrid costume in her first number.
79. CRYSTAL GAYLE Season 4, Episode 2 - Little Prairie Dogs on the Muppet Show The long-haired country singer sings some sweet and beautiful songs on this episode. My brother has always remembered the Prairie Dogs being so funny (we were toddlers when we first saw it!) and I have never been able to get "We Must Believe In Magic" (below) out of my head.
78. DEBBIE HARRY Season 5, Episode 9 - Frog Scouts Getting punk goddess Debbie Harry on the show must have been a great way to get viewers who usually feel alienated by variety TV. She sings two of her biggest hits, "One Way or Another" (below) and "Call Me" (probably not the most appropriate song considering its about prostitution, but whatever!), and she even duets with Kermit the Frog on his classic Muppet Movie anthem "Rainbow Connection."
77. RUTH BUZZI Season 1, Episode 4 - The Robot Emcee Known for her hilarious work on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, Ruth Buzzi was one of the earliest guest stars for the Muppets. And of course her comedic timing is perfect in certain scenes (like the one below!).
76. BOB HOPE Season 2, Episode 21 - The Hardest Working Man Bob Hope always seemed to be doing a Television special. Which is why the writers decided to use that as a plot point of the episode where he was the guest. And Hope manages to make even riding a Muppet horse look...well watch it below!
75. SYLVESTER STALLONE Season 3, Episode 19 - Groupies I want to know what person in the writers' room at The Muppet Show said that since they have one of the biggest Hollywood stars as the guest, they should let Sylvester Stallone sing. I also want to know why that person was never fired.
74. MILTON BERLE Season 2, Episode 3 - The Baggy Pants Show Fozzie spends most of the episode hiding from Uncle Miltie cause he's intimidated by Berle's legend and the rest of the Muppets have their fun with the man known as "Mr. Television." The highlight is of course when Berle comes face to face with the Muppets' biggest critics, Statler and Waldorf (below).
73. LOLA FALANA Season 4, Episode 11 - Goodbye Gonzo! Gonzo has finally gotten a contract to become a movie star...in Bombay, India. So it is time for him to leave The Muppet Show and with the help of guest star Lola Falana, the Muppets say their farewells. It all gets resolved in the end and, of course, Gonzo is back the next week but it is a heartwarming episode.
72. HAL LINDEN Season 5, Episode 17 - Statler & Waldorf Run the Show Statler and Waldorf think they can run the show better than the Frog can. And they choose the episode that Hal "Barney Miller" Linden guest stars on to do it. Hal is wary considering that everything they try goes entirely wrong. But Linden is a trooper who still makes it through his songs (including a charming duet with Robin!) with his stage-trained aplomb and is grateful when the old codgers decide to hand the reins back over to the Frog.
71. JEAN STAPLETON Season 3, Episode 6 - Backstage Melodrama The lady known as Edith Bunker duets with Fozzie and speaks fake Swedish with the Swedish Chef. But of course, for me, the highlight of this episode was her rendition of "I'm Just Wild About Harry" with Crazy Harry accompanying her on the explodaphone (don't ask, just watch!).
70. GEORGE BURNS Season 2, Episode 11 - A Little Scandal The comic legend has some great moments with the Muppets (see his final Medley and pay particular attention to Gonzo!). But the best part is how the Muppets rely on the classic joke: Gonzo fiddles while George Burns!
69. PHYLLIS DILLER Season 1, Episode 18 - The Young Look The late great Phyllis Diller does some of her usual schtick with the Muppets (she has a great time doing her standup routine with Rowlf!). But the highlights include her trying to play the saxophone (below) and the classic Muppet bit known as "Hugga Wugga."
68. CAROL CHANNING Season 4, Episode 23 - These Shoes Weren't Made For Walkin' Broadway legend Carol Channing makes an appearance with the Muppets and helps Miss Piggy deal with some really tight but stylish shoes. It's ordinary, but Piggy and Carol make it fun (and I marvel at Carol Channing has managed to sound the same in over 50 years in showbiz!).
67. LESLEY ANN WARREN Season 3, Episode 15 - Gonzo's Motorcycle The pretty and talented Lesley Ann Warren takes center stage and has some great moments. But it's Gonzo's Motorcycle stunt that fans remember most from this episode.
66. NANCY WALKER Season 2, Episode 6 - Fozzie Runs the Show When Kermit gets sick, Fozzie takes charge. You can just imagine what its like. Lucky he has Broadway and TV star Nancy Walker to help him through it I guess.
65. CHERYL LADD Season 3, Episode 24 - The List Charlie's Angels star Cheryl Ladd gets to kick up her heels and show off her musical talents (and she certainly looks good while doing it!). But the best part is the duet she shares with Miss Piggy singing the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic "I Enjoy Being a Girl" all while beating the crap out of Kermit. Poor Kermie!
64. PHYLLIS GEORGE Season 4, Episode 12 - The Freds With the Oscars now over, this would probably be a great episode to watch because it pokes fun at everything we hate (and even love!) about award shows. I don't quite know why Phyllis George is the guest star (she's quite beautiful but only moderately talented), but the Muppets make the Freds an award I'd like to see given out every year!
63. LORETTA SWIT Season 5, Episode 2 - Fired Up Pig This is the notorious episode where Kermit the Frog has had it up to here with Miss Piggy and fires her. And he goes as far as to ask guest star Loretta Swit (of M*A*S*H) replace her in all Miss Piggy's sketches (you know Vet's Hospital and Pigs In Space). Of course its all resolved by the end, but it is one hilarious ride.
62. VICTOR BORGE Season 4, Episode 5 - Baby-Sitting Comedic legend Victor Borge was a perfect choice to appear on The Muppet Show. And his piano duet with Muppet fave Rowlf the Dog was one of the episode's top highlights (below).
61. HARVEY KORMAN Season 1, Episode 10 - Token Person Harvey Korman was a great variety performer and his work on this episode was pretty good. But the moments that stand out in this episode center more around the Muppets themselves. First, one of the greatest Fozzie Bear sketches ever (and I mean EVER!!!). And second is "Halfway Down the Stairs," a sweet song sung by little Robin the Frog which had the distinction of becoming the first song recorded by The Muppet Show to become a chart-topper.
Hello old friends! It has been a while hasn't it? I won't bore you with where I have been or what I've been doing since the last post. I'm just going to get into the business at hand now. And that business is Muppets. The Muppets are popping up on the big screen again after their triumphant comeback in 2011's The Muppets. Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, The Great Gonzo and all of our favorites are returning later this month in Muppets Most Wanted alongside the likes of Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell and Tina Fey.
In honor of the upcoming sequel, I am devoting this month of posts to the show that made us fall in love with these beloved characters: The Muppet Show. Over the past few weeks, I have watched every single episode of The Muppet Show and have now ranked every episode from best to worst. All 120 of them and I even came up with Episode Titles for each one (and yes, I realize that must mean I have a lot of time on my hands!). So in today's post, I will share with you the bottom 30 of the list. (I apologize in advance for the quality on some of the videos, but as this is the bottom quarter of the list, it doesn't really matter if you see how bad they are!).
THE MUPPET SHOW
EVERY EPISODE RANKED
#'s 120 - 91
120. CHRIS LANGHAM Season 5, Episode 19 - The Messenger Boy Chris Langham was a British comedian who served as a writer on The Muppet Show since Season 3. In the midst of Season 5, booked guest Richard Pryor had his little incident with free-basing heroin and could not make the taping. They needed a new guest and decided on their young comedian writer. The problem is the story they came up with is so inane and silly that it is not good showing for the Muppets.
119. SHIELDS & YARNELL Season 4, Episode 3 - A Mime Is a Terrible Thing (To Waste) I think my Episode Title says it all. Mimes suck!
118. ELKE SOMMER Season 3, Episode 20 - Stage Hands She may have been extremely attractive and could speak multiple languages but I have to say: Elke Sommer wasn't very talented. Her songs are boring and her chemistry with the Muppets is even worse. She tries, oh how she tries, but its a "no-go."
117. SPIKE MILLIGAN Season 3, Episode 17 - The International House of Muppets Spike Milligan was one of the most influential British comedians ever (he influenced the likes of Dudley Moore, Robbie Coltrane and the whole Monty Python gang!). However, the material the Muppet writers gave him was trying to celebrate the fact that The Muppet Show was broadcast in several countries. And when you're dealing with a show marketed to kids, the jokes are filled with not the most ethnically sensitive material.
116. CONNIE STEVENS Season 1, Episode 2 - Un-Bear-able This was the second episode filmed. They were still finding their footing. And you can totally tell. They even bring on a cameo from Sesame Street's Bert and Ernie, but something isn't right yet. And Connie Stevens, as cute as she is, doesn't have a lot to offer. Don't worry, the Muppets hit their stride soon within the first Season. It just wasn't perfect out of the gate.
115. MUMMENSCHANZ Season 1, Episode 24 - Weirdo In Love I honestly don't know what a Mummenschanz is and based on what I see in this episode, I don't want to know.
114. KRIS KRISTOFFERSON & RITA COOLIDGE Season 3, Episode 1 - Canteen Woes Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge were one of the 1970s popular couples in "Country" music (the quotation marks mean that they genre-crossed, so its hard to define them as exclusively Country music!). This was early in their careers (Kristofferson had just starred opposite Barbra Streisand in A Star Is Born and became a household name) and their "acting style" is just, well, pathetic. In Kristofferson's duet with Miss Piggy, he can barely get through it seriously enough to sing the lines. And his then-spouse Ms. Coolidge is even worse (her line readings are awful!).
113. GLENDA JACKSON Season 5, Episode 7 - Pirates! When they booked two-time Oscar winner Glenda Jackson, they asked her what she wanted to do on the show. Her response was that they can do whatever they want. That was a bad idea. They made her a pirate and had her sing sea chanteys. It's just...a big "No."
112. DYAN CANNON Season 4, Episode 4 - Dog-Sitting Dyan Cannon was a hot dish back in the day. She was married to Cary Grant and even scored a couple Oscar nods for quirky comedies. If the Academy was watching this episode, they would rescind those nods.
111. SEÑOR WENCES Season 5, Episode 8 - The Puppet Show I never really was fascinated by Señor Wences' brand of puppetry. I grant that people were impressed with his artistry and I'm sure he was a great influence on many people (including Jim Henson). But this episode only had one thing going for it and that's Fozzie trying his hand at puppetry (it was always funny when Fozzie tried...and failed!).
110. DON KNOTTS Season 2, Episode 1 - Shades of a Bear Don Knotts was extremely hilarious and a great comedic talent. This episode however was kind of underwhelming. He's good in it and the backstage story where Fozzie gets "shades" is humorous. It's just not their A-level best. It could have been better.
109. RICH LITTLE Season 2, Episode 4 - Dancing Chickens Much like the Don Knotts episode above, this episode is a bit underwhelming. There are some good moments, but they really could have done better. Though with a guest who made his name impersonating Hollywood legends, how much could they really do?
108. FLORENCE HENDERSON Season 1, Episode 7 - Pig Problems The lovely lady known as Mrs. Carol Brady is a showbiz legend. She was a natural choice to be a guest on The Muppet Show. Now I will voice what is probably an unpopular opinion: She's kind of irritating. She always comes off to me as someone who is more impressed with her talent than anyone else is. She has some good moments (especially when she spars with Miss Piggy!), but otherwise: Meh!
107. LIBERACE Season 3, Episode 9 - For the Birds! The only thing the piano legend does in the show is his final medley that includes a "Concert for Birds." And seriously, it should be "for the birds." Not that I'm a big fan of the flashy keyboardist in the first place.
106. JOAN BAEZ Season 5, Episode 3 - Rats! The folk legend sings some beautiful songs and tries her darndest to have some great chemistry with the lovable Muppets. And hey, Muppet favorite Rizzo the Rat gets some great material in this episode. However like some of the episodes mentioned already, its fairly ordinary and underwhelming.
105. PETULA CLARK Season 2, Episode 20 - The Mickey Moose Club I usually like Petula Clark. But she could have at least sung one of her most famous hits like "Downtown" or "I Know a Place" or the hauntingly beautiful "You and I." Instead, she sang a version of Herb Alpert's "Boy From Ipanema" (with a strange-looking Muppet called a Bossman) and topped it off with the Annie anthem "Tomorrow." Maybe by this time she was tired of singing her greatest hits and decided to sing hits by other people.
104. JEAN-PIERRE RAMPAL Season 5, Episode 10 - Parlez Vous Francais? The classical floutist was an interesting guest in that he tried to speak some actual French with the fantastic faker that is Miss Piggy. And there are some other great moments (like the Electric Mayhem's version of "Rockin' Robin" led by Janice!). But what Monsieur Rampal brings is ultimately rather dull.
103. CHARLES AZNAVOUR Season 1, Episode 9 - Managing a Weirdo The other French guest the Muppets managed to snag was back in its first season with famed singer Charles Aznavour. There are some good moments here (this was the episode where they really tried to develop the Great Gonzo) but like Monsieur Rampal, Monsieur Aznavour offers nothing more than his signature French voice singing some somewhat likable tunes.
102. JIM NABORS Season 1, Episode 6 - The New Go-Fer It has been joked about on everything from The Simpsons to Seinfeld. Who new Gomer Pyle could sing like that? Other than that though, the episode isn't too exciting. However, it did introduce Muppet fave Scooter properly.
101. ARLO GUTHRIE Season 4, Episode 8 - Down On the Farm Some of the songs in this episode are pretty good and this was at the time when the show's writers were experimenting with themes (hence the whole Farm thing!). But Arlo Guthrie, who is a very talented musician, is not as famed as his folk legend father Woody.
100. ROY ROGERS & DALE EVANS Season 3, Episode 22 - Cowboys! I love all the in-jokes about The Muppet Movie (cause this episodewas made just after they had completed their first film!). And Roy and Dale are somewhat charming, as are some of the songs. But I don't get that excited about cowboys or western themes.
99. TERESA BREWER Season 2, Episode 22 - Trimming the Fat Ms. Brewer sings some catchy tunes, but its Miss Piggy who serves as the MVP of this episode. I'm just not a fan of storylines that deal with diets. Not sure why...
98. TWIGGY Season 1, Episode 21 - The Phantom of the Muppet Show She was the "IT Girl" of the 1960s in London's Fashion world. Here she gets to show that she can sing and act and have a little fun. She should have stuck with modeling.
97. CLEO LAINE Season 2, Episode 16 - Mama Bear Cleo Laine is a fantastic jazz and blues singer with some great Broadway shows in her bio. And her songs on The Muppet Show are good. What brings this episode down then? Its the work of puppeteer Bruce Schwartz who Jim Henson brought on cause he was impressed with his artistry. His artistry however is the same kind of creepy puppetry featured in Spike Jonze's equally creepy film Being John Malkovich.
96. BUDDY RICH Season 5, Episode 22 - Power Failure The best thing in this episode is Animal's drum battle with legendary drummer Buddy Rich (below). The rest is kind of boring. You can see why Jim Henson and others were getting tired of doing a weekly show.
95. DOUG HENNING Season 4, Episode 21 - It's Magic! Master magician Doug Henning was a variety show staple of the 1970s. With the Muppets, of course he was going to do his most famous magic tricks. What the heck is that Muppet supposed to be that he puts in his Magic Box below?
94. WALLY BOAG Season 5, Episode 20 - The Vaudeville Show For those who don't know, Wally Boag was the man who played Pecos Bill in Disney's classic animated short and even played the role in a live show at DisneyLand in Anaheim, CA for over 40 years. He is one Steve Martin's biggest influences (according to Martin!). And he's exactly the type of performer the Muppets would have a lot of fun with. So why is his episode so underwhelming?
93. MARISA BERENSON Season 3, Episode 10 - The Wedding of Kermit and Piggy Marisa Berenson was a noted model, dancer and actress (she gave a charming performance in Bob Fosse's 1972 film version of Cabaret). But in this episode, she adds nothing to it really. The best part is Miss Piggy's scheme to trick Kermit into a Wedding. Its classic and funny and totally Muppet. But it could have been in any episode.
92. JUDY COLLINS Season 2, Episode 5 - Bringing Down the House Folk star Judy Collins filmed all of her songs separately from the rest of the Muppet gang due to scheduling. And it shows. Her stuff feels cut in and the backstage story barely mentions her being on the show. That being said, her songs are pretty good and she sings them quite well.
91. JULIET PROWSE Season 1, Episode 1 - The Muppy Show This was the very first episode. It has a lot of good moments (See: Mahna Mahna, Cowboy Time, Temptation or Simon Smith), but none of those moments have anything to do with guest star Juliet Prowse. She only does a ballet at the beginning of the show and shares some sweet moments with Kermit. That's it. That was their very first guest. Kind of boring, huh?
It's that time of year again! We are approaching the weekend at the beginning of the summer where the Broadway community gets together to celebrate the year in Theatre. The Tony Awards!!! And this year seemed to be the year that Broadway finally molded itself into the groove that has been set by the recent downturns in the economy. You see, in recent years, Broadway producers have been hedging their bets and streamlining the kind of material that makes its way to the Great White Way. They've been limiting their funds to shows that can generate an immediate revenue (i.e. Celebrity-led Plays, Movie-based Musicals, "Known" composers and authors, etc.). It has made it really hard for what many Broadway insiders call "the Next Generation" of creatives to make a name for themselves in the Theatre (meaning if you're looking for the next Stephen Sondheim, you might not find them on Broadway!). However, this year had a huge melting pot of all these elements that people have been lamenting and (in one way or another) they all seemed to be an example of Broadway getting "back on its feet," as it were. One thing we have learned in the last few years and especially this year is that the Limited Run show is here to stay. For years, the Roundabout Theatre Company, the Manhattan Theatre Club and the Lincoln Center Theatre have been masters as Broadway's repertory houses. And all three of those companies had shows this year that both wowed the critics and excited audiences. Roundabout produced revivals of Harvey (starring The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons) and Rupert Holmes' Tony-winning audience-solved Musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood (featuring Chita Rivera and Stephanie J. Block). The latter, which closed after two extensions to its initial limited engagement, has now been nominated for 5 Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical. Meanwhile, the Manhattan Theatre Club, which has recently become the pioneer of great plays both Off-Broadway, produced two well-received plays (The Other Place starring Tony nominee Laurie Metcalf and The Assembled Parties which is nominated for Best Play). And Lincoln Center, which was enjoying the success of 2011's Best Play War Horse until its closing in January, has had other success with a much-hailed revival of Clifford Odets' Golden Boy which featured Monk's Tony Shalhoub, Chuck's Yvonne Strahoski and Broadway Musical star Danny Burstein (the limited run production which closed in early 2013 is nominated for 8 Tonys including Best Revival of a Play). They also produced Two and a Half Men star Holland Taylor's tour-de-force one-woman show Ann, where she plays former Texas governor Ann Richards (for which she is nominated for Best Actress this Sunday!). Limited runs have been the thing to beat this year when it comes to a hit Broadway show. And it wasn't only these three companies getting into the Limited Run action. Producers have always enjoyed investing in a production that has a big star over the marquee. And what makes a big star sign on for such a challenge as 8 times a week? The answer is a Limited Engagement! This year we have seen big name stars like Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johannson, Alec Baldwin, Bette Midler, Alan Cumming, Cicely Tyson, Cuba Gooding Jr., Sigourney Weaver and Jane Lynch all take time out of their busy Movie-TV star schedules to take on a role in Play, Musical or even a Revival. And each of the productions these stars are (or were) a part of has made some kind of impression either critically, financially or both. But of course with all this sweet star-led revenue, there comes the bitter side of the double-edged sword that Celebrity can bring (cough cough Shia LeBouf cough cough). And many a Broadway die-hard will still lament that the Great White Way has become a "summer camp" of sorts for Film stars who just want to "Hollywood-ize" their day-to-day stomping grounds. Despite all that, it seems that Broadway really has tried to welcome the Celebrities who want to challenge themselves and try their hand at 8 performances a week (and whether they meet that challenge or not is a subject for another blog!). But the biggest thing that Broadway seems to be accepting now (to a certain degree) is the mass amount of Musicals based on previously produced projects (basically, Movies!). And nothing is a stronger testament to that than the four nominees for Best Musical: Kinky Boots, Matilda The Musical and the limited engagements of A Christmas Story: The Musical and Bring It On: The Musical (I guess it's safe to say that if it had the words "The Musical" after it, it probably was well-liked this year!). All four of the nominees are based on Movies (granted Matilda is more based on the novel by Roald Dahl, but the 1996 film version starring Mara Wilson is quite popular with some audiences!). This trend was actually started by the Walt Disney Company in the 1990s (with their hit staged versions of their films Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King!) and was perfected by the likes of Mel Brooks (The Producers), Marc Shaiman (Hairspray), Elton John (Billy Elliot) and even Monty Python (Spamalot) throughout the next decade. It seems that now Broadway has finally figured out a way to accept this trend. In addition, they've managed to encourage newer composers and authors to make their Broadway mark (or even debut!) with this trend. Three of the Best Musical nominees (Kinky Boots, Matilda and A Christmas Story) are also nominated for the Best Score Tony Award and all three of those shows are by composers who are making their Broadway debut (Kinky Boots is by '80s icon Cyndi Lauper, Matilda is by Aussie rock musician Tim Minchin and A Christmas Story is by the brand new pair of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul). So maybe someday we will find the next Rodgers and Hammerstein...as they are making the "long-awaited" Musical version of Argo! No matter what, Broadway is always going to be an ever-changing animal that depends on audiences to be a success (either creatively or financially!), which is what live Theatre is all about. And I will still be a fan of that animal (as always!) so I will be watching CBS at 8PM on Sunday night as the Broadway community gathers with host Neil Patrick Harris to celebrate the year in Theatre! Happy Tony watching!
