The Muppet Show: this thrilling return is so great I can't even count how many times I laughed

[cbabe]

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/jan/31/the-muppet-show-this-thrilling-return-is-so-great-i-cant-even-count-how-many-times-i-laughed

The Muppet Show: this thrilling return is so great I can’t even count how many times I laughed

Sabrina Carpenter fangirling Miss Piggy, Beaker losing his eyes … yes, Kermit and co are back for a trip down memory lane – and it’s a perfect, saucy joy

Rhik Samadder
Sat 31 Jan 2026 02.00 EST

The Muppet Show is back! We need this, don’t we? We need them. The TV show ended in 1981, yet decades later, memes of Kermit, Miss Piggy, Animal et al still circulate. We give their movies Oscars. Their version of A Christmas Carol is a non-negotiable tradition for anyone with sense. Jim Henson’s furry anarchists bring us together like few things can. As a beady eyed fun-sponge, I can’t help but wonder – why?

In an 1810 essay, German poet Heinrich von Kleist argued that puppets demonstrate pure grace: a weightless unself-consciousness that humans long for but never achieve. He was talking about marionettes, suspended from strings. Yet Muppets are hand puppets; extensions of a body. They have weight. As for grace, have you seen how Kermit moves? His arms flap, and he bounces vertically, while moving forwards. It’s hard to imagine a less efficient walk. That frog, he silly.

That’s why we love them. Do we not, too, know ourselves to be odd, hapless psychological caricatures? Do our plans not also lead to flaming wreckage? Do we not long to put on a vaudeville-style variety show in a classic theatre?

Which brings us to the 2026 Muppet Show (Disney+, from Wednesday 4 February), with executive producer Seth Rogen on board. It’s a one-off, but could lead to a whole new series, the trailer reveals, “depending on how tonight goes”. Happily, it hasn’t been updated so Fozzie is doing bits on TikTok, or Rowlf protesting about streaming royalties. The guys are still trying to put on that variety show, and it’s still all going wrong.

… more … trailer at link…

[mwmisses4289]

1. Didn't they try this a few years ago?

As I recall, it was a total disaster. Kermit had ditched Ms. Piggy for a younger more vapid clingy version, Ms. Piggy came across as a nasty, jealous bitch rather than what she originally was, and all the characters seemed to be going for the gothy, emoji, marvin-the-paranoid-android I'm so depressed vibe. I remember watching an episode and a half, hoping it would get better, and it just got even more cringy.

[Deuxcents]

2. I admit it..I used to watch them every so often..love the two old guys in their opera seats.

If it was supposed to be a kid’s show, I wondered how they got some of those jokes..some real funny adult humor

[TommieMommy]

3. Loved the old guys in the balcony

[Wiz Imp]

4. Just watched it. While I wasn't as blown away by it as this reviewer, I thought it was very good.

Sabrina Carpenter turned out to be a great guest star. The original show was so great, I hope this revival gets greenlit to become a regular series again. I think it will only get better as they get more and more comfortable with the new (old) format.