The Muppet Show 2026 Movie Review
Allow this 20-something girl (me) to sound like crotchety old Statler & Waldorf.
I’ll admit the idea was promising when I first heard it, and I get they were not trying to carbon copy a show that stood the test of time, but where tribute is paid, quality cannot be sacrificed. Let’s face it, while we may all agree the charm of the Henson’s original work cannot be reproduced, it’s hard not to compare it to the ‘real thing.’
Goofy antics now read as aimless attempts to get attention amidst the noise of the modern age – hoping for segments to be popularized through short-form content, and not in the greater context of the show itself (although, of course, that is the nature of a variety show). The special guest meant to tie it all together lacked grounding and genuiness, as though acting ‘innocent’ is only funny if it means being more placid than her counterparts and disingenuine to herself. The set was recognizable, but somehow, too, was lifeless and flat.
Perhaps it is not the same show we all know and love because few really do know and love the original Muppet gang beyond the (and I use the term begrudgingly) ‘mainstream’ popularity they’ve earned across social media in recent years. Happy for their fame, but they’ve proven yet again they are not the same crew I know and love (and that’s fine, things change – they don’t have to be the way I prefer – how boring would that be?) But I think some of the lightness, cleverness, and silliness I grew up watching was dearly – no, sorely – missed and remains a rare find.
I am not surprised by this nor their high ratings because it is likely few recognize or miss the subtle timing and unique patterns of playfulness or irreverence at the heart of Henson’s work which was the endearing mark of its time and creator. In many ways, it not ‘living up’ to my (truthfully, low) expectations made me appreciate Jim Henson and the Muppet’s earlier work all the more.
If you have a stronger appreciation or preference for any content made post-2000 and appreciate a bit of Muppet fun, I anticipate you are set up to enjoy this – and maybe even laugh. But if you are familiar with the Muppets I know and love and largely could care less about what is trending or current, it will seem like an unrecognizable and, frankly, nauseating and forgetful remnant of what we loved most and best about Henson’s team – their heart.
