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Semantically speaking, in the last 25 years "family entertainment" has become, if not an oxymoron, then a loaded term for mush-mouth moralizing the religious right wants everyone to endorse equally. Time was, the phrase actually meant what it promised, something in which an eight year old, his parents, and grandparents could all find enjoyment, irrespective of their politics. In recent years, only the works of Pixar and The Simpsons really classify (if that). Before them, chronologically and creatively, came The Muppet Show. It may be hard to picture a time when Jim Henson's Muppets were confined to preschool-centric Sesame Street. The 1976 debut of the primetime Muppet Show was what launched them from a cultural footnote to movie-starring icons in their own right. Taking only one character from Sesame Street—Kermit the frog, one of Henson's first puppets—Henson, Frank Oz and their team of merry madmen (and women) made a universe that functioned on its own self-aware, self-mocking logic.
That's a lot of heady talk to basically say that The Muppet Show is still as much fun as it ever was. A warm-hearted satire of vaudeville, current TV, showbiz clichés, and even themselves, the show centered on Kermit as manager of a weekly theater-based variety show. Among the developing group of supporting characters were, for the first time ever, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Rolf the dog, Sam the bald eagle, Scooter, the Swedish Chef, and the house band, Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem (featuring Animal, Gonzo, Zoot, Floyd...)—not to forget the two cranky old guys in the balcony. Each episode featured a human "special guest" star, and if it seems like the roster here is the most dated thing about these shows, well, truth is, most of these guests (Florence Henderson, Paul Williams, Valerie Harper...) weren't even A-listers at the time. As hard as it is to imagine, before The Muppet Show became a phenomenon, Hollywood celebs were not exactly lining up to work with a bunch of puppets. But with or without name-brand talent, the show was both musically and culturally informed, referencing everything from Scott Joplin and Fats Waller to the Carpenters and show tunes. On that last note, Broadway fans will particularly enjoy appearances here by Joel Grey and Ben Vereen.
In celebration of Kermit's 50th Anniversary, this boxed set of the first 24 half-hour episodes is everything it should be, in an economical package. Bonus features include "Muppet Morsels" (subtitled trivia bites, in lieu of commentary), as well as the industry pitch reel Henson and co-producer George Schlatter used to sell the show, and a never-aired pilot episode that showed how radical the Muppets really could have been (including Dr. Teeth sequences, originally aired on Saturday Night Live, which were fairly mindblowing in their day). For anyone who has a family, or just wants to belong to one, I can't think of a better entertainment investment.
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