Man or Muppet: Why 'The Muppets' Revival is Exactly What We Need Right Now
By Isabella Kelly-Goss
In 1955, the world was introduced to a whimsical and fantastical frog on a show called Sam and Friends. Eventually, that frog would go on to become a household name, Kermit the Frog, and he and his own friends would star in their own show, The Muppet Show.
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The Muppets were a new kind of puppet, one that stretched the bounds of voice acting and entertainment. After Sam and Friends ended in 1961, they could have faded into obscurity, but instead they continued to grow into an international phenomenon.
According to Michael Davis’ “Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street,” creator Jim Henson was hesitant to continue the existence of his characters, for fear of being pigeonholed as a children’s entertainer.
However, Henson continued, which led to the internationally beloved show Sesame Street in 1969. Later, during Saturday Night Live’s premiere season in 1975, Lorne Michaels gave Henson and his protege, Frank Oz, a shot to expand. The Muppets had a slot on a new show with a purely adult audience.
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The success of all that came before led to the debut of The Muppet Show, just one year later, in 1976. The show was a success, and shot the cast of characters like Kermit, Miss Piggy, and Fozzie Bear to stardom. Throughout the course of the show’s 5-year run, they garnered 21 Emmy nominations and received 4 wins.
As the show came to a close in 1981, the world was not through with The Muppets. Throughout and even before the release of the five-season show, some specials showcased The Muppets in different elements and stories. The Muppet’s Movie in 1979 was their first official film debut, and was quickly followed by The Muppets Take Hollywood.
Take Hollywood, they did, and more movies, tv shows, and specials were released, including The Great Muppet Caper, The Muppets Take Manhattan, and the 1984, 8-season animated show The Muppet Babies.
By 2001, around 10 years after Henson’s death, Disney bought the Muppets franchise, and the releases slowed. Over the next 20 years, The Muppets only saw the release of around one Muppets-related movie or special per year.
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The two largest productions of the 2010s, however, sparked the love for The Muppets in a whole new generation. The Muppets in 2011 introduced us to Walter as The Muppets try to do what many wished to do when Disney closed Muppet*Vision 3D in June of 2025, save The Muppet Theatre. Aside from Walter’s whistling talents, we also got the iconic “Muppet or Man,” sung by Jason Segel and Walter himself. In 2015, ABC greenlit the more adult-targeted television show, The Muppets, which sadly only got one season.
After over ten years of what was basically crickets and the tragic loss of Muppet*Vision, there came hope.
On February 4, Disney+ dropped a 50th anniversary special with celebrity guest host Sabrina Carpenter. The special—which some are saying will excitingly serve as a backdoor pilot for a reboot—is everything a muppet lover could want and more.
There are old nostalgic characters and that original Muppet feel, while still keeping things fresh. Carpenter’s performance of “Manchild” was elevated to a higher standard of camp with the inclusion of Camilla and her chickens as background vocals.
Rizzo the Rat’s performance of The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” keeps the show relevant while staying true to his original character. As always, something goes slightly wrong, which adds to the show-within-a-show theme that The Muppets have always had.
The behind-the-scenes looks originated with the 1976 series and now carry on. Jokes acknowledge the multi-generational impact of The Muppets and bring funny acknowledgment to Carpenter’s similarities in appearance to Miss Piggy. Her banter with Miss Piggy created a bit about a lawsuit around their parallel styles that has outlasted the show, helping to boost the special’s popularity on social media.
The show, to put it plainly, brings generations together. Parents who once watched the show as children can now pass that sense of wonder and suspended disbelief down to their children and grandchildren.
The magic of The Muppets lies there, really, in that suspended disbelief. The Muppets never seem like puppets. Their raw emotions— from Scooter the Stage Manager’s anxiety to Animal’s rage, which can only be dispelled through his music—create a sense of humanized familiarity and make The Muppets feel like home.
Couples like Gonzo the Great and Camilla the Chicken, along with the ever-famous Miss Piggy and Kermit's four-decade on-and-off-again relationship, give the audience love to root for. Friendships between Gonzo and Rizzo the Rat, and Kermit and Fozzie the Bear teach lessons on forgiveness and compassion.
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Most importantly, the show brings a sense of hope to a time in which it’s desperately needed. Despite the array of things that go wrong, The Muppets stick together, making things work, and putting on a great show to the very end. They prove that even when it feels like all is lost, banding together, pushing forward, and attempting to create a solution will see you through.
While there’s no official revival announcement yet, an episode of “Fine Tooning with Drew Taylor” from February 10 hints that the writers are working on episodes just in case. Even with no announcement, the writers have hope, and we should too.
