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30 reviews in total

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23 out of 23 people found the following review useful:
Sensational, inspirational, celebrational, Muppetational!, 18 May 2002
Author: TC Raymond from England

The Muppet Show is certainly one of the funniest and most consistently entertaining television shows ever broadcast. Even twenty-five years later, Jim Henson's genius and humanity shine through. Presented from the stage, backstage and even dressing rooms of the Muppet Theatre, the Muppet Show featured a regular company of performers who would try to present a variety show with the odds stacked firmly against them. At the centre of it all was Kermit the Frog, whose natural charm and calm in the face of madness were regularly tested to breaking point. Kermit's supporting cast included Miss Piggy (in my opinion, the weakest character), The Great Gonzo (a reckless daredevil who'll do anything dangerous or painful in the name of entertainment), Fozzie Bear (a hopeless stand-up comedian with sad eyes but a smiling face), Dr Teeth and the Electric Mayhem (a hippie-style pit band whose most notable member was the insane drummer, Animal) and various other pigs, chickens, lobsters, frogs, freaks, misfits and lunatics. Every week a guest star would show up to be sabotaged, and the show's innocently anarchic style of humour meant that even when the scripts were lacking, the charm was not and there was always much to admire in the puppets themselves.

CLASSIC MUPPET MOMENTS...Leo Sayer singing 'When I Need You' with a bunch of woodland animals; Floyd Pepper's "I have a room for life at the home for the chronically groovy" speech; Animal's version of 'Wild Thing'; Kermit's classic and heart-rending 'It's Not Easy Being Green'; Crazy Harry helping Gonzo with his cannonball stunt; the ballroom dancing segments (under his hat, Zoot was bald!); John Cleese as Long John Silver with a moaning parrot; Dr Bunsen Honeydew's increasingly bizarre mistreatment of Beaker; the continuing hospital saga with Rowlf the pianist dog turning his paw to acting (and however many times you see it, the cast looking to see where the announcer's voice is coming from will always be funny); Animal drumming with Rita Moreno; Waldorf and Statler's heckling; Alice Cooper upsetting Sam the bald eagle; Sweetums; Lew Zealand's musical fish; the Muppaphone; James Coburn leading an oriental hoedown; Julie Andrews singing "high on a hill stood a lonely goatherd" with a goat; Angus McGonnagal the gargling Argyll gargoyle...and not forgetting 'Mahna Mahna'.

A classic from the top drawer of Muppetational mayhem.

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17 out of 17 people found the following review useful:
Somebody MUST syndicate this masterpiece, 9 November 2002
Author: knsevy from KCMO

If for no other reason than to remind us who our stars were in the mid-late 70s, the Muppet Show must be returned to syndication.

This was a brilliantly-written adult puppet show, with enough obvious laughs to satisfy the larvae and plenty of innuendo and hidden punch lines to absolutely mystify most adults.

Fantastic. We MUST have this series back.

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15 out of 16 people found the following review useful:
One of the funniest shows around, 18 December 1999
Author: Goku4060 from Riverview, Michigan

In this t.v. show Kermit the Frog has to run a variety show, that has many "interesting" acts, like german sauerkraut singers, and many regular performers like Gonzo the Great, the only what-ever-he-is to catch a cannon ball with his hand; Fozzie the Bear, a stand up comic who can't get a laugh; and Miss Piggy, the wanna-be movie star who is, unfortunately, hopelessly in love with the frog. Kermit also has handle things like over-hand bowling and alligator wrestling backstage and food attacking the swedish chef onstage. All the while trying to keep the guest star happy, and putting up with the antics of Statler and Waldorf, two mean old hecklers who have a box seat at the show. The music for this show is also superb, it is played by three groups; the muppet show band, the electric mayhem (Zoot, Floyd Pepper, Janis, Animal, and the man himself, Dr. Teeth), and Rolf who is an excellent pianist, for a dog. I know this all sounds really weird, but it's really hilarious and unique, I mean where else can you see Viking pigs sing "In the Navy", or a pig judo chop superman? I give this show two flippers up.

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14 out of 15 people found the following review useful:
If the powers that be are reading this then please bring it back!, 1 September 2006

Author: Bradley Baum from London, England

I cannot fault it in any way. It gets a maximum ten out of ten from me. I am laughing at it just as much now (I'm watching the first series on DVD at the moment and I will buy the other series as and when I can) as I did when I were a child! Fabulous! The special guests were plentiful, varied, and always 'A' list for the time (some still are but a lot of them have now very sadly passed away and they and their talents will always be very greatly and very sorely missed) and always willing to send themselves up in a big way. Sure the singers all sang and the actors all acted etc. in the way the pieces were supposed to be done but, you see, it wasn't what they were singing/saying that sent them up but what was going on around them with the puppets, the scenery their clothes etc. they had put on for their sections. Spike Milligan, John Cleese, Steve Martin, Bob Hope, Harry Bellafonte, Shirly Bassy, Andy Williams, Roger Moore, Mark Hammil, Sylvester Stallone, Gene Kelly, Peter Ustinov, Liberace, Elton John, Alice cooper, Ethel Merman, Glenda Jackson, Liza Minelli, Juliette Prowse, Twiggy, are just a few of the many famous people that appeared on The Muppet Show and they were all more than happy to join in the general mayhem and ludicrousness in the show.

The jokes are wonderful and have not lost their impact or become stale over time. Every line and every sketch is as fresh now as it was all those years ago when the programme first aired and could (no, make that would) easily hold up in today's world with today's families if they were to be repeated in all their glory. And if the children of today haven't heard of some of the stars well that wouldn't make any difference at all because you don't have to have heard of a star to enjoy watching them doing what it is that they do best and have the puppets take the mickey out of it! Muppets Tonight was the last time they all got together for at least one series and I loved it as much as I love this and long for it to happen again! OK so the script may not have been as sharp in Muppets Tonight, But I love anything and everything to do with them (and the fact that they are now owned by Disney is just too fantastic for words as I ADORE most things by Disney and Love the rest!)! I have got some of the programmes on video tape and I am now looking to replace them with dvds which (apart from the complete first series) don't appear to be around at the moment. Not the last time I looked anyway which could have been the wrong place(s) if they have been released at all. I have since found out they are yet to be released so I'll be buying them as and when they are! Or at the very least, as and when I can afford them!

Easily above 10/10!

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10 out of 12 people found the following review useful:
Good Show!, 29 October 2004
Author: ppamjo2 from Columbus Ohio

I watched this show as a child. This show had a certain magic to it. I like the ones with

John Denver Luke Skywalker and C3PO and especially the one with Christopher Reeve.

I thought that the series was far better then Muppets tonight.

I would love to see more of these shows brought out by a company other then Time Life. I was rather upset that the one with Christopher Reeve was not in the Best of Collection. It shows him doiong vets Hospital as well as a wonderful spin on Hamlet!

The muppet show had a magical feel to the series and Jim Henson was a true Genus in his field. God Bless Jim Henson... He is missed...

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6 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
It's about time!, 11 August 2005

Author: Christopher Martin (CMartin) from Auburn, Maine

As a true fan of Muppets in all their incarnations, I have been waiting for this DVD set.

The Muppet Show has to be one of the best programs produced. Kermit, Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo and the gang will always make me laugh. Considering I was only 6 when the show originally aired, I'm finally able to see all the episodes in their original broadcast order. And just being able to hear all the songs and comedy bits is awesome. I'm especially looking forward to hearing all of the "Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem" songs.

The DVD set isn't loaded with extras, but it's got a "Fact Track" which has a lot of great info, although the graphic overlay sometimes interferes with the action and comedy on the screen (similar to the Back To The Future fact tracks). But the basic fact you get 24 episodes is well worth the money you spend on it (I got it for my birthday, although it retails at Wal-Mart for about 30 bucks), and I can't wait for the other seasons to come out on DVD (along with the season of "Fraggle Rock") If you are a Muppet Fan, or at least a Kermit fan, you owe it to yourself to pick up this set. The variety show is pretty much a dead art form, but the Muppet Show is a classic example of how it should be done.

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7 out of 9 people found the following review useful:
This show is not only BRILLIANT, it's GENIUS!, 24 February 2004

Author: Cini34 from Mainframe

The Muppet Show is, by far, one of the best constructed variety shows out there. Plus, it has all our favorite Muppet characters, and seriously, who can go wrong with the Muppets? This show is a perfect blend of song and dance, Muppet and guest star interaction, and just plain fun for the whole family.

The humor in the show offers the perfect mix of adult jokes and gags that fly right over the heads of children, and laughs that both child and adult can enjoy. Jim Henson truly created a masterpiece with this show, not to mention his popular films and other spin-off shows. The Muppet Show also offers a wonderful glimpse of many of the stars of yesteryear (the mid- to late-1970s), many of whom still survive today.

This show definitely needs to be picked up by one of the networks for syndication because, although it seems somewhat dated at times (not much, though, really) it's genuine entertainment value could boost any network's ratings.

Deservedly so, I've given The Muppet Show a rating of 10 stars out of 10!

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9 out of 13 people found the following review useful:
Love the Muppets!, 15 December 2000
Author: Monika-5 from United States

I grew up with the Muppets, Garfield, the Care Bears, etc. Boy there were some awesome kid shows on back then! Anyway, I always have a soft spot for the Muppets because my mom loved them too. I still have the Kermit and Piggy dolls she bought me back in 1980! About the show, I still laugh out loud watching Stadler and Waldorf, the hilarious critics! "Pigs in Space" was another great bit, but nothing compares to the Swedish chef! I also loved the 3 Muppet movies that came out between 1979-1984. Sadly, while I still love the Muppets, they haven't been the same since Jim Henson passed on. God bless you, Jim and rest in peace.

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9 out of 15 people found the following review useful:
I grew up with this show, 24 June 2001
Author: Adriane from Chandler, AZ

When I was a little girl, I watched this show every week. I was so excited when Time Life announced that they were releasing a video set with the best episodes, of course I bought them, and they have reminded me of my childhood. I have always been a fan of The Muppets, and still am. One of the best puppet shows ever. I love Miss Piggy, Gonzo and Kermit.

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2 out of 2 people found the following review useful:
easily my favorite 'variety' show of the 1970s; so many memories, laughs, songs, and strange creatures and friends, 20 September 2006

Author: MisterWhiplash from United States

I used to watch the Muppet Show a lot when they re-ran old episodes on Nickelodeon in the 90s, and saw a large variety of episodes, some that they released on DVD in patches a few years ago. It made me very, very happy though when I got my hands on the season 1 DVD set (albeit with some cuts made due to song rights and whatnot, which is a little disappointing but nevertheless a collector's item) and could get into the predictable- which is part of the fun- and great oddities and regulars on the show. Maybe I might be partly biased, as I've always loved the Muppets, particularly the movies and other little diddies they've done. But the show could be either a superb show for the whole family, or a little hit or miss depending on the audiences of today. For kids- as the original 'pitch' on the DVD says- there are a lot of quirky, odd, and assuredly original creations aside from the common muppets (Kermit, Fozzie, Gonzo, Ms. Piggy, Rowlf, Stanter & Waldorf, etc), but there's also some really, really weird moments on the show, such as dancing slinkies and a character like Crazy Harry who's only function is to make things explode with a Peter Lorre-esquire expression.

For adults and older teens, such bizarre things and the assorted lot of memorable guests ranging from musicians (Elton John, Alice Cooper, Paul Williams, etc etc) comedians (John Cleese, Harvey Korman, Peter Sellers), and many other surprise types like Vincent Price and Harry Belafonte, are appealing, but what about the really goofy gags and infinite lot of bad puns? For me though, everything about the show is terrific in its sort of low-budgeted TV 70s way. It's very nutty, but it's alive in a way that makes shows of today pale in comparison. In the first season it establishes itself as a wild lampooning of variety shows of the period in general, with the guests almost as a given being apart of the jokes, and with running gags, a quasi central 'storyline' going on backstage, and like on any variety show giving full-time for jokes, musical numbers sometimes with upside down chins making faces, and just very unexpected bits with the Muppet creatures and puppets that you will never see again. And the wit that goes through the entire series, from episode to episode, sometimes varies, but is always with a great wink and a nod to how silly it is, but at the same time it's also very smart-being-stupid humor too. An example of this would be when CLeese was on, and having to help Gonzo fix his long-arm problem after catching a cannonball. It's at equal turns overall cartoonish, exciting, whimsical, and it usually attempts to work best for young and old alike.

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