September 22, 2015 - March 1, 2016
The Muppets (stylized as the muppets.) is an American sitcom that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2015, to March 1, 2016. Co-created by Bill Prady and Bob Kushell, the series was produced by ABC Studios and The Muppets Studio, with Randall Einhorn and Muppet performer Bill Barretta serving as executive producers alongside Prady and Kushell. On May 12, 2016, ABC cancelled the series after one season.
The series is set in Los Angeles and depicts the everyday personal and professional lives of The Muppets during production of Up Late with Miss Piggy, a fictional late-night talk show starring Miss Piggy. The Muppets serves as a parody of other mockumentary-style series, such as The Office, Modern Family, and Parks and Recreation by employing the same single-camera setup filming style with the implication of a documentary crew filming everyone.The series stars Muppet performers Steve Whitmire, Eric Jacobson, Dave Goelz, Bill Barretta, David Rudman, Matt Vogel, and Peter Linz in multiple roles.
Background[]
The series marks the characters' first ongoing prime-time network television series since Muppets Tonight (1996–1998). The Muppets was picked up by ABC, the same network that aired Muppets Tonight—as the characters, the network, and the production companies are all owned by The Walt Disney Company—on the ABC network schedule.
This marks the second time Prady has attempted to revive The Muppets. Before co-creating CBS' The Big Bang Theory (2007–2019), the writer-producer shot some test footage on which ABC ultimately passed. Prady's history with The Muppets dates back to his work on Fraggle Rock in 1987. His previous writing credits for Muppet productions include the Muppet*Vision 3D attraction at Disney's Hollywood Studios, and the tribute special The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson, which earned Prady an Emmy Award nomination in 1991.
Executive producer Bob Kushell explained the intention behind the series; "We have the opportunity to explore these characters as individuals with their own emotional lives that are separate from each other and aren't shadowed by each other's presence, as I think they have been for the last 20 years... it's not just a behind-the-scenes look at a show, but it's the relationship-driven, emotional stories that people go through in their personal lives. Everyone in this version of The Muppets wants to push them further in a way they've never been before." Kushell added, "Rightfully or wrongfully, The Muppets became more of a kids' product over the years. We want to bring them all the way back to what they were intended to be and then some. But never so much that anyone has to explain anything uncomfortable to their kids."
TV Show Intro[]
Sound Effects Used[]
- Hollywoodedge, Chimpanzee Group Cal AT051401/Sound Ideas, ANIMALS: CHIMPANZEES - CLOSE UP CALLS, ABUKO NATURE RESERVE, THE GAMBIA (Heard often in "Little Green Lie" as part of the tiki-themed laser tag ambience.)
- Hollywoodedge, Medium Exterior Crow PE140501 (Heard once in "Single All The Way", "Swine Song", "A Tail of Two Piggies", and "Generally Inhospitable", and twice in "Got Silk?".)
- Hollywoodedge, Single Piece Wood Fal PE113801 (Heard once in "Walk the Swine".)
- Sound Ideas, BIRD, PENGUIN - PENGUINS CACKLE, WOO AND CHATTER, ANIMAL (Heard once in "Swine Song".)
- Sound Ideas, CAMERA - 35 MM SLR WITH AUTO WINDER: SINGLE SHOT (Heard once in "Pig Girls Don't Cry".)
- Sound Ideas, HORSE - SINGLE WHINNY, ANIMAL (Heard once in "Swine Song".)
- Sound Ideas, HUMAN, CRACK - KNUCKLES: FAST CRACKING (Heard once in "Generally Inhospitable".)
- SoundDogs, Animals, Monkeys Gorillas Chimps - Monkey, Jungle, Call, Clean, Echo (Heard once in "Little Green Lie" as part of the tiki-themed laser tag ambience.)