Pepe is a prawn, hokay?

After wasting all my effort getting to know the Muppets Tonight gang, it really bugged me that they added Pepe to the standard bunch in Muppets in Space without also bringing his partner Seymour the elephant. They were clearly established as a duo; it would be like bringing in Bert without Ernie.

I think part of the problem is kermit has been retired, and that they had to think of something to do. While I didn’t appreciate the jamacain lobster or whatever crustacean he was

Well, Kermy showed up once ina while… and I think it was a cat fish.

I didn’t like him, whatever he was… the confusing might have played an important role in that, the “I wanted Kermit!” was about 80% of it though.

Why do we need a sequel to this?

Because we’re Henson’s talentless “suit” offsprings and we want another BMW?

Well they *were* involved with Farscape so maybe they could pull something new and original off.

I think part of the problem is kermit has been retired, and that they had to think of something to do. While I didn’t appreciate the jamacain lobster or whatever crustacean he was I think it’s pretty impossible to re-capture the magic that was the Muppet Show in the late 70s. Stars don’t do cameos for free, they have so many handlers now and the ‘variety’ show that the Muppet Show was modeled after really doesn’t exist in the same format anymore. (Thinking of Carol Burnett, Sonny and Cher and what not vs. ‘reality’ television.

Though I must admit I’m looking forward to the Muppet Oz thing coming up soon on ABC to see how they handle it. I actually liked the Muppets in Space movie from the last go round, in my opinion it was much better than Muppet Treasure Island.

but keep in mind that Henson was bought by a German company, and then the kids stepped in and reaquired the Henson company, so you can’t lay it all on them…

Oh, I did not know that!

Well then, I’ve been aiming my hate beam the wrong way? Allrighty then, take THAT, Germany! </hate>

and for such slop as the new Muppet Show, with the 30% rastafariased New Host… he was about as good a character as Poochie,

Clifford wasn’t a black dude because some network suits said “you need to be more urban to hit the target demographic.” Clifford was a black dude because his puppeteer, Kevin Clash (the man behind such previous characters as Elmo, Baby Sinclair, and Splinter, among others), is a black dude, and Clifford finally gave him a chance to be seen as one.

Well, he was purple, but, still.

Anyway, the rasta thing is to remind you of the Simpson’s ep with Poochie… and I’m sorry, I don’t care how good the pupeteer is, the character was uninterresting, and the show was bland and quickly got cancelled. They recycled an old show, but discarded the star and replaced him with a new, “hip” character. They didn’t even promote someone people knew, they just shoved this down the fans’ throat… it didn’t take, and I see this as precedent.

Now, to be fair, I don’t think it’s impossible that the DC sequel will suck, I’m just saying that all evidence points to sucking, and love of the original is the only thing that fuels our irrational hope that it’ll be it’s equal.
Also, if you keep your hopes low, you might be pleasently surprised. If your hopes are high, you set yourself up for a major let down.

and for such slop as the new Muppet Show, with the 30% rastafariased New Host… he was about as good a character as Poochie,

Clifford wasn’t a black dude because some network suits said “you need to be more urban to hit the target demographic.” Clifford was a black dude because his puppeteer, Kevin Clash (the man behind such previous characters as Elmo, Baby Sinclair, and Splinter, among others), is a black dude, and Clifford finally gave him a chance to be seen as one.

but keep in mind that Henson was bought by a German company, and then the kids stepped in and reaquired the Henson company, so you can’t lay it all on them…

Talentless? Brian Henson was one of the executive producers of Farscape as well as directing many episodes, he was a puppeteer as far back as Labyrinth as well as several other Henson productions…

*cough*nepotism*cough*

What? You believed the press release cleverly worded to give you the feeling that they had the original writers? Tsk tsk tsk…

How is it that you can irritate me so much through a simple posting?

It’s a gift. ;-)

I don’t trust this. This sequel, over 20 years after the fact, to a story that wasn’t open-ended. Years after the creator’s death… I would trust it more if it weren’t taking place about as late in the story as the sequel is in real life. This is setting off all of my bullshit detectors.

And as far as “talentless”, that might have been out of line, I’m pissed off at the Henson company for the crappy DVD releases of Dark Crystal and Labyrinth, and for such slop as the new Muppet Show, with the 30% rastafariased New Host… he was about as good a character as Poochie, or Static Shock. It is very hard not to expect more of the same from these people.