Kermit, Fozzie, Miss Piggy, Gonzo (or is it “Gary?”) and the rest of the Muppet gang are headed back to the small screen after their return to cinemas in 2011/2012 and last year. And now, after screening the 11-minute “pilot presentation” short that scored the new series a commission at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, US network ABC has put the video online for everyone to see.
Simply titled The Muppets, the series aims to offer a slightly more grown-up approach to the Muppets’ stories (not that Jim Henson’s creations haven’t told jokes that sail over kids’ heads for years), exploring their personal lives alongside their showbiz adventures. So expect more romantic tension between Kermit and Miss Piggy and a look at life in Los Angeles and elsewhere with a Modern Family/ The Office-style mockumentary approach.
Big Bang Theory co-creator Bill Prady (who got his start writing on The Jim Henson Hour) has worked with fellow sitcom veteran Bill Kushell to develop the new show, and it’ll feature a lot of the regular Muppet performers including Steve Whitmire, Eric Jacobson, Dave Goelz and Bill Barretta, who help the fuzzy gang come to life.
This is a good indication of what the show will be, including commentary on the whole format and the use of various tropes, plus appearances from the likes of Elizabeth Banks and Topher Grace. The show will air in the US on ABC starting September 22 at 8pm, and has been picked up for the UK by Sky 1, so expect it to arrive here shortly after its American debut.