Do kids even know who The Muppets are these days? Ask a child under the age of 10 who Kermit the Frog is and see what he/she tells you. "Sesame Street" is still on in perpetuity and keeps our friends there alive and well on public television, but it is Jim Henson's other band of characters that have been hidden in the rafters for most of the past decade and are in need of a refresher. Good thing there's one happening.
"When your room looks kinda weird and you wish that you weren't there just close your eyes and make believe and you can be anywhere..." This is the epitome of imagination and it holds true as much now as it did then. This is the opening lyric of the "Muppet Babies" cartoon series of the 80's (itself inspired by the musical fantasy number in THE MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN). The cartoon ended long ago but you can't even find it on dvd, so how are kids today supposed to enjoy it? Oh yeah, YouTube. That works for those of us willing to search it, but for a youngster plopped in front of the set it just won't do.
If you're of a certain age, then you most certainly grew up with the Muppets in some form or fashion. Jim Henson's blend of marionette puppets have come to mean so much to so many over the years due to their unique individual characteristics and personalities. They are just made of felt and other raw materials, but yet they reach deep into our spirits and become so much more. They become that most precious of all materials: heartfelt.
Luckily, "The Muppet Show" has become available on dvd over the years. The first three seasons are out now with the promise of the rest to come later (as well as the short-lived "Muppets Tonight" from the mid-90's). The original films themselves are classics of another sort and remain strong movies today. The last ones released to theaters in the 90's changed the pace as they adapted their own versions of Dickens' "Christmas Carol" and Stevenson's "Treasure Island". MUPPETS FROM SPACE even featured a story centered on Gonzo, not Kermit. Since that time there was a direct to tv Christmas movie that included the likes of David Arquette and Whoopi Goldberg and another film adaptation, "The Wizard of Oz" this time (featuring Ashanti, this is the only one I've never seen).
As it stands today, the Muppets are on the move again.
They're online too! New clips have surfaced on YouTube with some of the various "oddballs" like Gonzo, Beaker and the Swedish Chef performing their own versions of classic music. Watch "Habanera" and see what I mean: http://www.youtube.com/user/deumnborkborkbork
Those old curmudgeons Statler and Waldorf have also found a home online as they realize that they're finally where they belong since "everything here is immediately followed by sarcastic comments and nasty responses."
A new show premiered on the Disney Channel called "Studio DC: Almost Live!" combining the current stars of the channel with our classic friends (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8j7BobRDcVs). There's a new DARK CRYSTAL feature in the works for next year and "Fraggle Rock" has returned from the 80's cave with dvd releases. "Sesame Street" continues its daily reign on public television and deservedly so. The new season includes Jack Black discovering an octagon (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7jpz_55EdM&feature=related) and Feist counting 1, 2, 3, 4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ9WiuJPnNA).
Pop quiz hotshot: What is Kermit's nephew's name? What species is Pepe? Which musician is Dr. Teeth based on? These may be quite simple answers for some of you, but others will need to get back in gear and share the news (especially to the kids): The Muppets are back... but really, they never truly left.
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