The Best (& Worst) of The Muppet Show!

The most sensational, Muppettational series of all time began streaming today on Disney+, of course that could only be The Muppet Show!

All 5 season are finally available but beware, out of 120 episodes there are a few clunkers. 

The Elke Sommer, Doug Henning, Chris Langham, and the Glenda Jackson episodes come to mind, but even they have some great songs and sketches.

Below are the highs and lows of the 5 worst episodes.  

Elke Sommer:

Low: "Row Row Row" 

High:

Bobby Benson's Baby Band -  "Pennsylvania 6-5000": 

 

Low/High: "Animal Crackers in My Soup"

It's starts of low - and the Muppets know it, and finally turns Elke into a bizarre Muppet human hybrid. that's just too bizarre not be a high. 

Doug Henning: 

Low: pretty much anything with the guest star.

High: The running Gag of Fozzie's magic act

 

Glenda Jackson:

Low: the subplot of Jackson being a pirate captain and taking over The Muppet Theatre. - the blue screen effect is overs used and just doesn't work. Looking back it looks like a low-budget version of Muppet Treasure Island.

 

High: Gonzo singing "Workin' at the Car Wash Blues"

 

Chris Langham: (Update - Not on Disney+)

Low: pretty much anything with Langham

 

High: "Friendship"

To be fair Chris Langham was a writer on the show and filled in for scheduled guest Richard Pryor after he became unavailable at the last minute.

Now that the worst is out of the way, let's look at the 10 best episodes. 

Vincent Price:

Price may seem like an odd choice for a guest, but the horror actor fits right in. 

John Cleese:

Cleese was instrumental in writing his episode and the running gag that he doesn't actually want to be there is hilarious.

 

Rita Moreno:

There's a reason she won an Emmy for her appearance

Mac Davis:

There's too much to like in this episode from Davis perming "It's Hard to Be Humble", a show-stopping "I Believe in Music", and "Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me" add a subplot of menacing Beakers and this is The Muppet Show firing on all cylinders.

Elton John: 

This episode is overflowing with incredible permeances from start to finish. It's one of, if not the only, episode to feature 4 musical acts by the guest stat and you still don't want it to end. 

Roy Clark: 

Clark brings so much to his episode but a highlight for sure is multipart "Rocky Top":

Paul Simon:

There's a reason the entire episode features only music by Simon. The "50 ways to leave your lover" running gag is one of the series' best. 

Brian Henson recalled that "Scarborough Fair" was at the time the most complex staging of a sequence on the series.

Alice Cooper:

Like the Vincent Price episode Alice Cooper's episode bring a darker element to the show including Alice trying to buy the Muppets' souls! and it's all all balanced out with Robin singing "Somewhere Over The Rainbow."

 

Steve Martin:

Unlike some episode where subplots and gimmicks don't work, the plot of Martin's episode is genius. The show's been cancelled - and without telling Steve, who then performs his acts for the Muppets

Harry Belafonte:

While this best of list was in no particular order, the Harry Belafonte episode is something special. 

From the TV debut of "Day-O (Banana Boat Song)", to the emotional "Earth Song" that brings the house down and won't even stop for the closing theme. The Harry Belafonte episode is clearly exceptional.

   

The Muppet Show is now streaming on Disney+.