Hi-ho indeed. After years of false starts, format experiments, and one-season curiosities, ‘The Muppet Show’ is finally doing the thing fans have been politely screaming about for a very long time. It is going back to basics. The original Muppet Theatre. Variety chaos. Musical numbers. A celebrity guest. Controlled anarchy.
Disney has announced a brand-new ‘The Muppet Show’ special event landing in early February on Disney+ and ABC, with Sabrina Carpenter stepping into the classic guest star role. A first-look teaser has also been released, and yes, it looks gloriously familiar.
The synopsis keeps it reassuringly simple: Kermit, Miss Piggy, and the full Muppet gang return to the stage where it all began, promising music, comedy, and what can only be described as professional-grade nonsense. No mockumentary framing. No viral video scaffolding. Just The Muppet Show being The Muppet Show.
Behind the scenes, this is not a half-hearted nostalgia poke. The special is directed by Alex Timbers, who also executive produces, alongside Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg for Point Grey Pictures. That pairing alone suggests Disney understands that The Muppets work best when slightly anarchic rather than overly managed. Sabrina Carpenter also serves as an executive producer, alongside long-time Muppet performers and producers including Matt Vogel and Eric Jacobson.
Crucially, this production brings back the veteran Muppet performers who are the characters. Bill Barretta, Dave Goelz, Eric Jacobson, Peter Linz, David Rudman, and Matt Vogel all return, with Goelz marking over 50 years with The Muppets, having originated Gonzo and Dr. Bunsen Honeydew during the original run.
And that history matters. The original ‘The Muppet Show’, created by Jim Henson, ran from 1976 to 1981, aired in over 100 countries, collected Emmys, Grammys, BAFTAs, and a Peabody, and was once described by Time magazine as “the most popular television entertainment now being produced on Earth.” It also turns 50 next year, which makes this timing feel very deliberate.
Disney has tried a lot of different Muppet flavours over the past decade. The Muppets (2015) leaned into mockumentary sitcom energy and was cancelled after one season. Muppets Now (2020) came closest to the sketch format but filtered it through YouTube logic and also lasted one season. The Muppets Mayhem (2023) focused on the Electric Mayhem band and worked as a charming side-story, but it was never meant to be the main event.
None of them quite captured the lightning-in-a-theatre magic of the original format. This does… Sometimes the answer really is the obvious one.
It has also been reported that if this special performs well, Disney could look at bringing ‘The Muppet Show’ back as a full ongoing series. Which means this is not just a nostalgia victory lap, it is effectively a very public audition. So if you are a fan, which statistically speaking means you are alive and possess at least a rudimentary soul, watching it when it lands might actually matter for once.
‘The Muppet Show’ special event premieres Tuesday, 4th February on Disney+ and ABC.
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