The Muppet Show is a live-action/puppet television series that was created by Jim Henson and produced by ITC Entertainment and Henson Associates. It premiered on 5 September 1976 and ended on 23 May 1981, with a total of 120 episodes over the course of 5 seasons.
The 120 episodes were produced in the UK between 1976 and 1980; two pilot episodes were also produced, one in 1974 and the other in 1975. The UK broadcasts featured extra scenes that were not seen on US TV.[1] There is no set broadcast order for the episodes, as they were shown in varying order in different regions.[1] For the Season One DVD box set that was released in 2005, Buena Vista Home Entertainment placed the episodes in the order in which they were produced, rather than aired, for this reason.[1] Due to the sequence in which the episodes are organized on DVD disc 1, Scooter is part of the backstage staff before his first appearance (Jim Nabors episode).[2] The set also includes the longer UK versions of each of the episodes,[1] though six song sequences were cut from the set because of licensing issues. It is common for television executives to insist on an edit of video release rather than pay money to the owners of the copyright of songs.[citation needed] Examples include the Vincent Price episode, the closing number of which, "You've Got a Friend", is cut on The Muppet Show: Season One DVD; it is available uncut and in English on the German DVD.
The tables below list episodes based on their initial airing dates, for the United Kingdom, except for the two pilots. Thus they may not necessarily be the order in which episodes were shown in all regions.
The Muppet Show was released for streaming on Disney+ on 19 February 2021.[3][4] However, two episodes featuring guests Brooke Shields and Chris Langham are omitted from the streaming service, the former due to music licensing issues, and the latter possibly due to the actor's child pornography arrest. In several European countries, the episode featuring John Denver is omitted as well.[5][6]
Episodes
Pilots (1974–75)
The first pilot opens with a character called Wally and develops as he types the script on his typewriter. In the second pilot, a new character called Nigel acts as the backstage boss. Statler and Waldorf grumble from a living room while watching the show on television. (This setting for Statler and Waldorf would be revisited in the first series of Muppets Tonight.) In both pilot episodes, Kermit the Frog only plays a supporting role.
The first Muppet Show pilot, starring Mia Farrow. The hosting duties are attended to by a character called Wally. Other characters include George the Janitor, Mildred Huxtetter, Droop, Brewster, and "Crazy Donald" (called Crazy Harry in later episodes). Kermit the Frog has a supporting role. Most of the remaining characters appearing were from previous Jim Henson productions.
A second pilot episode for The Muppet Show. Viewers got glimpses of several of the future Muppet stars. Although Kermit does appear briefly, the backstage boss of this variety show is Nigel, the show's future band leader. Miss Piggy makes a brief appearance in a parody of Planet of the Apes and the Twilight Zone episode "Eye of the Beholder". Meanwhile, personifications of a variety of sins romp around backstage, waiting for auditions for The Seven Deadly Sins Pageant. Debuting are Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, The Swedish Chef, Sam the Eagle, and Statler and Waldorf, grumbling from a living room instead of a theatre box.
Season 1 (1976–77)
Kermit the Frog becomes the host for the show from the start of the first season, while former host Nigel gets a part as the orchestra leader. Statler and Waldorf now watch the show from a box seat, stage left. Other characters from the pilots, including Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, Sam the Eagle, The Swedish Chef, George the Janitor, Mildred Huxtetter, Crazy Harry, Brewster, and Droop continue to make appearances. Characters from previous Jim Henson productions also make appearances, including Rowlf the Dog, Sweetums and Robin the Frog (from The Frog Prince), Miss Piggy, Gonzo the Great, and Thog (from The Great Santa Claus Switch). New characters include Fozzie Bear, The Muppet Newsman, Scooter, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, wardrobe lady Hilda, Uncle Deadly, Marvin Suggs and his Muppaphones, Trumpet Girl, and the singing duet of Wayne and Wanda. Recurring sketches include "Veterinarian's Hospital", "At the Dance", "Talking Houses", "Panel Discussions", "Fozzie's Monologue", "Talk Spot", "Muppet Labs" and "Gonzo's Act".
Song: "Pachalafaka" from the album The Whimsical World of Irving Taylor.
Wayne and Wanda: "Stormy Weather". (Cut in Season One DVD version)
Blackout: Joel has a new hat and a new car and offers to take Gonzo for a spin, but Gonzo takes him literally, so Joel tries to explain to him about "figures of speech". He explains that one does not bite the hand that feeds him, nor does one talk through one's hat. The hat suddenly starts talking and Joel believes he must be going bananas. A banana pops up and says, "I thought you were going for a spin."
Muppet Labs: All-purpose tenderiser. (Cut in Nickelodeon airing)
Sketch: "Silence", a poem by Rowlf.
Blackout: Williams discloses that one of the reasons he chose to be on the show was so he could finally be the tallest person on the show...until he meets three Muppets who are taller than him.
At the Dance: "You wanna take a trip?"
UK Spot: "I'm in Love with a Big Blue Frog" by Mary Louise (Whatnot version) featuring a chorus of frogs, including Kermit and Robin.
Talk Spot: Famous short people.
Guest Act: "Got anything cheaper?" sketch (with Beautiful Day Monster).
Statler's reaction to his pants catching fire in the epilogue is omitted from the Disney+ showing; this did not appear in the original US broadcasts,[15] but did remain intact in international airings.
Backstage: Gonzo pesters Miss Piggy for her attention.
Song: Floyd, Scooter and the gang sing "Mr. Bass Man".
Guest Act: Mummenschanz performs mime with notepad masks.
Sketch: A librarian turns a cacophony of various library noises (e.g. chewing gum, coughing, rustling paper, and nose-blowing) into a performance of "The Blue Danube".
Blackout: Vincent cannot find Hilda for his dressing. Sweetums appears and offers to give him a hand.
Talking Houses: The hospital.
Guest Act: "You've Got a Friend". (Cut in 1994 VHS and Season One DVD versions)
Season 2 (1977–78)
Several changes were made for the second season. Each week, Scooter would now greet the guest star in his or her dressing room before the opening theme song by announcing the time until curtain call. The opening theme sequence was replaced with the more familiar one, showing each cast member under an arch. Sketches such as "At the Dance", "Talk Spot", "Panel Discussions", "Talking Houses", and "Fozzie's Monologue" either made fewer appearances or were dropped altogether. Several characters were rebuilt, with noticeable changes in Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo the Great, and Janice. Characters like George the Janitor, Hilda, Mildred, and Wayne and Wanda were dropped from the series (although Mildred would still make rare sporadic appearances). Robin is identified as Kermit's nephew. New sketches include "Pigs in Space" and "An Editorial by Sam the Eagle". New characters include Bunsen Honeydew's assistant Beaker, Link Hogthrob, Dr. Julius Strangepork, Doglion, and Annie Sue. Muppet performers Eren Ozker and John Lovelady departed from The Muppet Show after the first season. In early episodes of the second season, female puppeteers were auditioned to replace Ozker. Louise Gold was eventually hired as Ozker's replacement. Richard Hunt replaced Ozker as Janice's performer while Jerry Nelson took over the roles of Crazy Harry and The Announcer from John Lovelady. Jack Burns quit his role as writer after the first season.
Backstage: Fozzie decides to try a ventriloquist act.
Song: "Baby Face" performed by a chorus of chickens.
Talk Spot: Kermit chats backstage with Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy about frogs and sings "Consider Yourself" (from Oliver!) with Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Scooter, Uncle Deadly, Janice, Link Hogthrob, Dr. Julius Strangepork, Luncheon Counter Monster, the chickens, the pigs, and the Frackles.
Muppet News Flash: The Muppet Newsman forgets his pants.
Sketch: Gonzo wrestles a brick blindfolded.
Pigs in Space: Piggy has to save the day with the "independent heating slash unifying element and horizontal equalizing plane".
UK Spot: Rowlf sings "Show Me a Rose".
Talk Spot: Fozzie talks with Edgar Bergen and Mortimer Snerd about their act.
Fozzie's Act: Fozzie puts his ventriloquist skills to the test with his friend Chucky.
Backstage: Kermit is home sick, so Fozzie is in charge.
Song: Crazy Harry and a cannon.
Guest Act: Nancy at the diner with Fozzie and the Luncheon Counter Monster eats dishes.
Veterinarian's Hospital: Combined with At the Dance after Fozzie messes up the introduction.
UK Spot: "My Old Dutch" with Burlington Bertie and Rowlf.
Sketch: Bird medley.
Talk Spot: Fozzie talks to Nancy about the problems with the night's show and she sings "Pick Yourself Up" to Fozzie. Later, Piggy, and Nancy talk to Kermit on the phone.
Sam's Editorial: Sam discusses nudity in the world today.
Sketch: Sam tells the story of the ant and the grasshopper.
Talk Spot: Robin chats with Bernadette who sings "Just One Person" with Kermit the Frog, Fozzie Bear, Scooter, Gonzo, Rowlf the Dog, Droop, and Green Frackle.
Swedish Chef: Chickie Boom.
Muppet Labs: Bunsonium.
Song: Robin sings "I'm Five" and part of "They Call the Wind Maria" before getting pulled away. (Cut from Disney+ showing)
Muppet News Flash: A large object drops from the ceiling.
Backstage: Kermit conducts auditions for the next show, but he forgets to tell Steve. Fozzie gets worried Kermit will hire a new comedian to replace him.
Sketch: Several acts audition, including Can-Canning Rodents and Mary Louise (Whatnot version) and Friend (a frog) singing "Swannee Ribbit" until Mary-Louise is hooked off the stage.
Guest Act: Balloon Animals.
Sketch: More acts audition including Terry-Louise (an alias of Mary Louise) and Friend singing "Tie a Yellow Ribbit" until Terry-Louise is hooked off the stage, Baskerville the Hound doing stand-up, and another emcee auditions.
Song: The Four Fazoobs from the planet Koozbane.
UK Spot: Gonzo and his dancing cheese
Sketch: Carrie-Louise (another alias of Mary Louise) and Friend singing "Ol' Man Ribbit" (it is revealed that during this time that Miss Piggy had repeatedly hooked Mary Louise off the stage because she doesn't want Mary Louise to replace her as the show's resident "girl singer").
Guest Act: "Ramblin' Guy".
Song: Statler and Waldorf perform "The Varsity Drag", with Fozzie copying them from the balcony.
Gonzo's Act: Gonzo plays the bagpipes from a flagpole 10 feet in the air, but the act is cut short when a beaver gnaws the flagpole, prompting it to fall down.
The third season began promptly after the second season in the Spring of 1978, then took a summer and autumn break when Jim Henson went to work on production of The Muppet Movie, resuming in November 1978. All of the characters and sketches from the previous season remained. New characters included dimwitted stagehand Beauregard, boomerang fish thrower Lew Zealand, cafeteria lady Gladys, Bobby Benson and His Baby Band, and sports commentator Louis Kazagger. New segments included "Muppet Sports" and "Bear on Patrol". Two new puppeteers, Steve Whitmire and Kathryn Mullen, joined the troupe of Muppeteers during this season.
Backstage: Fozzie Bear misunderstands a conversation between Kermit and Roy Clark and sends all the stagehands out to the country.
Guest Act: "Rocky Top", with Lubbock Lou and his Jug Huggers.
Swedish Chef: Dough.
Pigs in Space: Electric toaster. Featuring Gonzo, a chicken, Beaker, the Male Koozebanian Creature, Luncheon Counter Monster, the Witch Doctor, Chopped Liver, and Statler.
Song: "You Put a Piece of Carbon Paper Under Your Heart" by Annie Sue.
Song: "The Daffodils" by a sneezing Miss Piggy accompanied by a sneezing Rowlf.
Guest Act: "The Show Must Go On" by Leo Sayer backed by Animal on Drums and a banjo.
UK Spot: "She Was One of the Early Birds" by Gonzo.
Talk Spot: Dr. Teeth introduces Animal to Leo.
Fozzie's Act: Fozzie, accompanied by Annie Sue, attempts to perform a memory stunt, but keeps forgetting Annie's name.
Guest Act: "When I Need You" by Leo Sayer featuring Billy the Bear, Mickey Moose, Harold Woodpecker, a beaver, a weasel, Crazy Harry, and Mayor Harrison Fox and James Badger from Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas.
Guest Act: Gilda and a seven-foot-tall talking carrot (instead of a seven-foot-tall parrot as she requested, due to a misunderstanding of her handwriting) sing a medley of songs from "The Pirates of Penzance".
Muppet Melodrama: Uncle Deadly and Wayne are too busy dancing to pay attention to Miss Piggy. (Scene after this sketch cut in Nickelodeon airing)
Song: Marvin Suggs and his Muppaphones perform "Witch Doctor".
Muppet News Flash: The rogue adhesive is under control. (Scene of Floyd telling Kermit that Gonzo's eyes are stuck to a TV screen cut in Nickelodeon airing)
(Note: Even though it was produced for season three, this episode aired as the last episode of season two in the UK. New Statler and Waldorf bits were made to mention this.)
Backstage: James Coco talks Kermit into adding some "razzle-dazzle" to the show.
Song: "Octopus's Garden", with Robin, Kermit, Piggy, and Animal.
Guest Act: James plays a medium, and Fozzie his customer. The two are visited by a ghost, who sings "Danny Boy".
Rowlf's Act: "Eight Little Notes".
UK Spot: Robin is afraid of snakes, but Kermit has him imagine the beauty of snakes. Robin envisions a quartet of snakes dancing to "In a Persian Market".
Swedish Chef: Banana split, interrupted by dancers.
Backstage: Kermit is pestered by Lew Zealand, who wants to audition his boomerang fish act. Miss Piggy concocts a scheme to trick Kermit into marrying her.
Guest Act: "We're All Alone" by Rita Coolidge featuring appearances by Billy the Bear, a Deer, a Beaver, a Weasel, and repurposed versions of Mayor Harrison Fox, James Badger, Nat Muskrat, and Will Possum from Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas.
Backstage: Kermit chats with the Bust of Beethoven. Fozzie reads a book on self-improvement and asks Kermit to make a list of his good points and bad points.
Backstage: Gonzo unveils his new act: riding his motorcycle up a ramp and into Statler and Waldorf's theatre box.
Gonzo's Act: Gonzo tries to ride a motorcycle up a ramp.
Guest Act: Lesley and Doglion perform "Beastly and the Beaut", a ballet version of Beauty and the Beast.
Pigs in Space: Dummo Rays.
UK Spot: Dr. Teeth performs "Mack the Knife", but Sam doesn't find it wholesome.
Guest Act: Lesley is supposed to perform with Rowlf, but Marvin Suggs and his Muppaphones arrive in his place. They play "The Blue Danube", before Rowlf kicks them offstage. Rowlf and Lesley then perform "Just the Way You Are".
Gonzo's Act: Gonzo tries his motorcycle stunt a second time.
Backstage: Liberace decides to perform an entire "concert for birds" in the second half of the show, while Gonzo is determined to get his tap-dancing chickens into the act.
Song: "Never on Sunday", by Miss Piggy. (Part of scene after this song, prior to Fletcher Bird's introduction, cut in Nickelodeon airing)
Canteen: Floyd asks Gladys for a fried egg.
Swedish Chef: Coffee. Interrupted by Veterinarian's Hospital.
Muppet News Flash: Remodeling of the Muppet newsroom.
UK Spot: "I Want to Sing in Opera", by Miss Piggy.
Backstage: The Muppet Show is broadcast in 108 countries, so Kermit plans an "international extravaganza", featuring people from each of those nations.
Song: A Japan-themed number, interrupted by Fozzie singing "Oklahoma!".
Guest Act: Sam and Spike talk about American/British relations.
Song: A Scottish bagpiper wants to play "The Bonnie Glasgow Samba" on the bongos. He is forced to play something else ("Brazil") on the bagpipes.
Muppet News Flash: Mad English comic.
UK Spot: Wayne sings "Dog Walk".
Song: The Electric Mayhem perform "America", but it is interrupted by various international Muppet guests (and the Swedish Chef).
Guest Act: "The Intergalactic Brotherhood of Man, Including Things", with Lew Zealand.
Guest Act: Various international Muppets sing "It's a Small World", while Spike interrupts.
Gonzo's Act: The Sheriff of Nottingham (Gonzo), having kidnapped Marian, demonstrates his torture devices on himself.
Muppet Sports: Archery contest.
Guest Act: Robin and Marian sing "I Still Love You".
Muppet News Flash: The Town Crier.
Guest Act: Lynn and the gang reprise "Hey Down".
Season 4 (1979–80)
Most of the characters and sketches from the previous season remained. Canteen worker Gladys however, was replaced by a new character, Winny. Rizzo the Rat also made his earliest appearances, first as "Super Rat" in the episode which featured Christopher Reeve as its guest star.
Backstage: The cast looks forward to Beverly's classy contributions to their show, especially Miss Piggy.
Act: At Kermit's unwitting invitation, Statler and Waldorf give the audience a taste of old-style vaudeville with a burlesque performance of "Take Ten Terrific Girls" and a smattering of jokes.
Guest Act: Due to a misunderstanding, Beverly attempts to sing "When the Bloom is on the Sage" in an operatic style. At first she is upset, but then welcomes the change of pace, finishing with a little tap dance.
Muppet News Flash: The cows come home.
UK Spot: The Fuzz Brothers perform some light opera, or just something like opera.
Muppet University: Sam the Eagle attempts to explore the microscopic world of protozoa. (Cut in Nickelodeon airing)
Guest Act: Beverly and the cast perform a short opera "Pigoletto", which turns out to be a pastiche of other works, such as La Traviata, Aida, Die Walküre, and even a little Rigoletto.
Note: For his work in this episode, art director Malcolm Stone received the first of two Emmy Award nominations for his work on The Muppet Show.
Backstage: Scooter's uncle sells the mineral rights for Kenny's dressing room to Arabs. Also, Kermit tries to take a more "active" role in the show, with disastrous consequences.
Backstage: Kermit plays a hard-boiled private eye who gets embroiled in a murder mystery on a movie set. As expected, Fozzie provides worse than no help at all as a Patrolbear.
Guest Act: Liza performs "Copacabana" in character as movie actress Liza O'Shaugnessy.
Song: After the movie director is murdered, Gonzo rallies the shocked cast to sing "Great Day".
UK Spot: A pack of Muppet dogs performs "Pass That Peace Pipe", during which they are all murdered.
Guest Act: After he is cold-cocked by an unknown assailant, Kermit despairs of solving the case. Liza attempts to reassure him with a song that turns into a duet: "A Quiet Thing". At the end, a body falls from the wardrobe.
Guest Act: Liza hams up a fake death scene to reveal the real killer(s). Afterwards, she performs "Everything's Coming Up Roses" with the cast.
Backstage: Statler calls in sick (of the show), and Waldorf's wife Astoria takes his place. Also, the show is audited for noise levels after complaints about Floyd and Zoot's back alley jam sessions.
Song: A fishy rendition of "Blue Fish Blues".
Guest Act: Dizzy performs "St. Louis Blues" with the Electric Mayhem.
Veterinarian's Hospital: A porcine patient declares his love for Nurse Piggy.
Veterinarian's Hospital: Dr Bob is confident of winning "Best Sketch" category, and Nurse/Miss Piggy — starring in both nominated sketches — is even more so.
Act: Phyllis presents the "Performer of the Year" award, which comes down to Miss Piggy and Kermit.
Backstage: Miss Piggy's dog Foo-Foo disappears after everyone 'passes the bark' on dog-sitting him. She becomes increasingly frantic and wrathful in her search for him.
Guest Act: Anne sings "Snowbird", interrupted by a Dodo's bad puns.
Muppet News Flash: Explosive paper from Muppet Labs.
Act: The disgruntled Mexican Hat Dancers are replaced at the last minute by the inexplicable "Trudge Trudge Streak Streak" from the planet Koozebane.
UK Spot: Milton Miller and His Farmyard Philharmonic Trio perform "The Old Sow".
Guest Act: An absent-minded Zoot comes to Anne's dressing room in search of his saxophone, and he and the Electric Mayhem join her in a performance of "Walk Right Back".
Act: Beauregard experiences a ghostly visitation as he performs "Dancing on the Ceiling". (Cut from Disney+ showing)
Muppet Sports: World Record Bagpipe Eating.
Guest Act: Anne closes the show with "Everything Old Is New Again", while the regular cast plays their "roll".
Backstage: Miss Piggy is enamoured with this week's Superman guest star, and Kermit becomes a little jealous.
Song: Kermit sings "Disco Frog".
Guest Act: Christopher Reeve fills in for Gonzo playing "Hamlet". Things don't go well, so he ends up singing "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" with some help from the cast.
Muppet News Flash: Killer lamb on the lam.
Veterinarian's Hospital: Christopher Reeves scrubs in.
UK Spot: Floyd and friends annoy Sam the Eagle with "Sam's Song".
Song: Fozzie and a matador try to play "The Toreador Song", but are chased offstage.
Muppet Labs: A heated milking machine.
Song: Miss Piggy "accidentally" injures Rowlf as he tries to accompanies to her singing "Never Before, Never Again".
Backstage: Inspired by their Wonder Woman guest star, Scooter and the cast take a correspondence course: "How to Be a Superhero" or "Invincibility Made Easy". Somehow, they manage to survive.
Song: Janice is about to be sacrificed by stone idol worshippers. She is rescued by her Electric Mayhem bandmates as she performs "With a Little Help from My Friends".
Guest Act: Lynda performs "The Rubberband Man" with a band of elastic bands.
Muppet News Flash: The curse of the Egyptian crocodile god.
Backstage:Luke Skywalker, C-3PO, and R2-D2 break the theater's walls (including the fourth) in search of a kidnapped Chewbacca. Luke's "cousin" Mark Hamill tries to join in on the act.
Backstage: Statler and Waldorf decide to keep score, and the audience is harder than usual to please.
Song: Various birds and reptiles perform "I Go to Rio".
Fozzie's Act: Fozzie is booed off stage before he delivers his first joke.
Guest Act: Diana dances with large birds and sings "Love Hangover".
Song: The Gills Brothers sing "Aunt Chovy", and the audience (literally) eats them up. (Cut in Nickelodeon airing)
Pigs in Space: Link and Strangepork inadvertently "gaslight" First Mate Piggy.
UK Spot: Beaker performs "Feelings" to a tough crowd, backed by Rowlf and the Electric Mayhem.
Guest Act: Diana sings "Last Time I Saw Him", backed by the Electric Mayhem.
Gonzo's Act: Gonzo bravely volunteers to follow Diana with an "indescribable" act.
Fozzie's (and Guest) Act: A supportive Diana urges Fozzie to try his stand-up routine again, and follows it with a rendition of "Reach Out and Touch".
Season 5 (1980–81)
The cold open featuring Scooter visiting the guest star's dressing room was replaced by a new opening in which Pops, the doorman, would greet each guest as they entered the theatre. New characters included Pops, Lips, and Gaffer the Cat. Two new puppeteers, Brian Muehl and Karen Prell, joined the troupe of Muppeteers during this season, and Betsy Baytos auditioned to perform in eight episodes.
Guest Act: Betsy Bird's burlesque dance to "The Varsity Drag" opens a mobster melodrama from the Roaring 20's. Things goes from bad to worse, until James Coburn whips out his piccolo to lead everyone in a rousing rendition of "Alexander's Ragtime Band".
UK Spot: Betsy obliges an impressed Kermit by "winging" another dance to "Birdwalk". (Cut from Disney+ showing)
Bear on Patrol: Link and Fozzie are hoodwinked by Banana-Nose Maldonado.
Guest Act: Per the guest's last minute "request", Kermit replaces the planned cowboy sketch with a serene tribute to Japanese culture, resulting in a Japanese-style square dance.
Backstage: Rivalry, confusion, and size problems among the cast threaten to derail the Muppets' production of Alice in Wonderland.
Guest Act: Multiple Muppets sing the "Falling Song" to Brooke as Alice on her way down the rabbit hole. She then drinks a shrinking potion and follows the White Rabbit further.
Guest Act: A diminutive Alice/Brooke follows the Caterpillar's (Floyd's) advice to eat a bite of mushroom, but grows too much. Then, thanks to Dr Bunsen Honeydew, she shrinks too small and becomes lost.
Song: Humpty-Dumpty and company sing "These Are the Yolks, Folks".
Act: Various Muppets, including Rowlf and Scooter, recite and act out the poem "Jabberwocky".
Act: Alice/Brooke is still MIA, and the Trial scene (with Miss Piggy as the Queen of Hearts) proceeds without her.
Guest Act: Alice/Brooke reappears at her normal size, and Gonzo hosts the Tea Party as the Mad Hatter. The scene rapidly unravels amidst bad puns and nonsense, until Fozzie (still dressed as the Tin Woodman) makes an unplanned entrance, leading everyone in a quick rendition of "We're Off to See the Wizard".
Note 1: According to Brian Henson, Brooke helped build some of the Muppets in this episode.[1]
Note 2: This episode was not included in the Disney+ release.
Backstage: This week's guest star inadvertently casts a magic spell that turns Miss Piggy to stone. He spends the rest of the show trying to change her back.
Song: Pigs and a sabre-toothed tiger from the Stone Age rock out with "Yakety Yak".
Act: A Muppet Classical quartet prove that horseplay and chamber music don't mix with a disastrous performance of a minuet from Boccherini's "String Quintet in E Major".
Muppet News Flash: More musical mayhem.
Guest Act: Tony sings "Ti-Pi-Tin" backed by a trio of female Muppets. (Cut from Disney+ showing, introduction cut in Nickelodeon airing)
Backstage: This week's guest inspires new feelings in Gonzo, and vice versa. Also, a stilt-walker meets with a series of mishaps. (Second backstage scene cut in Nickelodeon airing)
Guest Act: The Muppets help Paul perform a Renaissance-themed "Scarborough Fair". Some are more helpful than others.
Backstage: The theater is taken over by pirates, including "Black" (Glenda) Jackson, "Short" John Silver (Sweetums) and Eric the Parrot (disguised as a penguin).
Guest Act: Carol tries to clear the dance floor for her "Lonely Asparagus" act by tiring the dancers out with an accelerating rendition of "I Was Made for Dancin'".
Guest Act: Carol tries to squeeze in her "Lonely Asparagus" sketch at the end of the show.
Backstage: In honor of this week's guest, the show is broadcast live over WHOG, a country music station run by a corn-pone control freak called Big Tiny Tallsaddle.
Backstage: Gene Kelly believes he was invited as Kermit's guest to watch the show, and refuses to perform. Also, Beauregard believes the end of the world is near. (Scenes involving Prince Rudolph and his invisible cheeseburger, Gene thanking Beauregard for the sponge mop, and Lubbock Lou and his Jughuggers cut in Nickelodeon airing)
Backstage: Tonight's show is plagued by brown-outs and black-outs, and the cast's attempts to deal with the situation are predictably incompetent and bizarre. Muppet Labs to the rescue!
Backstage: the Muppets decide to retell far fewer than 1001 of the Arabian Nights, and this week's guest is horribly miscast in the role of Scheherazade.
Guest Act: Sam the Eagle has his doubts about Orville and Wilbur Wright being part of the Arabian Nights. He is not reassured when Marty and a trio of Muppet cops abruptly burst into "The Laughing Policeman". (Preceding backstage scene cut in Nickelodeon airing)
Guest Act: Chris shares his new invention with the world.
Song: An Englishman repeatedly misidentifies a bovine creature. "The Gnu" repeatedly corrects him.
Guest Act: Gonzo's admiration leads to a "wooden" performance of "Hawaiian Cowboy" by Chris.
Note 1:Richard Pryor was to make a special guest appearance in this episode, but when it became apparent that he could not make it to the recording, writer Chris Langham was brought on to replace him.
Note 2: This episode was not included in the Disney+ release.
Backstage: After an accident at Muppet Labs, Dr Bunsen Honeydew finds himself overwhelmed by HR issues.
Song: Clad in boaters and blazers, Fozzie and company cope with unchoreographed chaos to perform "Another Opening, Another Show". Meanwhile, Beauregard and Beaker are tied up backstage.
Backstage: Scooter somehow borrows millions of dollars' worth of gold for their guest's closing act. As a result, everyone is a little jumpy, especially the gold's suspicious security guard.
