THE vision of one man, they are historic TV shows that entertained generations of children around the world. Now, as we turn to nostalgia more than ever, The Muppets and Fraggle Rock are the latest puppet shows to make a comeback.
It's time to play the music, it's time to light the lights....
…and it will soon be time to ‘meet The Muppets on the Muppet Show tonight’ on the new “Muppets Now” TV series, which will air on Disney Plus from July 31 in the UK.
Old favourites?
The original content series will introduce Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Fozzie Bear, Beaker, Rowlf the dog, Scooter and friends to a new generation, while offering a nostalgia hit for fans who remember the original.
It was a 70s smash?
It ran from 1976 to 1981, in the format of a variety show featuring star guests, from Steve Martin to Johnny Cash.
The new series?
The six-part short-form series will be unscripted and it's thought the plot will follow Scooter as he tries to round up all the Muppets to get them ready for their first streaming show. Disney say plenty of celebrities will make star turns, adding: "The Muppets will engage in the kind of startling silliness and heartfelt fun that first made them famous."
What’s the other show?
‘Dance your cares away, worries for another day…’ as Fraggle Rock is also on the comeback trail. The colourful puppet programme, which follows the adventures of the short, furry 'Fraggles' as they live in a network of underground magical caves, was an international hit when it aired from 1983 to 1987.
Where’s it airing?
Fraggle Rock is to be revived by Apple TV+, 33 years after the last series was made, with Fraggles - including Red, Mokey, Gobo, Wembley and Uncle Travelling Matt - reuniting for songs and escapades.
It comes after…
Fraggle Rock shorts titled, 'Rock On!' debuted on Apple TV in April, showing the underground muppet creatures social distancing and using video chat systems to interact. The specials were made from the homes of the producers' and artists' on their camera phones, but the full new series is now in production. The older series are also available for streaming on Apple TV.
And both shows were created by Jim Henson?
American puppeteer and film-maker, Henson - who died in 1990 at the age of 53 - coined the term Muppets as a blend of marionettes and puppets, developing the first Muppets show while at university in the 1950s. Henson developed characters for Sesame Street and was the original Ernie, of Bert and Ernie. But it was The Muppet Show that gained him international fame, airing in some 100 countries; by films, such as The Muppet Movie and The Muppets Take Manhattan.
Labyrinth?
Henson also directed the now cult classic, Labyrinth in 1986, starring David Bowie. He was in talks with Disney to sell the rights to The Muppets prior to his death.
Oscar-winning?
The Muppets movie in 2011 topped the Muppet box office at $88.6 million. It also brought the franchise its first Academy Award, for Best Song, “Man or Muppet”.
And they are not the only puppet show returning?
Satirical TV series, Spitting Image, is to return to screens this autumn on streaming service BritBox UK, with Donald Trump, Boris Johnson and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, all set to be mocked in puppet form in the style of the original series that was a hit in the 1980s.
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