One of the most anticipated new TV shows of the 2015-16 season, The Muppets premiered with great ratings. Unfortunately, the new adult take on the classic characters isn’t everyone’s cup of tea and the numbers have dropped more than 50%. ABC ordered three more episodes but, with this ratings trajectory, the series could easily be cancelled.
The network is replacing series co-creator, executive producer and showrunner Bob Kushell. Word is that he and co-showrunner Bill Prady had different ideas about the creative direction of the series. Galavant’s Kristin Newman is currently in negotiations to replace him as part of her overall deal with ABC Studios.
The plan is for the series to go on hiatus once episode 10 is completed. Those will air before the holidays. The remaining six installments will be used as an attempt to reboot and relaunch the series in mid-season.
We’ll have to wait and see if current viewers are willing to stick with The Muppets series and if those who’ve abandoned the show can be convinced to give it another try.
What do you think? Is a reboot/relaunch of The Muppets series a good idea? If you’ve given up on the sitcom, will you give it another try?
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50 Comments on "The Muppets: ABC Wants to Save the Series; Should They Cancel It?"
They should keep the muppets it is a great show and I watch it every Tuesday! I wonder why it hasn’t been in for awhile?? :((
save the Muppets…that show helped me be more positive and happy
Absolutely. It is a terrific kid and family friendly show. We love the Muppets.
I think the new muppet show is great. A lot better then the movies.
It brings back the adult dark humor.
LOL! I love how this site censors that certain four-letter word for flatulence, yet the word “masturbation” is left untouched and out in the open. Shows us all how backwards our morality is, I guess…which is why Chuck Lorre has been in business with CBS since 2003 and has produced shows that have lasted as long as TWELVE YEARS on TV and why shows like “the muppets” exist in the first place, regardless of the backlash it’s gotten.
*”THAT we should.” Sorry about that.
When you say “**** jokes,” I’m assuming you mean jokes involving flatulence, right? If so, I agree…as well as with the rest of what you’ve said here.. That stuff’s disgusting and has not place on TV, period. Even Nickelodeon viewers don’t find that crass, infantile trash funny, so why should those of us who prefer ADULT humor?
Right, Chuck Lorre?
My daughter started a petition last week on http://www.change.org; so far we have 5 signatures. We need a lot more! Together we can/need to revamp The Muppets, so it is inline with a more family friendly show. We cannot let The Muppets Show to be cancelled, due to not so kid friendly language.
So go onto https://www.change.org/p/abc-bill-prady-bob-kushell-renew-and-revamp-the-new-muppets-show-as-a-family-friendly-show
We thank you for your support.
Woah there! Everyone please relax. No need to acuse anyone of not parenting their kids. We’re just talking about the Muppets.
Wow. Please don’t insult me or anyone else here. This was about ratings. And the ratings have spoken. The show can try a course correction and hope folks who stopped watching turn it in again or the show is most likely history. Some folks who turned it off have the FREEDOM to start a petition inviting others who feel the same to sign it sending a small message to ABC about how they feel. The show will remain on the air or it won’t. Either way the sun will still rise. Please enjoy it.
Signed!
I am an older woman and must say I love the Muppets BUT……this is not about me or anyone beyond 12 —- really! Can’t we have a wonderful, lighthearted show for children and their parents. I have children and no grandchildren and would love to be able to sit there and watch little ones having so much fun watching these delightful characters. The Muppets have been wonderful thru the years, on and off TV. Leave it on for the kid’s sake. Let’s think of someone other than ourselves!!
I love the Muppets and I’m 42 and so does my 11year old and my 74 year old dad!
I don’t understand the hate for the new show—I think it’s great and still feels like the Muppets but with a new twist.
Get rid of it. It’s not at all like the “OLD” Muppets show… No longer cute & endearing. Now it’s just garbage…. GET A CLUE DISNEY!
Seriously? It’s not supposed to be cute and endearing. It’s a re-imagining and a huge improvement over the vomitous Lawrence Welk-like old version of itself. Besides, if they wanted to take it back to the old rendition, it would fail almost immediately.
They did “re-imagine” it when they launched it with swear words. Families everywhere switched it off and that’s why it’s being canceled.
Had they launched it as a kid-friendly show we’d all still be watching & the actors and actresses, creators, etc. would still have jobs. Kid friendly sells, there’s not much of it anymore so families grab on with both hands. And if you think it doesn’t sell, check out “Frozen” sales.
It doesn’t have swear words, what are you talking about? It’s rated PG.
The very first episode had “Hell” in it, last night’s episode had “Damn”. You’re delusional.
While I don’t think the new show is garbage, I’m with Rose on this. The new format is The Office with Muppets. It’s The Muppets!!!! Not supposed to be cute? Huh? At any rate, we’re all here talking about it because we all like the Muppets for one reason or another. And that’s good. I think there must be a happy medium between the old and the new.
wow, are you kidding me? Hell??? My guess is you don’t slip and swear in front of your kids, and neither does anyone else, right? I’m sure pre-schoolers hear a lot worse from their friends in pre-school. Ridiculous…
Your comment is ridiculous, “Sandi”. You may not believe it but yeah, some people don’t “Slip and swear’ (how do you “slip” and say a word?) in front of their kids. Some people are grown-ups and can control their language.
Unlike “Sandi,” apparently.
i need to bleach my eyes an beat myself with a hammer to forget this garbage
I watched this show 1 time and all it was about was backstage talking. There was never any actual comedy like there was in the original. Nobody wants to see boring preshow meetings and mindless content.
Absolutely agree with KOA. The Muppets does need to be kid-friendly. It’s a bunch of puppets with a history of being kid-friendly. How would you millennials feel if we brought back Power Rangers but have them porn style? Watch one episode of that with your kids and see how you feel about your childhood being cracked over the head.
No, kill it and be done with it for another 10 years. We all need to let this mess drown in history before we see Kermit and his friends again.
I can’t speak for all millennials, but I personally would avoid Power Rangers porn like the plague. Porn is trash, no matter who’s in it or what it precisely involves.
>> How would you millennials feel if we brought back Power Rangers but have them porn style?
Uh…I’m not sure you actually understand millennials, as there are whole websites dedicated to porn style Power Rangers and they would love something like that on TV, but realize the networks won’t allow it because of the religious people.
Both episodes I’ve watched is not close to porn style anyway. It’s rated PG and besides little innuendo like the movies, it’s kid friendly.
No, they should cancel it and bring back Forever
I AGREE!!!!!!!!!!
Agree, not sure what ABC is thinking – trying to save a stupid show like the Muppets, but yet they cancelled Forever and Motive – two of the best shows on their network or any other network.
Yes, bring back FOREVER & MOTIVE… and probably a lot of the other really good shows. Instead they give us more & more crap…. Jim Henson must be rolling over.
I watch almost nothing on ABC since they started to zap the shows that were good & tried to “make” us like the junk they want us to watch… They’d do better just to run all the old Disney shows, cartoons & movies… that would keep us all watching.
Sorry but while I too enjoyed Forever, shows are cancelled due to low ratings and Forever’s were too low, period. Cancelling The Muppets won’t bring back anything.
No, not everything needs to be kid friendly. But this is THE MUPPETS! The old Muppet Show spoke to young and adults no problem. A guest star for the adults and silliness for everyone. I don’t think most people want a “The Office” version of The Muppets.
So, Coffeemarc, what IS kid friendly these days?
I like it. Not everything needs to be kid-friendly. I hope it stays.
Then It Will Die Because It Is Not Working The Ratings Are In The Toilet