I absolutely love anything Muppets related, and I will not try to deny it. You do not want to get me started on the ramifications of ABC’s 2015 sitcom-esque “The Muppets” on Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy’s situationship, but I digress. So, when I found out Jim Henson’s variety sketch-comedy and 1970s hit, “The Muppet Show,” was coming back for a one-episode special this February, I had to see what was in store.
The episode, which is only 30 minutes in length, opens up with a piano rendition of Kermit the Frog’s famous “Rainbow Connection,” setting the stage for a show that, while certainly modernized, respectfully pays homage to its roots. Kermit turns on the light, ushering viewers into the new world of the Muppets.
Audiences are quickly greeted by the introduction of the fabulously wonderful Miss Piggy and Sabrina Carpenter. But this is technically not the first time the pair have met, as Miss Piggy was “arrested” at a concert as part of Sabrina’s “Short n’ Sweet” tour in 2024.
The first act of the Muppet’s tried and true “show-within-a-show” format is performed by none other than Carpenter, who sings her global hit, “Manchild.” The popstar plays well off the Muppets around her in a makeshift bar, smashing bottles and flinging one unfortunate patron across the room.
A wide array of Muppet chaos and stage acts follow. Some of the most notable include Gonzo’s failed stunt and Rizzo the Rat’s musical number. My favorite out of these, though, is Miss Piggy’s “Pigs in Wigs” sketch for its absurdity and parody of the Netflix series, “Bridgerton.”
As a lifelong fan of Miss Piggy herself, it was absolutely wonderful to get to see her shine, on and off the stage (whether Kermit liked it or not). Which leads me to one of the episode’s most enjoyable moments. A surprisingly beautiful duet of “Islands in the Stream” by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers, sung by Sabrina Carpenter and Kermit the Frog, is crashed midway through by Miss Piggy, who replaces Kermit and finishes the song with Carpenter.
I was completely blown away by the seamless inclusion of Carpenter into duets with two of Henson’s most iconic Muppets. This song cemented, for me at least, that Carpenter was the perfect celebrity guest for the evening. I think I need the full version of this song on Spotify as soon as possible.
As for the future of a revived, fully-fledged season, only time and viewership will tell. If you were to ask me, I would say “The Muppet Show” deserves a comeback, so I implore you to go and give the episode a try now on Disney+!
