Muppets Now

TV review by Polly Conway, Common Sense Media
Muppets Now Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 8+

Light, family-friendly return is both familiar and fresh.

Disney+ Comedy 2020
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Parents say

age 5+

Based on 2 reviews

Kids say

age 7+

Based on 11 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Muppets Now is a family-friendly show about the Muppets trying to put together their own streaming series. Made up of different segments -- like Lifesty (sorry, Lifestyle) with Miss Piggy, a cooking show with the Swedish Chef, and many more -- the show features the Muppet crew getting up to their usual hijinks, with a modern twist. Piggy wants to be an influencer, Scooter is overwhelmed with video chats and Slack-type messages, and celebs of the day like RuPaul join in the fun. Like much Muppet fare, it's slightly edgy, with some very mild innuendo (a Muppet fan tells RuPaul he "just wants to touch him") and cartoonish violence in the form of slapstick and pratfalls. The series is fast-paced, light, and fun; families who are Muppet fans will be pleased to see this return to form from their favorite gang of now media-savvy puppet friends.

Community Reviews

Redrobs
Redrobs Adult
September 28, 2020
age 8+

It’s ok, but has some emotionally un-intelligent components

I watched this a few times with my 6 and 10 year olds. It is somewhat enjoyable. Tonight though there was a scene where Dr. Bunsen Honeydew crushes all of Beaker’s precious belongings and Beaker doesn’t want him to and is visibly upset. This is very far from the original Henson skill
Dai_AL1
Dai_AL1 Adult
August 13, 2020
age 2+

Fun update

Fun family show. Daft and silly. The modern update works well.
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

MUPPETS NOW is a series within a series about the Muppets putting on a show; this time it's a streaming series with a variety of different segments. Segments include "Muppet Masters," where Walter interstitials show Scooter, the always harried producer, working hard to upload each part of the show, with lots of stressful input from the other Muppets. "Mup Close and Personal" is an "inspirational" interview series hosted by Kermit that's pretty touching until it's hijacked by Gonzo asking questions pertinent to his interests, like "How many pennies do you think would fit in this room?" and "Are you disappointed you're not awake when spiders crawl into your mouth?" Miss Piggy tries her hand at beauty influencer videos, and the Swedish Chef returns to butcher various cuisines. The diverse group of guests includes RuPaul (RuPaul's Drag Race), Taye Diggs (Rent), chef Carlina Will, and Linda Cardellini (Freaks and Geeks).

Is It Any Good?

This fun, family-friendly series brings back the Muppets to do what they do best: being silly and skewering popular culture. From Miss Piggy trying her hand as a beauty influencer (with the "help" of creepy Uncle Deadly) to a cable-style cooking show featuring the Swedish Chef using nontraditional techniques to assist a real chef (Carlina Will) in preparing a recipe, this show successfully (finally!) takes the crew into the 21st century while maintaining their original warmth and quirks in a way that makes sense and is super fun to watch.

Smartly following the format of the original The Muppet Show, Muppets Now seamlessly places favorites like Gonzo and Miss Piggy into modern but familiar situations, and the jokes land beautifully this time around. It's also a pleasure to see Kermit trying once again to put on a show, always thwarted by the huge personalities of his actors and crew. There are fun little Easter Eggs for Muppet fans as well, like the folders on Scooter's computer that include "Meditations for Work" and "UFOs???" And with new additions like superfan Walter from the recent Muppet movies, this light, well-rounded series feels both fresh and familiar for Muppet lovers of all ages.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the Muppets. What do you think has made them popular for so many years?

  • Why do you think Miss Piggy is so interested in looks and beauty? Do you think some real people feel the same? What makes you feel good about yourself on the inside and out?

  • The Muppets always work together even when it's hard. Why do you think teamwork is an important character strength?

TV Details

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