‘The Muppet Show’ Review: Sabrina Carpenter Joins the Gang for a 50th Anniversary Throwback

Classic figures of American television, the Muppets have been trying—one way or another—to make their way back to the screen ever since Disney acquired the rights more than twenty years ago. They’ve resurfaced from time to time, but never quite consistently: a successful comeback movie in 2011, followed by underwhelming sequels, TV series, and animated spin-offs that failed to stick. The lingering impression is that no one really knows what to do with them anymore, or even whether there’s still an audience for these characters—beloved classics for decades, yes, but largely unfamiliar to younger generations beyond their most obvious pop-cultural references.

Enter Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, who as producers decided to go back to basics for this 50th anniversary special. Their solution? Rebuild The Muppet Show almost exactly as it was conceived in the first place: a televised variety show filled with sketches, musical numbers, running gags, and general chaos, all set inside a theater with a live audience. This episode—framed as an anniversary special but clearly designed as a potential pilot for future installments—has an extra hook in the form of guest star Sabrina Carpenter. A contemporary pop star whose style, charisma, and even physical presence (or, as she jokes herself, her size) make her a surprisingly perfect fit for Jim Henson’s fuzzy universe.

The Muppet Show is exactly what the title promises: a retro tribute with a few modern touches, closely modeled on the classic TV program. It’s packed with familiar characters, jokes, and situations that will likely trigger a knowing smile and a warm sense of recognition among older viewers (let’s say 50 and up), while it’s harder to predict how it will land with kids and teens. Carpenter takes part in two musical numbers—a rendition of her hit “Manchild” and a playfully altered version of “Islands in the Stream”—as well as several sketches that lean into a running rivalry and visual resemblance between her and Miss Piggy. Those moments may go a long way toward introducing the Muppet aesthetic to a new generation.

The structure is the same as ever. Kermit the Frog is once again struggling backstage to keep the show from falling apart, juggling egos, technical problems, and the demands of the cast—especially the ever-demanding Miss Piggy, who here finds herself competing with Carpenter for attention. The central conflict is simple: the producers booked more performers than the show has time for, and Kermit, along with Fozzie, Gonzo, Scooter, and the rest of the gang (including eternal hecklers Statler and Waldorf), must decide who gets cut. Seth Rogen and Maya Rudolph also pop up, playing exaggerated versions of themselves, while Piggy fumes over what she sees as Kermit’s clear favoritism toward the pop star.

At just half an hour, The Muppet Show works as a pleasant, nostalgic exercise. What’s changed most isn’t the humor or the format, but the polish: sharper images, slicker camera work, smoother effects, and more fluid puppet movement. Otherwise, it’s business as usual. Some sketches land nicely (a period-piece segment featuring Miss Piggy and her “lover” is a standout), others less so (the classic Muppet Labs bit feels tired), and the rest earn a few scattered chuckles. As always, the most consistently funny material belongs to Statler and Waldorf—perhaps because, as a critic, it’s easier to relate to these two grumpy old men who never seem to like anything.

Will there be more Muppet shows in the future? That decision will be made by Disney’s accountants once the minutes watched are totaled, the algorithms crunched, and the data analyzed—the usual forces that now determine the fate of movies, series, and specials alike. That’s how it works these days, folks.