HTF REFIEW: The Muppet Show, Season One... HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! (1 Viewer)

[Brenton]

I got my fuzzy cover at Fred Meyer. Interestingly enough, the Best Buy in Burlington, Washington, didn't even have the set! An employee tried to help me find it, then he went and asked someone and learned that they didn't have it at all.

It was even somewhat difficult to find at Fred Meyer. First of all, it wasn't in any kind of "new releases" section where it might be easily visible, instead it was just about four copies on the shelf (spine side out) of the "family" section (where they keep stuff like Disney direct-to-video releases and educational DVDs for pre-schoolers).

This leads me to believe that these stores are mistakenly viewing this release as just another kids DVD. Jim Henson is spinning in his grave.

 

[Keith Paynter]

That being the case Tim, I guess we have top chalk it up (again) to clearance issues - maybe the Time-Life versions were acceptable based on limited distribution.


That's a sad fact. The show was meant be a puppet show for adults. However, the humor is (safely) juvenile enough that the kids love it. The aspect that will be lost on the kids though is the human factor (I doubt any chidren today have any ideas who Joel Grey, Paul Williams or Peter Ustinov are, and my nephew tuned out most musical numbers that featured the human factor), especially during the first season, when a lot of the talent performed with "puppets" out of friendships with the puppeteers and producers. When the show took off, everybody wanted to be on The Muppet Show (not unlike The Simpsons today), including more "timeless" performers.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

I've read through all the posts here, and NOTHING has made me regret buying the set. The changes here do not even begin to compare to Disney butcher jobs from the past (Make Mine Music, anyone?)
My youngest son became a huge Muppet fan from watching one Best of disc (the Mark Hamill/Paul Simon/Raquel Welch disc), and absolutely loves this set. Personally, I haven't laughed as hard in a VERY long time. Well worth the $40 Cdn I spent on it, and I got a fuzzy cover @ Best Buy. What more could I really want?

 

[TheLongshot]

Just started watching mine today. Anyone notice that the volume on the previews is really low? Not that it really matters to me, but that was really odd...

Jason

 

[valB]

Hi there,

I'm french and I don't understand the problem with the fuzzy cover.

Can anyone explain me what is the problem and what you mean by "fuzzy" ?Is it better to buy a fuzzy cover or not ?

Sorry for this "stupid " question and for my english.

Thanks very much in advance.

Valerie

 

[Mark Edward Heuck]

I doubt the "What the Hell" was cut to avoid showing the CBS trademark. After all, Disney made the movie QUIZ SHOW about the "21" scandal that took place on NBC, and their old logos are all over that movie. I'm sure it's gotta be typical Disney "family friendly" cleanup, or to give the benefit of the doubt, a glitch in the source material -- maybe it was cut before Disney got access to it.

For the record, CBS the network passed on the show, but they did kick in some production money in exchange for broadcast rights on the 7 TV stations that they owned, like WCBS in NY and KCBS in LA, which would air the show in the 7 to 8 access block. The credits should still read "Produced in association with the CBS Owned & Operated TV Stations." Lots of syndicated shows have arrangements like this with the networks, where an outside company creates and owns the show, but a network that owns its own stations will partner on it and in turn exclusively air it.

I don't know what seasons they originate from, but various closing saxophone gags that are now likely lost from the reedited credits would include:

*Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem leave the theatre and only Rowlf performs the exit music;

*The band is entirely replaced with Gonzo's chickens, one of whom plays Zoot's note;

*On Kenny Rogers' appearance, the Beaker clones take over the band's positions (and Statler & Waldorf's as well), with a Beaker clone performing Zoot's note;

This is not the first time credit alterations have been done to this show. After ITC's rights expired, airings on TNT in the '90's featured a newly filmed Zoot puppet spliced in where the old one would be to replace the ITC logo that was superimposed over him.

 

[Antonio_G]

I keep hearing good things about this box set and I can't wait until I have my copy in my hand so I can watch...

 

[Matt`L]

Basically, some of the covers of the set are 'textured' (i.e. have a 'material' stuck on) so that they look like, and feel like, the 'fur' of the Kermit puppet. When you touch it, it feels 'fuzzy'.

Some of the covers are just plain cardboard with a picture of kermit's body. So they feel like smooth carboard (not kermit) and look like green cardboard (not textured/bumpy like the fuzzy versions).

Hope this helps...

 

[Cees Alons]

Just received mine from Digital Eyes. It's the "fuzzy" one.

Val, part of the surface is covered with green felt, like the stuff Kermit is probably made of. Neat!
It's easily spotted through the plastic wrap.


Cees

 

[Matt`L]

I hope that I'm able to get a fuzzy one myself... although, I hear that the reason why some stores don't have fuzzy covers is because it was only the *very* *very* first print run that had them (I read this on the muppetcentral.com forums).

What I'm hoping, though, is that to meet initial demand they didn't make them all fuzzy, but that they will revert to fuzzy covers for additional stock. I'm hoping this because I can't buy it for another week or so, and amazon (where I will buy it from) are currently awaiting a new shipment. All of amazon's thus far have been fuzzy (from what I've read), so I'm hoping this continues.

 

[valB]

Thanks very much Matt,

It's very clear.

Does anyone know how the cover is on Amazon.com ?

 

[RafaelB]

Jason,

Me too! It took me a few tries and tweaks and finally just checking other discs to make sure that my DVD Player/ Sound set-up was fine. OY VEY!

Rafael.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Actually, that's still there...at least the bit with Rowlf playing all by himself (it's a hoot). Was part of the closing-skit edited for that episode? Seems they took care to keep the gag going by preserving that closing credits at least as far as I can tell...

 

[Keith Paynter]

Think of your crushed velvet Elvis painting, and you'll understand...

 

[Josh_HI]

Am I the only 1 who got the non fuzzy cover? Is it just the cover that is fuzzy? Nothing on the inside?

 

[Dustin James]

.

 

[DonRoeber]

I didn't get the fuzzy cover either. But I did get the set for $15, thanks to some RewardZone coupons I had. The fuzzy cover wasn't worth an extra $15 to me.

 

[Eric Emma]

Was it just me or did the first two episodes suck really badly and the rest is really great

 

[Brenton]

I've really enjoyed the whole thing so far, and I'm a Muppet Show newbie (but a lifelong fan of the Muppet feature films). I'm about halfway through the set.

 

[valB]

And to your mind, on which website I can find the fuzzy cover ?

Thanks.