Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Fozzi and the rest the felt-formed gang created by the late Jim Henson may be set to take another shot at primetime TV. According to Daily Variety, the Disney-owned ABC network is keen to try out a reality TV spoof titled America’s Next Muppet, which would have viewers vote for a new puppet star a la American Idol and America’s Next Top Model.
Henson’s puppet pals were introduced to the world with The Muppet Show, which aired in syndication between 1976 and 1981. The Saturday morning animated series Muppet Babies debuted in 1984, following the property’s 1979 big-screen debut, The Muppet Movie. Subsequent theatrical release efforts include 1981’s The Great Muppet Caper, 1992’s The Muppet Christmas Carroll and 1996’s Muppet Treasure Island. A handful of TV specials aired in the intervening years and, in 1996, ABC launched a short-lived series revival titled Muppets Tonight, which finished its run on the Disney Channel the following year.
Disney acquired the Muppet franchise last year and successfully brought it back to the small screen with the ABC TV movie The Muppets Wizard of Oz. Also helping to get the puppet property back into the spotlight is a series of postal stamps issued in late September of this year in celebration of the 30th anniversary of The Muppets.
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