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Like every other kid my age, I used to love The Muppet Show, Jim Henson’s late-‘70s puppet-run variety show. Each week, the show taught young Gen-Xers (and their reluctant older siblings) about music, comedy, and drama—thanks, in part, to its weekly special guest star. Each episode also featured plenty of showbiz shenanigans and backstage antics, as an ever-frazzled Kermit the Frog and his crew of misfits struggled to get their show on the stage week after week.
Season three of The Muppet Show was definitely an odd one. The special guest stars ranged from classic superstars to artists who have long since been forgotten. There’s a whole herd of country performers (like Roy Clark and Loretta Lynn). There’s an episode starring a scantily-clad Raquel Welch (which, I’m sure, was created with the target audience’s dads in mind). And there’s a creepy episode that I’m pretty sure my parents didn’t let me watch as a kid—in which special guest star Alice Cooper (flanked by vampires, demons, and monsters) tries to get the Muppets to sell their souls to the devil.
Though many of the 24 episodes in this four-disc collection are rather forgettable, it definitely has its high points, too. In one episode, Pearl Bailey sings gospel, backed by a Muppet choir. In another, legendary bedazzled pianist Liberace performs a concert (which he dedicates to birds). For another, the Muppets set aside their usual variety show format to present their very own production of Robin Hood, starring Lynn Redgrave. Singer/songwriter Roger Miller is delightfully nutty—as is comedienne Gilda Radner. And, when it comes to music, it just doesn’t get much better than the episode starring Harry Belafonte.
Since I watched The Muppet Show religiously as a kid, it’s fascinating to go back and watch it again as an adult. I still remember some of the guest stars—and some of the musical numbers. As I watched, I often found myself singing along with the Muppets and their guests. What I don’t remember, however, is how grown-up much of the show really was. As a kid, I didn’t pick up on the adult humor (nor did I notice the supermodels in their barely-there dresses). I just thought it was a fun show with all kinds of music and puppets and things. Now, I’m actually somewhat surprised that my conservative parents let me keep watching the show week after week. At times, it’s even shocking—but it’s still pretty funny.
Season three of The Muppet Show offers plenty of great guests, a variety of music, and a whole bunch of laughs (both for young viewers and old)—not to mention some interesting special features. It’s also great for the occasional walk down Memory Lane. But, as a whole, this isn’t the show’s best season. If you were a die-hard fan of the show—as I was—it’s worth adding to your collection. But more casual viewers might want to start with season two.
