Statler and Waldorf won’t be the only ones complaining on ABC’s new Muppets series, as Entertainment Weekly reports that the series will be “more adult” than its predecessor, and, as we all know, being an adult means being miserable all the time. And although the phrase conjures up images of Fozzie taking out a second mortgage and Dr. Teeth selling his keyboard to pay off some medical bills, EW elaborates by saying the series will focus on the Muppets’ personal lives, a move that is being described as “a first” because apparently no one at ABC is familiar with the timeless romance of Kermit T. Frog and Miss Piggy.
In an attempt to replicate the success of ABC ratings juggernauts Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal, producers are reportedly working on something closer to a soap opera than the madcap adventures of recent Muppet movies. Here’s the new official logline for the show:
The Muppets return to prime time with a contemporary, documentary-style show that—for the first time ever—will explore the Muppets’ personal lives and relationships, both at home and at work, as well as romances, break-ups, achievements, disappointments, wants and desires; a more adult Muppet show, for kids of all ages.
While the Muppets have had a wicked sense of humor since the days of Jim Henson’s very earliest shorts—something that makes them equally enjoyable for adults and children alike—we have a feeling that that’s not what the co-creators of The Big Bang Theory and Anger Management have in mind when they say they’re going for something “adult.” They’re also structuring the series as a faux documentary in the style of The Office, so look forward to Gonzo looking straight at the camera and making a dick joke when (and if) the series finally makes it to air.
ABC, meanwhile, apparently also hasn’t heard that there already is a more adult version of The Muppet Show, and it’s called Meet The Feebles.