Quick wit, slapstick comedy, excellent puppets and puppetry
conceived by Jim Henson, an astounding array of guest stars, and a
whole lot of backstage chaos made The Muppet Show a favorite
family show for a whole generation in the mid to late 1970's and
those same ingredients make it equally enjoyable for today's
audiences. The 24 episodes of this second 1976 season of The
Muppet Show represent the family variety show at its strongest,
with familiar characters like host Kermit the Frog, his assistant
Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, Rolph the piano playing dog, and regular
segments like "Pigs in Space," "Veterinarian's Hospital," "Swedish
chef," and "At the Dance." Intermingled throughout are silliness,
skits, and songs featuring an impressive roster of guest stars
including entertainment greats like Judy Collins, Don Knotts,
Bernadette Peters, Dom Deluise, George Burns, John Clese, and Bob
Hope. The hilarious predicaments of the Muppets and their guest
stars are absolutely timeless and the look back in time at the
earlier careers of enduring stars like Steve Martin, Julie Andrews
and Elton John is equally fascinating. Highlights of this second
season are Kermit's emotional ballad "It's Not Easy Being Green,"
Judy Collins classic rendition of "Send in the Clowns," the two old
men's curmudgeonly and witty criticism of every show, Miss Piggy's
determined and amorous pursuit of Kermit, and the Swedish Chef's
bumbling inability to catch up with the chicken. Bonus features
include the rare 1974 Muppets Valentine Special featuring a
young Mia Farrow and a host of virtually unknown Muppet characters
including the enormous blue monster, Thog. Also included is Muppets'
music video of "Keep Fishin'," and interview footage of "The Muppets
on the Muppets." Whether reliving childhood evenings spent with
family around the television or experiencing The Muppet Show
for the first time, viewers of all ages will adore this second
season. --Tami Horiuchi
Backstage: The band
is so pleased with the song Fozzie picks for them that they
declare him hip and give him a pair of shades. Song:
‘Sweet Gingerbread Man’ Song: ‘Windmills of Your Mind’
Guest Act: ‘Beast of the Week’ sketch Veterinarian’s
Hospital: Patient with three feet. Song: ‘Burlington
Bert’ Chatting with the Guest Star: Fozzie and Don enjoy
being hip Song: ‘What a Wonderful World’ by Rowlf
Swedish Chef: Fish Stew
Backstage: Scooter’s
uncle will give the show the money they need, if they put a lady
wrestler number in the show and enraging Sam in the process.
Song: Chopin's ‘Polonaise in A Flat’ by Electric Mayhem
Guest Act: ‘What do the Simple Folk Do?’ At the Dance:
Tennis Muppet Labs: Magnetic carrots Song:
Piano-sax duet, "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" Guest Act:
‘Fears’ poem Song: Drum Solo Sketch: Lady
Wrestling
Note: Mostel died before this episode
was broadcast, the only guest to have this distinction.
Backstage:Fozzie
hides from his idol, Milton Berle. Song:Ugly Guest
Act: Statler and Waldorf successfully drive Uncle Milty
insane by heckling him, creating a hilarious monologue in the
process. News Flash:Pigs in Space: An
unidentified object is going to crash into the Swinetrek: Gonzo
on a motorcycle. Guest Act: Milton Berle sings 'The
Entertainer' with Rowlf accompanying on the piano. Chorus
includes Scooter and Fozzie and Piggy in the end. Sketch:
Zelda Rose and her Singing Owl
Guest Act: Milton
Berle and Fozzie do a song and dance act: 'Top Banana'
Backstage: Gonzo
interviews hopefuls for a new dancing chicken act. Song:
Chanson d'Amour with Crazy Harry (the mad bomber) and 3 Muppet
ladies Guest Act: impressions of the Muppet cast At
the Dance: Just not Animal's night Song: "The Boy I
Love," by Miss Piggy, accompanied by Rolf (and audience)
Sketch: "Shine Little Glow Worm" with lizard and inchworms
Chatting with the Guest Star" Muppet reporters interview
Rich Little Veterinarian's Hospital: Fozzie the Bear is a
little hoarse Sketch: "Tea for Two" by Gonzo and his
dancing chicken, Lolita
Guest Act: Scenes from
the great Hollywood musical comedies of yesterday
Backstage: J.P.
Gross wants to demolish the theater and put in a junkyard.
Guest Act: "Howdy dowdy diddle all day" Pigs in Space:
Mid-course correction maneuver Sam's Editorial: Sam
announces he's disassociating himself with the show Guest
Act: "I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly" Sketch:
"I Talk to the Trees," with Linc Hogthrob Sketch: Kermit
reports from planet Koozebane to interview the Foob Guest
Act: duet on piano with Rolf, "Doe a Deer" Swedish Chef:
Shotgun
Backstage: Kermit is
home sick and Fozzie is in charge. Song: Crazy Harry and
a cannon. Guest Act: Nancy at the diner with Fozzie and a
monster who eats dishes. Veterinarian's Hospital:
Combined with At the Dance after Fozzie messes up the
introduction. Song: "My Dear Old Dutch" with Bert and
Rowlf. Sketch: Bird medley. Chatting with the Guest
Star: Fozzie talks to Nancy about the problems with the
night's show and she sings "Start All Over Again" to Fozzie.
Later, Piggy and Nancy talk to Kermit on the phone. Sam's
Editorial: Sam discusses nudity in the world today.
Guest Act: "They Can't Take That Away From Me" with
Sweetums.
Backstage: Fozzie
decides to try a ventriloquist act. Song: "Babyface"
performed by a chorus of chickens. Chatting with the Guest:
Kermit chats backstage with Edgar Bergen and Charley McCarthy
about frogs and the cast sings "Consider Yourself". Muppet
News Flash: The reporter forgets his pants. Sketch:
Gonzo wrestles a brick blindfolded. Pigs in Space: Piggy
has to save the day with the "independent heating slash unifying
element and horizontal equalizing plane." Song: Rowlf
sings "Show Me a Rose" Chatting with the Guest: Fozzie
talks with Edgar Bergen and Mortimer Snerd about their act.
Fozzie's Act: Fozzie puts his ventriloquist skills to the
test with his friend Chucky. Song: "Time in a Bottle"
Song: Pecked out by chickens on a piano.
Guest
Act: Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy discuss the Muppets
and are joined by Piggy.
Backstage: The show
is canceled to allow auditions to take place... but they forgot
to tell Steve. Fozzie gets worried Kermit will hire a new
comedian to replace him. Sketch: Several acts audition
including Can-Canning Rodents and Mary Louise and Friend singing
"Swannee Ribbit" Guest Act: Balloon Animals. Sketch:
More acts audition including Terry Louise and Friend singing
"Tie a Yellow Ribbit", Vaskerville the Hound doing stand-up, and
another MC auditions. Song: The Four Fazoods from the
planet Koozbane. Sketch: More auditions, Gonzo and his
dancing cheese, Carrie Louise and Friend singing "Old Man Ribbit."
Guest Act: "Ramblin' Guy." Song: Statler and
Waldorf perform "The Varsity Drag", with Fozzie copying them
from the balcony. Song: Marvin Suggs and His All Food
Glee Club, "Yes, We Have No Bananas Today" Guest Act:
Juggling. Sketch: The Flying Zucchini Brothers human
cannonball act auditions. Guest Act: Steve plays "Dueling
Banjos" with the Jug Band, the All Food Glee Club, the Fazoods,
and the Flying Zucchini Brothers.
Fun Fact:
Brian Henson has said that the laughter in this episode is
actually the laughter of the Muppet performers as the show was
being recorded.
Backstage: Gonzo has
a crush on guest star Madeline Kahn. Song: Kermit does
"Happy Feet." Guest Act: "I'll Never Forget Your Feet"
Swedish Chef: Lobster. Song: Dr. Teeth, Zoot, and
Floyd do "A New York State of Mind" Pigs in Space: The
Swinetrek loses power. Song: Fozzie sings with his
ukulele. Guest Act: Madeline has a run in with a monster
in the park who is out to ruin her day. News Flash:
Reporters are blowing up. Song: Rowlf does "In My
Beautiful Balloon."
Backstage: The cast
is plagued by a gossip columnist from The Daily Scandal.
Song: Piggy sings "Cuanto Le Gusta." Guest Act: Rowlf
accompanies George Burns as they discuss dog acts and sings
"Train Back Home." Song: "Chattanooga Choo-Choo"
Veterinarian's Hospital: Dr. Bob treats a telephone.
Song: Fozzie sings "Wotcher (Knocked 'Em in the Old Kent
Road)". Chatting with the Guest: Gonzo chats with George
Burns about Gonzo's early showbiz days. Song: Kermit and
Piggy sing "I Won't Dance" in a skit that begins like an "At the
Dance" segment. Sketch: A machine eating monster.
Guest Act: George sings "It All Depends on You" and "You
Made Me Love You" with the cast.
Backstage: Miss
Piggy collaborates with Scooter to make Kermit jealous and get a
better place on the show. Song: Piggy sings "My Old Man
Said Follow the Van." Guest Act: Dom Deluise travels to
the planet Koozbane and meets the natives. Song: Animal
has a drum solo. Veterinarian's Hospital: Dr. Bob treats
a cow. Song: "Henrietta's Wedding" Song: Dr. Teeth
and The Electric Mayhem performs. Guest Act: A tour of
Shepard's Institute of Animal Protection.
Backstage: Kermit's
nephew Robin feels unwanted and wants to run away. Miss Piggy
harbours jealousy against Miss Mousey. Song: Kermit and
Miss Mousey sing "How Could Believe Me?" Guest Act: "Take
a Little One Step, Two Step" Song: Chickens peck out
"Chopsticks" on the piano. Veterinarian's Hosptial: Dr.
Bob treats a shoe. Song: "The Sheik of Arabie" Sketch:
Sam tells the story of the ant and the grasshopper. Chatting
with the Guest: Robin chats with Bernadette who sings "Just
One Person" with an ever increasing cast of Muppets. Swedish
Chef: Chickie Boom. Muppet Labs: Bunsonium. Song:
Robin sings "I'm Five" Muppet News Flash: A large object
drops from the ceiling.
Backstage: Sam
attempts to class up the cast due to their high culture guest
star. Song: Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem perform
"Minuet in G Major" Song: Piggy and Linc sing a duet from
"Don Giovanni". Guest Act: Swine Lake. Song:
"Something's Missing" Veterinarian's Hosptial: A Tribute
to Shakespeare. Guest Act: Duet in a steam bath with
Piggy, "Baby, It's Cold Outside." Song: Rowlf plays a
piano solo with some help from Fozzie.
Backstage: Scooter
has a song for Elton John. The Swedish Chef chases a chicken.
Sam thinks Elton John is an affront to culture. Guest Act:
"Crocodile
Rock" with a group of crocodiles. Swedish Chef: Egg
du Chef. Guest Act: Scooter starts singing "Bennie
and the Jets" and Elton takes over. Veterinarian's
Hospital: Dr. Bob treats a dog. Song: Rowlf and
Fozzie play a song on the piano. Song: Kermit and Fozzie
sing "Any Old Iron" Guest Act: "Goodbye
Yellow Brick Road" Pigs in Space: Boredom.
Backstage: The show
is thrown into chaos when Fozzie's roller skating act isn't
quite ready. Guest Act: "Groovy People" News Flash:
Mallarditus. Veterinarian's Hospital: Dr. Bob has no
patient. Guest Act: Floyd and Animal chat with Lou.
Swedish Chef: Frog's legs. At the Dance: Lots of
visual gags. Song: Kermit sings "Ukelele
Lady" (with Miss Piggy and Scooter) Song: Linc sings
"Sonny Boy" with a piglet. Chatting with the Guest:
Kermit chats with Lou, which turns into a scat song with the
Electric Mayhem. Muppet Labs: Nuclear Powered Shaver.
Fozzie's Act: Fozzie on roller skates.
Backstage: Fozzie's
mother is in the audience. Song: "Everybody Limbo"
Guest Act: "It
Don't Mean a Thing (If it Ain't Got That Swing)" with Dr.
Teeth and the Electric Mayhem Orchestra Pigs in Space:
Annual Inspection, with Fozzie filling in for Piggy. Extra
Guest Act:
Bruce Schwartz performs with a marionette Song: Rowlf
and a few dogs perform "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" Swedish
Chef: Cleo Laine assists, singing "You're
Just In Love" with the Chef. Fozzie's Act:
Phrenology.
Guest Act: Cleo Lane performs
with Bruce Schwartz.
Backstage: A real
cow mysteriously appears backstage. Guest Act: "The
Lonely Goatherd" News Flash: Sports equipment jettisoned.
Gonzo's Act: Gonzo plays the bagpipes from a flagpole 10
feet in the air, but the act is cut short when a beaver pecks
the flagpole, prompting it to fall down. Song: Rowlf
plays some classic classical music. Chatting with the Guest:
Kermit attempts a quiet chat with Julie Andrews. Song:
Gonzo sings "Won't Someone Dance with Me." Song: "Way
Down on Borneo Bay" by the Jug Band. Guest Act: "When You
Were a Tadpole and I was a Fish" with Kermit. Sam's
Commentary: Industry and Technology. Muppet Labs:
Hair Growing Tonic.
Backstage: Jaye P.
Morgan isn't very thrilled about being on the show. Later,
Scooter's uncle J.P. Gross shows up. Guest Act: Tweedley
Tweedley Dee Swedish Chef: Opening a coconut Song:
Rowlf, Gonzo, and Animal do Flight of the Bumblebee At the
Dance: Men vs. Women, and the troubles with some of the
couples. Song: Rowlf and Fozzie repeat their act from
episode 2.38 Chatting with the Guest: Kermit and Jaye P.
talk about explosions. Song: Floyd and the conductor
perform. Pigs in Space: The Swinetrek plummets towards
Earth at an incredible rate of speed, needing to toss some
excess weight overboard to slow down. News Flash: The
London Symphony Orchestra jettisons some instruments from their
flight. Sam's Commentary: Crime.
Backstage: Bunson
and Beaker keep appearing and disappearing, as well as other
cast members and items. Guest Act: "Play, Gypsy, Play"
Song: Rowlf sings a song about nature sounds. Chatting
with the Guest: Kermit tells Peter Sellers to be himself;
Peter Sellers replies he cannot because "there is no me" and "I
had it surgically removed". Gonzo's Act: "Down Memory
Lane" with Rowlf. Guest Act: Peter Sellers assists Linc
with his workout. Song: Kermit sings "Bein'
Green" Muppet Labs: Teleporter
Guest Act:
"Cigarettes, and Whiskey, and Wild, Wild Women."
Backstage: A moose,
named Mickey and who sounds like John Wayne, hangs out
backstage, upsetting Kermit. Opening Act: "Anchors Aweigh
in the Morn" with Link, Scooter, Fozzie, Gonzo, and Robin
Guest Act: "The Boy from Ipanema" (The
Girl from Ipanema) Sketch: A Wild West bar is filled
with chickens, with Gonzo as the bartender. The classic gun
battle between good and evil occurs. At the Dance: The
couples discuss their relationships and mothers. Song: "A
Silly Song" Guest Act: "I Really Love You" with Rowlf
Veterinarian's Hospital: Dr. Bob, Nurse Piggy and Nurse
Janice operate on a sinking patient. The Swedish Chef:
Chocolate Moose
Backstage: Bob Hope
is splitting his time between The Muppet Show and several
charity shows. Animal tries to find a hobby. Song: A
calypso number featuring Piggy and various other pigs. Guest
Act: Bob and Kermit do a quick back and forth, Bob has
skipped out on a benefit for the Flying Zucchini Brothers to be
at the show. Song: "For What It's Worth" sung by woodland
creatures, interrupted by hunters. News Flash: Opening
day of fishing season. The Swedish Chef: Pressed duck.
News Flash: Opening of opera season. Song: Rowlf
performs a short piano solo. Song: "Sing Me the Songs"
Muppet Labs: Automatic Waste Basket Song: Rowlf gets
another chance at a piano solo, with an extra hand.
Backstage: Piggy
decides to go on a diet. Guest Act: "Cotton Fields Back
Home" Pigs in Space: The crew is running out of oxygen,
fuel and water. And swill. Song: Animal performs "Wild
Thing" Gonzo's Act: Gonzo recites Shakespeare in his own
way. At the Dance: The couples discuss losing weight.
Song: Dr. Teeth performs a song about cheesecake.
Chatting with the Guest Star: Kermit talks to Teresa about
her autograph book. Muppet Labs: Electric Nose Warmer
Song: Scooter sings "The Hop" with some friends Guest
Act: "Spinning Wheel" with Sweetums
Backstage: John
isn't terribly thrilled about being on the show. Gonzo's arm is
stretched out of shape after his cannon ball trick. Song:
"Somebody Stole My Gal" Gonzo's Act: Gonzo catches a
cannon ball. News Flash: Solving the food crisis.
Song: Rowlf and a chicken play a song on the piano. Pigs
in Space: John Cleese invades the Swinetrek. At the
Dance: Waiter and fly soup jokes. Song: Piggy sings
"Waiting at the Church" Song: Robin and Sweetums sing
"Two Lost Souls" Chatting with the Guest: John tries to
help Gonzo with his misshapen arm. Sketch: Kermit reports
from the planet Koozbaine. Guest Act: John refuses to do
a song. The rest of the Muppets try to help.
Note:
In this episode's opening, Gonzo finally blows the final note
correctly.
Backstage: Pigs take
over the show. Kermit and other regulars are kept in the boiler
room. Song: "That's Entertainment" Guest Act:
Cloris sings a medley with Link Fozzie's Act: Fozzie the
Pig performs, meeting with better success than Fozzie the Bear.
Swedish Chef: The Swedish Pig makes popcorn.
Veterinarian's Hospital: Rebranded "Vegetarian's Hospital,"
the all-pig cast is presented with a tray of fruits and
vegetables as a patient. News Flash: Presented by a pig
newscaster. Creating a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Pigs in
Space: The Swinetrek is under attack by chopped liver.
