The Muppets Are Back: Raising the Curtain on a Wild, Musical, Gloriously Return
- Je-Ree
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
The Muppets are back, and honestly, it’s about time. Just when television feels overloaded with prestige dramas and grim reboots, The Muppet Show is returning with a special event that promises music, mayhem and that uniquely Muppet brand. Sometimes you just want some family fun. Premiering February 4 on Disney+ and ABC, this revival lands right on the cusp of the franchise’s 50th anniversary, making it both a celebration and a reminder of why felt, foam and perfectly timed nonsense still matter.
The newly released trailer wastes no time letting you know its intentions. Kermit, Miss Piggy and the entire Muppet ensemble are once again taking over the original Muppet Theatre, joined by pop powerhouse Sabrina Carpenter as the main guest star. The result looks like a delightful collision of classic variety-show antics and modern pop energy, which is exactly the sweet spot The Muppet Show has always occupied.
Adding to the fun, Maya Rudolph has been announced as a guest star. Rudolph’s comedic instincts and musical chops make her a natural fit for the Muppet universe, while executive producer and guest star Seth Rogen brings his trademark chaos into the mix. If the trailer is any indication, Rogen understands the assignment: be funny, don’t overthink it and let the Muppets do what they do best.
Directed by Alex Timbers and backed by a stacked producing team from Point Grey Pictures and The Muppets Studio, the special event looks polished without losing its scrappy charm. The updated “Muppet Show Theme (2026),” produced by Bill Sherman, adds a modern sheen while still respecting the original’s unmistakable rhythm. Longtime performers like Dave Goelz, Bill Barretta and Matt Vogel ensure the characters feel exactly as they should; familiar, ridiculous and weirdly comforting.
What makes this return work, at least on first glance, is its refusal to reinvent the wheel. The Muppet Show doesn’t need gritty realism or ironic detachment. It thrives on sketches that barely hold together, celebrity guests willing to look silly and Miss Piggy stealing every scene like it’s her contractual obligation. In an era obsessed with “elevated” storytelling, the Muppets remain joyfully unbothered.
As The Muppet Show returns, it doesn’t just tap into nostalgia, it reminds audiences why this franchise became a global phenomenon in the first place. If the full special delivers on the trailer’s promise, this could be one of the most genuinely fun TV events of the year. And really, television could use a little more music and a lot more Muppets.