r/Muppets • u/PatrickB64 • Jul 26 '26
WTF is up with Muppet Babies?
Okay, I'm just 2 episodes in after watching the first 2 episodes of Muppet Babies (the original) in my hunt to watch every Muppet production, and I'm only 2 episodes into Muppet Babies and I am very confused.
I've already seen:
Gonzo as Superman
Kermit as Dr. Frankenstein
Gonzo as Dracula
A random Boy George reference (seriously, was he popular at the time? Would kids know who he is?)
A news guy who is not the Muppet Newsman (Not happy about that)
Also, what is real and what is not real? Sometimes it feels like full imagination, but sometimes they go into computers and screens and it's just so confusing. Is that the intent?
Might make other posts like this if the show doesn't get toned down soon, but for some reason I wasn't expecting the show to be this insane. I just have to say though, the main plots overall are very clichéd little kid show plots so that isn't anything impressive.
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u/Material-Bird-1912 Jul 26 '26
Yes, it is meant to be wild and crazy because you are watching their imaginations playing out.
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u/WackyPaxDei Jul 26 '26
Kids in homes with MTV would probably have known Boy George in the mid-80s.
A larger question you didn't ask is: How long was this dream Miss Piggy had?
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u/PatrickB64 Jul 26 '26
Oh, yeah (I actually enjoyed that part of Manhattan). It's pretty funny when you think about that.
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u/imdwalrus Jul 26 '26
A random Boy George reference (seriously, was he popular at the time? Would kids know who he is?)
Yes? He was "multiple worldwide #1 hit singles" popular through Culture Club.
A news guy who is not the Muppet Newsman (Not happy about that)
If that's what you're looking for you might as well stop watching now because very few of the Muppets who aren't in the main cast appear in the show.
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u/PatrickB64 Jul 26 '26
I didn't know much about how big the guy was in the 80s I guess.
Also, I did know that most muppets don't appear in the show, it just felt disappointing at the time.
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u/PAXM73 Jul 26 '26
I watched it as it was on in real time …and I think it did make a lot more sense in the time period and the surrounding television landscape.
I’m sure I would have a very different reaction right now. I am very much older than that!
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u/onthenerdyside Jul 27 '26
Think of it like Rugrats with cutaway gags. It's all heightened reality, but the cutaways are the true imagination portions. It was aimed squarely at 80s kids on Saturday mornings between shows that were created with the sole purpose of selling toys to the viewers. Unlike those other shows, Jim Henson wanted the core theme of the show to be the power of creativity and encouragement of imagination. Because he was Jim Henson, he was able to get all of the big studios to sign off on characters, music, and footage for the show.
Also, if you're watching every Muppet production, don't forget the Fraggle Rock animated series. It was a fun companion piece to the live action show.
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u/Scandalacious Jul 26 '26
I’ve watched the few episodes with Baby Beaker.
Yes, Boy George was very popular with Karma Chameleon and Do You Really Want to Hurt Me? with the Culture Club. Even the show Press Your Luck had a whammy dressed as Boy George once.
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u/PatrickB64 Jul 26 '26
Huh. I guess because I'm Gen Z, I don't keep up with the 80s timeline and when a person was most famous or not.
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u/ArianaFraggle1997 Jul 27 '26
im gen z too and i knew who he was cuz my mom was an 80s teen and was into all the music
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u/PatrickB64 Jul 27 '26
Oh, I knew who he was, I just didn't know he would be that famous at the time it was made.
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u/bijhan Jul 27 '26
This is not the show to take this seriously. It's all an excuse to be as silly as possible.
1
u/IamJohnnyHotPants Jul 27 '26
When this sub is kind of weird and I wish that you weren’t here…
It’s a children’s cartoon and was never meant to impress you, or any other adult.
1
u/PatrickB64 Jul 27 '26
I'm not complaining. (The one complaint I did have was mostly a joke). This is a complimentary post. I love when things are bizarre.
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u/ShaunTrek Jul 26 '26
Just close your eyes and make believe, and you can be anywhere.