Behind the scenes of a latenight talk show was a natural setting for a next-generation Muppets TV series, producers of ABC’s “The Muppets” told reporters Tuesday during the Television Critics Assn. press tour.
Bill Prady and Bob Kushell, exec producers of ABC’s “The Muppets,” said the series would have a mockumentary flavor and revolve around the backstage antics at “Up Late with Miss Piggy,” as well as the personal lives of Miss Piggy, Kermit, Fozzie Bear and other beloved Muppet characters.
The show will incorporate celebrity and musical guests through the prism of their appearances Miss Piggy’s latenight program. Reese Witherspoon and Imagine Dragons are among the guests lined up so far. But it will not be a straight-ahead variety show like the previous “Muppet Show” from the 1970s, although it will have the same irreverent tone of poking fun at pop culture.
“The goal here is to be exactly the same and completely different,” Prady joked. “We will honor ‘The Muppet Show’ (legacy) more rigorously than has been done before but at the same time do something contemporary.”
The panel session also featured Kermit and Miss Piggy, who kept reporters laughing with their banter. The big news of the morning was that Kermit and Miss Piggy have split up, even though Kermit remains an exec producer of her latenight show. ABC went so far as to release a statement about the breakup.
“After careful thought, thoughtful consideration and considerable squabbling, we have made the difficult decision to terminate our romantic relationship,” the statement said.
Here is the official statement on @KermitTheFrog and moi's relationship termination: pic.twitter.com/0OAdorFV6S
— Miss Piggy (@RealMissPiggy) August 4, 2015
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Variety
